The NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO-PA), originally called the North Atlantic Assembly (NAA), is an inter-parliamentary organisation founded in 1955 in order to enable representatives of the parliaments of members of NATO to meet and discuss common security problems. Today it includes representatives of the legislative bodies of the 26 members of NATO as well as of 16 associated countries and of 4 Mediterranean associated countries.
The NATO-PA comprises 248 members plus 72 parliamentarians who represent associated delegations as well as 20 parliamentarians who represent Mediterranean associated delegations. Most of these parliamentarians are members of defence committees in their own countries. The chairmen and deputy chairmen of the Swiss Committees on Security Policy thus have the opportunity to meet their counterparts when they attend NATO-PA functions.