Procedural implications of Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1600 (2008) on the Council of Europe and its observer states – the current situation and a way forward, and related Assembly texts
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text
adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of
the Assembly, on 20 November 2009 (see Doc. 12072, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs, rapporteur: Mr Cebeci).
- Thesaurus
1. The Parliamentary Assembly has
on many occasions reaffirmed its commitment to developing co-operation
with Europe’s neighbouring regions and to contributing to the consolidation
of democracy and the promotion of respect for human rights and the
rule of law beyond its member states’ borders. This commitment is
set out,
inter alia, in its
Resolutions
1506 (2006) on the external relations of the Council of Europe,
1600 (2008) on the Council of Europe and its observer states: the
current situation and a way forward,
1598 (2008) on strengthening co-operation with the Maghreb countries
and
1599 (2008) on the situation in the Republics of Central Asia. These
texts include, in particular, proposals on how to enhance relations
between the Assembly and the relevant parliaments. Furthermore,
the Assembly refers to its Resolution
1680 (2009) on the establishment of a “partner for democracy” status
with the Parliamentary Assembly, which is a follow-up to Resolutions
1598 and
1599.
2. The Assembly has instructed the Committee on Rules of Procedure,
Immunities and Institutional Affairs to report on the consequences
for the Assembly’s procedure and practice of the proposals contained
in Resolutions
1598,
1599 and
1600 and
1680.
3. The Assembly welcomes the observer states’ contribution to
the work of the Council of Europe and particularly to the Assembly’s
own activities and would like their involvement to be maintained
and reinforced. In this connection, it points out that its will
to further the observers’ role and to associate them more fully
with its activities resulted, in 2007, in the granting of additional
rights.
4. The Assembly considers that strengthening the procedural possibilities
for action by observer states and by members of other partner parliaments
in the plenary and in committees will enable the Assembly and its members
to gain more benefit from their input and support. However, in accordance
with the principles of good governance, it considers that members
of non-member states’ delegations cannot enjoy rights identical
to those of members of the Assembly in the full exercise of their
parliamentary prerogatives and functions. This applies in particular
to procedures linked to the obligations and responsibilities of
members or of their national delegations.
5. Consequently, the Assembly decides to amend its Rules as follows:
5.1 in Rule 35.6:
5.1.1 in the first sentence, replace
the word “members” with the words “members of the Assembly or members
of special guest, observer or partner for democracy delegations”;
5.1.2 in the last sentence, replace the word “member” with “member
of the Assembly or a member of a special guest, observer or partner
for democracy delegation”;
5.2 replace the first sentence of Rule 47.5 with the following
text:
“Subject to paragraph 6
below, members of special guest, observer and partner for democracy delegations
appointed to a committee may participate in its meetings and speak
if called by the committee chairperson; they shall not have the
right to vote.”;
5.3 replace the first sentence of Rule 59.8 with the following
text:
“Members of special guest
delegations may participate in committee meetings as provided in Rule
47.5. They may submit to the committee chairperson proposals concerning
the draft agenda of committee meetings and proposals for amendments
to draft texts examined in these meetings. The committee chairperson
shall decide on any further action.”;
5.4 replace the first sentence of Rule 60.4 with the following
text:
“Members of observer delegations
may participate in committee meetings as provided in Rule 47.5.
They may submit to the committee chairperson proposals concerning
the draft agenda of committee meetings and proposals for amendments
to draft texts examined in these meetings. The committee chairperson
shall decide on any further action.”;
5.5 replace Rule 60.5 with the following text:
“The President of the Assembly
may invite representatives of parliaments of other non-member states
to attend a debate in the Assembly.”
6. The Assembly also decides that the rules related to partner
for democracy delegations shall follow the above-mentioned Rules
59.8 and 60.4 related to invited guest delegations and observers.
7. The Assembly decides that these changes shall enter into force
upon their adoption.
8. Furthermore, the Assembly recalls that in paragraph 30.7 of
Resolution 1600 (2008) the Assembly invited the Bureau of the Assembly to “prepare
guidelines, taking into account good practice, on the participation
of parliamentary observer delegations in the work of the Assembly,
including in the Standing Committee and in committee meetings”.
It refers in this respect to the elements for good practice concerning relations
with observer, special guest delegations and partner parliaments
of non-member states, which are appended to
D
oc. 12072.
