International organisations

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on international organisations. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
17.01.2013Antarctic Bill - Committee Stage
The Antarctic Bill is presented as a Private Member's Bill by Neil Carmichael MP. This note sets out the issues discussed in the Bill Committee on 21 November 2012. These included: the timing of the enactment of the provisions relating to the liability annex, compatibility with existing shipping liability provisions, and the wider issue of the future of the British Antarctic Survey.
19.04.2012The IMF's resources
The IMF's resources come from quotas contributed by each of its 187 Member States (around £234bn in total) and from standing credit arrangements with certain industrialised and emerging economies (currently around £215bn).
11.11.2011IMF quotas and proposed increases
Quotas paid by member states are the main financial resource of the IMF. This note explains how they work with particular reference to the UK, and describes the proposed changes that will see quotas double.
28.06.2011The International Criminal Court: new crimes and a new Prosecutor
As the International Criminal Court (ICC) moves towards opening its fourth trial, its jurisdiction is being widened and its most public face, the ICC Prosecutor, is about to be replaced at the end of his term.
04.05.2011The European Court of Human Rights: the election of judges
This Note looks at some of the criticism of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular the procedure for selecting and electing judges to the Court, the quality and experience of those judges and proposals for reforming the selection criteria and method of appointment.

Research Papers

DateDescription
24.04.2009Russia and the West
A year on from Dmitry Medvedev's succession to the Kremlin, this paper analyses the evolution of Russian foreign policy under both Putin and Medvedev. It seeks to identify the main themes, interests, and objectives of Russian foreign policy, and to appraise the role of President Medvedev in the direction of Russian diplomacy and his relationship with Prime Minister Putin. In so doing, it examines, in detail, Russia's relationship with the United States, NATO, the EU, and the UK and analyses the role of energy in relations between Russia and the West. Finally, it looks ahead at the prospects for the relationship in light of President Obama's declared intention to press the 'reset' button in US-Russian relations.
20.03.2009Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL] (Bill 69 of 2008-09)
This short Bill is intended to amend two UK Acts to enable the Government to ratify two international agreements protecting military medical personnel and humanitarian workers. In line with the protocols, the Bill would firstly sanction and protect the 'red crystal' as a new symbol to protect humanitarian personnel in armed conflict instead of (or in addition to) the existing red cross or red crescent; and secondly extend the definition of protected UN workers to include those delivering humanitarian, political or development assistance in peacebuilding operations and those delivering emergency humanitarian protection.

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
16.12.2009RWANDA AND THE COMMONWEALTH
That this House welcomes Rwanda's entry into the Commonwealth as its 54th Member State and the decision of Commonwealth leaders to accept Rwanda's application; recognises the remarkable ...
07.12.2009COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011
That this House welcomes the decision taken at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009, held in Trinidad and Tobago, to name Australia as the host of the 2011 conference; ...
29.06.2009INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (No. 2)
That this House notes that as of 24 June 2009, the Government has agreed to become a full signatory to and to join the International Renewable Energy Agency; congratulates the Secretary ...
01.04.2009TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
That this House regrets that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has opposed including Taiwan's participation as an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA) on its agenda since 1997; ...
26.02.2009COMMONWEALTH DAY 2009 AND THE COMMONWEALTH AT 60
That this House marks Commonwealth Day on 9 March; notes the importance of the theme for 2009, which is The Commonwealth at 60 - serving a new generation; believes that the Commonwealth ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
25.08.2011Debate on 8 September: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Role of the Commonwealth
This Library Note provides background information for the debate on 8 September 2011 on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the role of the Commonwealth
14.04.2011Debate on 28 April: Co-ordination between Government Departments on the use of Soft Power
This Library Note provides background information for the debate on 28 April 2011 on co-ordination between Government departments on the use of soft power.
23.01.2009Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL]. LLN 2009/001
Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL]. House of Lords Library Note 2009/001

POST Papers

DateDescription
17.09.2012Measuring National Wellbeing
This POSTnote summarises the latest research on measuring national wellbeing, its components and causes, and examines some policy implications.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library