Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (29 June – 30 September 2012)
Progress report
| Doc. 13031
| 29 September 2012
- Committee
- Bureau of the Assembly
- Rapporteur :
- Ms Tina ACKETOFT,
Sweden, ALDE
- Thesaurus
1 Introduction
1. At its meeting on 29 June 2012, the Bureau appointed
me rapporteur for this report. Since then, the Bureau has met once,
on 3 September 2012 in Nice (France).
2. In line with the previous reports, this progress report covers
the period outside of Assembly sessions, leaving aside the decisions
which have already been ratified by the Assembly. Thereby this report
presents the Bureau’s activities since the end of the 3rd part-session
(25-29 June 2012) up until the 4th part-session (1 – 5 October 2012).
3. The Bureau will hold its next meetings in Strasbourg during
the October part-session, i.e. on Monday 1 October 2012 and Friday
5 October 2012, and then on 29 November 2012 in Andorra la Vella.
2 Activities
of the Bureau since the last part-session
2.1 Follow-up to the
third part-session of 2012 (Strasbourg, 25-29 June 2012)
4. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the following
proposals made by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly:
- Follow-up
to the current affairs debate on European institutions and human
rights in Europe: the Bureau decided to refer this issue
to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report. It
also asked the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to prepare
a report on "The memorandum of understanding between the Council
of Europe and the European Union - evaluation 5 years after" and another
report on "Challenges of a "federal Europe". These decisions are
subject to ratification by the Assembly;
- Resolution
1891 (2012) on the situation
of human rights defenders in the Council of Europe member states:
the Bureau decided to seize the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human
Rights for a report on “Strengthening the protection and role of
human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States”, subject
to ratification by the Assembly;
- Resolution
1885 (2012) on the young generation
sacrifices: social economic and political implications of the financial
crisis: the Bureau decided to make use of the Assembly’s
state of democracy and human rights debates to assess progress made
and the effectiveness of measures taken by member States in improving
access to social rights;
- Resolution
1889 (2012) on the portrayal
of migrants and refugees during election campaigns: with reference
to paragraph 12, the Bureau requested the Venice Commission to carry
out a study on the portrayal of migrants and refugees during election
campaigns, with a view to possibly amending the Code of Good Practice
in Electoral Matters;
- Resolution
1893 (2012) on political transition
in Tunisia: the Bureau decided to seize the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for a report on “Political transition
in Tunisia”, subject to ratification by the Assembly.
2.2 Fourth part-session
of 2012 (Strasbourg, 1-5 October 2012)
5. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau drew up the draft
agenda of the part-session in question.
2.3 Election observation
2.3.1 Revised Guidelines
for the observation of elections
6. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the amendment
to the revised Guidelines on the observation of elections by the
Assembly as regards the inclusion of the rapporteurs of the Monitoring
Committee of the countries concerned as "ex officio" members of
the ad hoc committees.
2.3.2 Parliamentary elections
in Georgia (1 October 2012)
7. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the final composition
of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and decided to
include the two rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee, in their
capacity as ex officio members
of the ad hoc committee, in the composition of the pre-electoral
mission. The election date having been confirmed at a later date,
the Bureau approved further changes to the final composition of
the ad hoc committee at its meeting on 3 September.
2.3.3 Early parliamentary
elections in Montenegro (14 October 2012)
8. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau decided to observe
these elections and to constitute an ad hoc committee for this purpose
composed of 11 members: EPP/DC: 3, SOC: 3; ALDE: 2; EDG: 2; UEL:
1, as well as the two rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee.
2.3.4 Parliamentary elections
in Ukraine (28 October 2012)
9. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the final composition
of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and decided to
include the two co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee, in their
capacity as ex officio members
of the ad hoc committee, in the composition of the pre-electoral
mission. On 3 September 2012, it approved the changes to the final
composition of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections.
2.3.5 Schedule of elections
2012/2013
10. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau took note of a memorandum
prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly.
2.4 Issues raised by
committees
2.4.1 Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy
11. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau authorised the fact-finding
visit of Mr Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD) to Egypt, in
the second half of the year, in the context of the preparation of
a report on “Political transition in Egypt”. At its following meeting,
the Bureau authorised the
fact-finding visit of Mr Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD) to Egypt,
in the context of the preparation of a report on “Violence against
religious minorities”, joining Mr Gardetto. It also authorised
the fact-finding visit of Mr Tiny Kox (Netherlands, UEL) to the
Palestinian Territories and Israel, in the second half of the year,
in the context of the preparation of a report on the “Evaluation
of the partnership for democracy with the Palestinian National Council”,
as well as a representative of the committee to attend the conference
on the abolition of the death penalty to be held in Morocco on 10 July
2012.
2.4.2 Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights
12. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau took note of the opinion
of the Venice Commission on the intended suspension of the constitutional
amendment procedure in Belgium and decided accordingly that no further action
should be taken by the Assembly on this matter.
