Introduction

Welcome to the website of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Maghreb countries (DMAG).

It is a pleasure to introduce you to the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries. As the elected Chair of the Delegation, I have the honour of presiding over our regular meetings in Brussels and Strasbourg, and of coordinating, together with the Bureau of the Delegation, our engagement with our counterparts in Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

Through regular Inter-Parliamentary Meetings (IPM) and Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meetings, the Delegation works to reinforce parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue with our fellow parliamentarians. These meetings usually take place yearly, with the location of the meetings alternating between Brussels/Strasbourg and the capital of our partners. The EU-Morocco, EU-Tunisia and EU-Algeria Joint Parliamentary Committees offer an enhanced mechanism for parliamentarians to work together on specific topics of common bilateral interest.

The European Parliament accompanies and scrutinises the European Union's relationship with the Maghreb countries, and the Delegation plays an important role in that respect, together with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the other bodies with competencies related to the European Parliament external action. The role of the Delegation is to nurture and strengthen the relations between the European Union and the Maghreb countries, and to contribute to the work carried out by the European Parliament's Standing Committees on matters relating to the region. This includes the implementation of the Association Agreements, the protection of Human Rights and democratic values, the implementation of recommendations formulated in the course of election observation missions, and the scrutiny of EU programming in the Maghreb countries. Through our parliamentary diplomacy, the direct and open exchanges with members of parliament from the Maghreb countries, as well as with civil society representatives and socio-economic stakeholders, the Delegation works to improve our mutual understanding and promote the values on which the European Union is founded: liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

Under my Chairmanship, the Delegation will continue to enhance bilateral and regional relations in the complex international context that traditionally characterises the Mediterranean region. I look forward to guiding our Delegation through these shifting times and to work with my colleagues to contribute - through parliamentary diplomacy - to the strengthening of political relations between the European Union and the Maghreb countries. I hope our work will help to reinforce dialogue and cooperation for peace, democracy and development, as well as to strengthen people-to-people relations. Our work will seek to promote the deepening of the relationship between the European Parliament and the parliaments, civil society and political actors in each of the countries of the Maghreb region.

You are welcome to attend our meetings in Brussels or Strasbourg, or to follow the livestreaming of our meetings on this website.

Matjaž NEMEC (S&D, SI), Chair 2023 - 2024