"We need Russia as a reliable partner, while Russia needs the European Union. The EU member states have to develop a joint vision for the objectives of our partnership with Russia, so that we are a predictable partner."

The European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Russia had its constituent meeting on September 29, 2009, where the delegation's 31 members elected Knut Fleckenstein unanimously as their new chair.

In total there are 36 inter-parliamentary delegations in the European Parliament. Their activities aim at maintaining and enhancing contacts with parliaments of states that are traditionally partners of the European Union. Furthermore they also see through European foreign policy, trade policy, as well as development policy on the parliamentary level.

The delegation for relations with Russia originated in 1997 and is based on the EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). The EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC) that was introduced back then, is composed of an equal number of Members of the European Parliament and of the two chambers of the National Assembly of the Russian Federation, the State Duma and the Federation Council. That's why the European Parliament's Delegation's official title is the following: Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

The PCC conducts annual meetings at one of the two seats of the European Parliament - Brussels or Strasbourg. Several working groups dealing with certain specific topics take place additionally throughout the year and in Russia.

The main tasks of Knut Fleckenstein as the chair of the EU-Russia delegation in the European Parliament are to run the delegation meetings, to determine the work schedule together with his vice-chairs, and to prepare the joint meetings with the Russian partners.

Some of the important issues the delegation is handling, include the new Cooperation Agreement, cooperation in the areas of economics, science and research, development of civil society, energy policy, trade policy, security policy, and many more.

Useful links:
The EU-Russia delegation's website
European Commission GD External Action Russia
European Commission Delegation to Russia