The South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative has a formal structure that governs its work. It meets for half yearly Plenary Assemblies with the participation of ten parliamentarians from each side, and holds Presidium meetings of three MPs from each side. The Initiative has a rotating Chairmanship between the three countries and a Secretariat. Each incoming chairmanship presents a programme of work to the Plenary Assembly and once approved this becomes the basis for activity for the duration of that Chairmanship. This year SCPI set up a working group to look into areas of mutual interest between the three countries that also meets regularly.
The Initiative meets in plenary session every six months for two days of discussion and exchange of ideas. For more information please visit the Plenary Assemblies section of this website.
The Chairmanship and the Presidium provide the political direction of SCPI. The Presidium has initiated high level contacts with the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Baltic Parliamentary Assembly. The Presidium is comprised of three parliamentarians from each of the three parliaments and meets regularly between Plenary Assemblies. The Presidium undertakes much of the detailed work of the Initiative and often makes presentations and recommendations to the full Plenary after detailed negotiation and scrutiny. Each Presidium delegation is led by the head of the full delegation of ten from that country.
Earlier this year the Initiative agreed to set up a working group of experts to look at prospects for regional interaction in the South Caucasus. In particular, the working group will focus on issues related to transport, environment and banking. The working group consists of the Acting Executive Secretary of SCPI as Chairman and three members appointed by each delegation, and will present its findings to the Sixth Plenary Assembly of SCPI. The working group will meet at least three times, the last time being immediately prior to the Sixth Plenary Assembly. Decisions of working group shall, as much as possible, be taken by consensus. If this is not possible decisions will be taken by majority vote, with the Chairman using his casting vote if necessary. The final report to the Plenary Assembly will however, if absolutely necessary, include a majority and minority view.
The South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative has its own Secretariat to administer its work. The delegation from each country appoints a secretary to the delegation who sits on the SCPI Secretariat. This body implements the decision of the Executive organs and takes care of all practical and organisational matters associated with the various meetings and other work of the Initiative. It has also produced a Directory of the Parliaments of the South Caucasus.
The Special Advisor to SCPI provides advice and guidance to the Initiative and the current Acting Special Advisor to SCPI is Dennis Sammut, Executive Director of LINKS.
At the conclusion of most formal meetings of SCPI various documents of agreed text are produced that reflect the discussions that have taken place and the agreements reached. These documents form part of the body of work of the Initiative and are available to the public. View these documents.