The report concentrates on the aspects of the relationship that can illuminate whether a parliament performs these responsibilities in a proper manner, and outlines a framework for assessing parliament’s relationship to ACAs that is based on five criteria:

1. Parliament’s role in establishing the legal framework and mandate of the ACA;
2. Parliament’s role in the selection, appointments and removal of the leadership of the ACA;
3. Parliament’s role regarding resources allocated to the ACA;
4. Parliament’s consideration of and follow up to annual and other reports of the ACA;
5. Parliament’s policy and awareness-raising cooperation with the ACA.

These five criteria (instruments) are then applied using 26 indicators, creating a comprehensive framework to understand the relationship between parliaments and ACAs, both theoretically and in practice. Furthermore, this assessment framework seeks to identify a way that optimises the equilibrium between independence and accountability because essential points of contact between parliaments and ACAs include elements of both of these functions.