The Assembly comprises 318 representatives and 318 substitutes from the 47 Council of Europe’s member states. Each country, depending on its population, has between two and eighteen representatives, who provide a balanced reflection of the political forces represented in the national parliament. They meet four times a year to discuss topical issues and to ask European Governments to take initiatives and report back. The Assembly sets its own agenda, and the governments of European countries – which are represented at the Council of Europe by the Committee of Ministers – are obliged to respond to its recommendations and questions.The Assembly adopts three types of texts: recommendations (to the Committee of Ministers), resolutions (which express its own viewpoint) and opinions (on membership applications, draft treaties and other texts submitted by the Committee of Ministers).
Since 1949 PACE has been behind several of the Organisation’s major initiatives, for instance the European Convention on Human Rights. It must be consulted about all international treaties drawn up by the Council of Europe. It elects the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, judges for the European Court of Human Rights and the Commissioner for Human Rights.
For more information about the Parliamentary Assembly and its work consult its website
An overview of the members of the Norwegian parliamentarian delegation can be found here