North Atlantic Treaty Organisation: Parliamentary Assembly: Publications

Includes the following categories of publications: Committee Reports - Committee Meeting Summaries - Policy Recommendations - Mission Reports - Seminar Reports - Mediterranean Special Group - Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum - Russia and Ukraine - Speeches - Press Releases - Special Publications

The Assembly's five Committees discuss, amend, and finally adopt reports which have been prepared by Committee and Sub-Committee rapporteurs. The reports presented at spring sessions are essentially drafts indicating the key themes and ideas intended to feature in the final reports. Following members' comments, these spring reports are modified and up-dated before being presented to the Committees for adoption during their meetings at the Assembly's annual session.

The Committees also receive briefings from government officials, academics and other policy specialists. Brief summaries of these meetings are produced.

Policy recommendations represent formal statements of the Assembly's views. These are usually drafted in the Assembly's Committees before being offered for amendment and adoption by the full Assembly in plenary sitting. Occasionally, a policy recommendation is presented directly to the plenary sitting. This usually takes place if the subject is seen as being directly relevant to more than one Committee. The policy recommendations are not binding, but are widely circulated to governments and parliaments of members and associate member nations. NATO's Secretary General also provides a written reaction to each of the policy recommendations.

Mission Reports are summaries of the meetings held by Committees, Sub-Committees, and other groups outside Assembly sessions.

Each year, the Assembly usually holds three Rose-Roth seminars and one Mediterranean Dialogue Seminar. The Rose-Roth seminars cover a wide range of subjects such as civil-military relations, regional security, and the fight against terrorism. Mediterranean Dialogue Seminars focus on issues of common concern to parliamentarians from the NATO nations and those nations involved in NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue.

In 2001, the Assembly held its first Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum. This was intended to focus specifically on transatlantic perspectives on Alliance security issues. The second Forum took place in 2002, and this meeting is currently expected to occur annually.

The Joint Monitoring Groups with Russia and Ukraine typically each meet twice per year. The NATO-Russia Parliamentary Standing Committee also meets twice per year.

Key speeches made by leading members of the Assembly are included in publications.

All the Assembly's press releases are available, and "Special Publications" includes articles, books, and special reports produced by the Assembly's officers outside the usual structure of meetings.

Declarations are usually presented directly to the plenary sitting and address subjects of particular urgency, often concerning matters that relate to the interests of several committees.