At the spring session, each of the five committees holds a one-day meeting to consider reports and to meet with government officials and policy experts. On the last day, the Assembly meets in plenary to conduct Assembly business, debate key issues and hear from key national and international leaders.

At the autumn session, reports (link to "Committee Reports") are adopted, taken note of, or rejected by the Committees. Only those reports which are adopted subsequently appear as official Assembly Reports after the Session.

The Committees also prepare Policy Recommendations (link to "Policy Recommendations") which are then put before the one-day plenary sitting for consideration, amendment and adoption. They then represent the formal position of the Assembly.

These Policy Recommendations are not binding, but are widely distributed to governments and parliaments of member and associate member nations. NATO's Secretary General also provides a written reaction to each of the Policy Recommendations.

The Plenary Sitting at the autumn session is usually addressed by the Assembly's President, a senior representative of the government of the host nation, and NATO's Secretary General. Elections also take place for Assembly officers. The President and five Vice-Presidents are elected for one-year terms and can be re-elected once. The Treasurer is elected for a two-year term and can be re-elected twice.