Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva, 20 February 2001
N° 110

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) plans to organise a parliamentary meeting on world trade in Geneva in June of the present year. A Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) composed of some twenty MPs who specialise in international trade issues in their respective parliaments is to meet in Geneva on 23 and 24 February, at the Varembé International Conference Centre.

Headed by the President of the Council of the IPU, Mrs. Najma Heptulla (India), the PrepCom is responsible for preparing the parliamentary meeting in June, in the light of recent developments with regard to multilateral trade negotiations. Delegates, who will include several chairpersons of parliamentary finance or foreign affairs committees, will represent the following parliaments: Argentina, Belgium, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Russia, Thailand and Zambia.

Founded in 1889 and based in Geneva, the IPU is the organisation of the world’s parliaments. It currently has 140 member national parliaments and five regional parliamentary organisations with associate member status. It also has a Liaison Bureau with the UN in New York.