The second day of the Training Seminar entitled “An Overview of Parliamentary Responsibilities: Strengthening the Institutions” organized by the Parliamentary Institute of Cambodia in collaboration with the Cambodian Parliament took place on the 8th of October 2019 in Siem Reap.
The 42 participants coming from nine ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) member Parliaments (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam) had the occasion to examine into the topic of Legislative Functions.
The objectives outlined for the day was to provide participants with an overview of how Parliaments in different countries implement legislative functions, the tools, mechanism, activities, services and skills available to support their roles, and in particular: (1) Legislative procedures: How law is drafted or proposed? What are the roles of standing committees? What are the roles of parliamentary committees before and during legislative debates? What services are provided by the parliamentary staff to support the legislation function? (2) Challenges: what is required to better support the legislative function (e.g. research services, library and information systems, expert consultants assisting committees, development of university intern programs for assisting committees, and strengthening legislative civil society partnerships)?
For these purposes, Ms. Sylvie Boulle, Advisor of the European Affairs Committee of the French Parliament, presented the legislative process and the work of committees and the plenary session in France.
Ms. Susan Viets, Manager of the Legislative Research Service of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, talked about the specificities of the Canadian legislative process and its legislative library and research services, while Mr. Xavier Nuttin of the European Institute for Asian Studies reported on the case of the European Parliament and of its Research Service (EPRS).
These presentations were joined by the ones on the Cambodian and Myanmar legislative processes and research services, given by the respective delegates attending the training seminar.
The delivery of the presentations of both experts and participants and the Q&A sessions were facilitated with the help of former AIPA Secretaries General, Mr. P.O. Ram (2013-2016) and Mr. Isra Sunthornvut (2016-2019), and Mrs. La-or Putornjai, former Advisor on Legislative Procedure of the Secretariat of the Thai Senate.