Facts and figures

Legal Bases:

• Brussels Treaty, as amended by the Paris Agreements and signed on 23 October 1954 (Federal Law Gazette 1955 I, p. 283 and 258)
• Agreement on the Status of the Western European Union (Federal Law Gazette 1959 II, p. 705)
• Rules of Proced

Aims: Cooperation in the field of security and defence policy Number of Member States: 10, and 8 Affiliate Members, 3 Associate Members, 2 Affiliate Associate Members, 5 Permanent Observers * German membership since: 1955 German contribution: 17.43% (contribution to WEU including Assembly) Total number of seats 115 representatives (and an equal number of substitutes) and representatives of the Associate Members and Permanent Observers German delegation: ** 18 representatives (7:6:2:2:1) and 18 substitutes Head of delegation: Gerd Höfer (SPD) Deputy head Eduard Lintner (CDU/CSU) Institutions:

• Bureau (1 President and 10 Vice-Presidents)
• Presidential Committee
• Standing Committee
• 6 permanent committees

President: Jean-Pierre Masseret (France) Headquarters: Paris Plenary sessions: Twice a year Place of meeting: Paris Committees:

1. Defence Committee
2. Political Committee
3. Technological and Aerospace Committee
4. Committee on Budgetary Affairs and Administration
5. Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges
6. Committee for Parliamentary and Public Relations

Committee meetings: Every 6 - 7 weeks Place of meeting: in Paris or in the members countries Official languages: English and French Working languages: English, French, German and Italian

* Full Members:
Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

Affiliate Members:
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia

Permanent Observers:
Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

Associate Members:
Iceland, Norway, Turkey

Affiliate Associate Members:
Bulgaria, Romania

** Identical in composition with the members of the German delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Article IX of the Brussels Treaty)