2.4.3 Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination
13. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau authorised Mr José Mendes
Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD) to conduct a fact-finding visit to Morocco,
on 8 and 9 July 2012, in his capacity of general rapporteur on violence
against women.
2.5 References and
transmissions to committees
2.5.1 References approved
by the Bureau
14. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the following
references, which were subsequently ratified by the Asssembly:
- Doc. 12940, Motion for a resolution, Need to reinforce the independence of the European
Court of Human Rights, to the Committee on Legal Affairs
and Human Rights tobe taken
into account in the preparation of the report on “The future of
the European Court of Human Rights and the Brighton Declaration”
(Ref. 3864 of 27 April 2012);
- Doc 12941,
Motion for a resolution, Fathers and
their influence on children’s well-being, to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, for information;
- Doc. 12946,
Motion for a resolution, Migrants: a
benefit or a burden for our society?, to the Committee on
Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for
report;
- Doc. 12947,
Motion for a resolution, Addressing age
discrimination on the labour market, to the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination for
report and to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and
Sustainable Development for opinion;
- Doc. 12979,
Motion for a resolution, The war between
Georgia and Russia: the humanitarian situation in the war-affected
areas, to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced
Persons for report.
15. The references approved by the Bureau on 3 September 2012,
requiring ratification by the Assembly, are presented in Chapter
3.
2.5.2 Request for modification
of a reference
16. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau modified the following
reference, which was subsequently ratified by the Assembly:
- Ref. 3845 of 9 March 2012, The activities of the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2011- 2012, to
the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report and to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for opinion.
2.5.3 Requests for extension
of references
17. The Bureau approved the extension of the following
references:
- Ref. 3629 of 25
January 2010, Measures to improve the
democratic character of elections in the Council of Europe member
States, Bureau decision of 14 December 2009, Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy until 31 December 2012;
- Ref. 3700 of 4 October 2010, Accession
of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights:
Election of judges, to Committee on Legal Affairs and
Human Rights until 31 December 2013.
2.6 Communications
18. The Bureau took note of communications by the President
of the Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, as well as by the Secretary
General of the Parliamentary Assembly at both meetings.
2.7 Relations with
the European Parliament
19. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau took note of the synopsis
of the meeting of the Joint PACE/EP Informal Body held on 19 June
2012 and of an information memorandum on the relations between the
European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe from January to June 2012.
2.8 Visit of the Presidential
Committee to Romania (18 and 19 July 2012) and subsequent developments
20. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau heard an information
by the President and members of the Presidential Committee on their
visit to Romania and held an exchange of views.
21. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau decided to refer
the issue of a possible modification of
Resolution 1115 (1997) with a view
to introducing a time limit for consideration by the Monitoring
Committee on whether or not to open a monitoring procedure on a
member State, to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and
Institutional Affairs for report and to the Monitoring Committee
for opinion.
2.10 Information by
the Chairperson of the delegation of Armenia to the Parliamentary
Assembly on the case of Ramil Safarov
22. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau took note of a statement by
the Chairperson of the Armenian delegation and invited the Monitoring
Committee and the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to
deal with this matter at their forthcoming meetings.
2.11 International Day
of Democracy, 15 September 2012 (Interparliamentary Union)
23. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau adopted a declaration
to be published in the framework of the International Day of Democracy.
2.12 European Conference
of Presidents of Parliament (Strasbourg, 20-21 September 2012)
24. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau took note of the draft
programme of the Conference.
2.13 Youth Assembly
2012 (Strasbourg, 5-7 October 2012)
25. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau took note of a Memorandum
on the state of preparation of the Youth Assembly prepared by the
Secretariat of the Assembly, decided to set up an ad hoc committee
subject to approval by the Assembly, and approved the composition
of an ad hoc committee to participate in the event.
2.14 World Forum for
Democracy (Strasbourg, 5-11 October 2012)
26. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the final composition
of an ad hoc committee to participate in the Forum and appointed
the President of the Assembly as its Chairperson. At its meeting
on 3 September, the Bureau updated the final composition of the
ad hoc committee.
2.15 2013 Parliamentary
Assembly Human Rights Prize: proposed extension of deadline for
the submission of nominations
27. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau approved the extension
of the deadline for the submission of nominations until 31 January
2013.
2.16 Composition of
the Monitoring Committee
28. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau nominated Mr Mikuláš
Dzurinda (Slovenia, EPP/CD) on
the basis of a proposal submitted by the EPP/CD group, which was
subsequently ratified by the Assembly.
2.17 Analysis of the
use made by the Assembly’s political groups of their allocations
for 2011
29. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau approved the report submitted
by the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs.
