ABSTRACT
European elections may seem remote from the concerns of many EU citizens. This is even more so for non-EU citizens further afield. But the manner in which the European Parliament (EP) has been empowered under the Lisbon Treaty is significant, and it would be incorrect to neglect the important role that the EP will play in the foreseeable future. For those in partner countries and regions around the world, the EP will be taken more seriously because agreements entered into by the EU with their governments and regional representatives will have to be fully endorsed by the EP. For other regional parliaments keen to draw from experiences and insights from the EP these are exciting times because they would be dealing with an entity that is more empowered than ever before to confront issues such as the post-2015 development finance options and other critical issues, including addressing climate change. This chapter explores ways in which the EP has been engaging African regional parliaments dwelling on how the Lisbon Treaty will impact upon such cooperation.
