Note to editors

Colloquy on local and regional representation in second chambers in Europe

Strasbourg, 13.02.2008 – How regions and local authorities are represented in the second chambers of European parliaments will be one of the subjects considered at the colloquy "Bicameral systems and representation of regions and local authorities: the role of second chambers in Europe", to be held in the Senate in Paris on 21 February.

The colloquy is organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the French Senate, in co-operation with the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly and Venice Commission. It will focus on the wide range of roles, forms of representation and methods of election of second chambers in Europe.  

The meeting will begin at 9 am with a message from Christian Poncelet, President of the Senate, and addresses by Lluis Maria de Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Halvdan Skard, President of the Congress, and Jan Helgesen, President of the Venice Commission. Yavuz Mildon, President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress, will chair the session on regional and local authority representation in second chambers.

The colloquy is open to the press.

Contact for accreditation:

Florence Legrand

Tel: +33 (1) 42.34.30.92 or (25.28)

Fax: +33 (1) 42.34.24.77

[email protected] 

Press contact:

Lucrezia Titi – Congress Communication Unit

In Strasbourg : +33 (0) 388 41 32 81

In Paris : +33 (0) 6 50 39 29 13

[email protected]