Parliamentary Inquiry Committee is an investigation committee of the legislative branch, which transforms the parliamentary house itself into a committee to hear testimonies and gather information directly. At the municipal level, its correct name is Special Inquiry Committee.^[1]

This page or section is written from a primarily Brazilian perspective and may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

In Portugal, article 181, paragraph 5 expressly provides that Parliamentary Inquiry Committees have investigative powers similar to judicial authorities.^[2] For example, the Camarate case resulted in inquiry committees.^[3]

The Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has been adopted by several countries such as Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. In the case of Argentina, although it uses the institute, it is not provided for in its constitution. In Uruguay, it has been referred to in its constitutional text since 1918, expressly allowing for the establishment of a Parliamentary Inquiry Committee.^[4]