2.18 Meetings of the
Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2013
30. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau approved the following
schedule of meetings in 2013:
|
Monday 21 January, 8.00
am Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Friday 25 January, 8.30
am Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Thursday 7 March, 3.00
pm, Paris
|
Bureau
|
|
Friday 8 March, 9.00
am, Paris (to be confirmed)
|
Standing Committee
|
|
Monday 22 April, 8.00
am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Friday 26 April, 8.30
am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
May, Armenia (date and
place to be confirmed)
|
Bureau and Standing Committee
(CM
Presidency)
|
|
Monday 24 June, 8.00
am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Friday 28 June, 8.30
am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Monday 2 September, 9.30
am, Paris
|
Bureau
|
|
Monday 30 September,
8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
Friday 4 October, 8.30
am, Strasbourg (part-session)
|
Bureau
|
|
November, Austria (date
and place to be confirmed)
|
Bureau and Standing Committee
(CM
Presidency)
|
|
Monday 16 December, 9.30
am, Paris
|
Bureau
|
2.19 Meetings elsewhere
than in Strasbourg and Paris
31. On 29 June 2012, the Bureau authorised the following
meetings:
- the Sub-Committee
on the Europe Prize of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and
Sustainable Development to meet in Sighişoara (Romania) on 21 July
2012;
- the Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize of the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development to meet in
Corciano (Italy) on 12 August 2012;
- the Ad hoc Sub-Committee on Relations with the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) of the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy to meet in London on 5 September
2012;
- the Sub-Committee on Culture, Diversity and Heritage of
the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media to meet in
Ljubljana and Maribor (Slovenia) on 21 September 2012;
- the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development to meet in Moscow on 19-20 November 2012.
2.20 Appointment of
Assembly representatives for official activities
32. The following members were appointed during the reference
period:
- Ms Carmen Quintanilla
(Spain, EPP/CD) to attend the Conference “The gender approach in
the development of Women in the Mediterranean”, organised by the
Association “Voix de femmes”, Women’s Tribune and the European Centre
for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (North-South Centre of
the Council of Europe), in Tetouan (Morocco) on 7 July 2012;
- Ms Elvira Kovács (Serbia, EPP/CD) to attend the International
Session of the European Youth Parliament in Tallinn from 27 July
to 5 August 2012;
- Mr Paolo Corsini (Italy, SOC) to attend the Council of
Europe 2012 Exchange on the religious dimension of intercultural
dialogue on the theme: “Taking responsibility for tomorrow’s Europe:
the role of young people in the religious dimension of intercultural
dialogue” in Durrès (Albania) on 3-4 September 2012;
- the Chair of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education
and Media or a member of the delegation of Albania to attend a tribute
from the European youth to the people who saved the honour of humanity during
the Holocaust in Tirana on 5 September 2012;
- Ms Nursuna Memecan (Turkey, ALDE) to attend the European
Roma and Travellers Forum, opening ceremony of the 2012 Plenary
Session in Strasbourg on 6 September 2012;
- Ms Deborah Bergamini (Italy, EPP/CD) to attend the World
e-Parliament Conference, organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
in Rome from 13 to15 September 2012;
- Mr Bernard Marquet (Monaco, ALDE) to attend a conference
on “Renewable Energy: the Future of the Mediterranean”, organised
by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean in Ouarzazate, Morocco
from 14 to 15 September 2012;
- Mr José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD) to attend the Regional
Conference on the Prevention and Combat of Violence against Women,
organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Moroccan
government, in Rabat, Morocco from 24 to 25 September 2012;
- Ms Carina Ohlsson (Sweden, SOC), to attend the 2nd Council
of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Social cohesion
“building a secure future for all”, in Istanbul (Turkey) from 11
to 12 October 2012;
- Ms Nursuna Memecan (Turkey, ALDE) to attend the 81st Rose
Roth Seminar, organised by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, in Sveti
Stefan (Montenegro) from 15 to 17 October 2012.
3 Decisions of the
Bureau requiring ratification by the Assembly
3.1 References and
transmissions to committees
33. On 3 September 2012, the Bureau approved the following
references, subject to ratification by the Assembly:
- Doc. 12983, Motion for a resolution,
The young migrant generation in Europe, to the Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Displaced Persons to be taken into account in the preparation
of the report on “Integration of migrants: is Europe failing?” (Doc. 12498, Ref.
3748) and in the preparation of the report on “Unaccompanied migrant
children: what rights at 18?” (Doc. 12678, Ref. 3800);
- Doc. 12985,
Motion for a resolution, The right to
Internet access, to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education
and Media for report and to
the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for opinion;
- Doc. 12986,
Motion for a resolution, So-Called “honour”
crimes in the North Caucasus, to the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 13001,
Motion for a resolution, Resettlement
of refugees: an efficient tool for greater solidarity in Europe,
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
- Doc. 13006,
Motion for a resolution, Reporting suspected sexual violence against
children: legislative and political measures required to protect
victims and professionals, to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health
and Sustainable Development for report.
3.2 Composition of
the Monitoring Committee
34. On 3 September, 2012, the Bureau nominated Ms Nataša
Vučković (Serbia, SOC) and Mr Vilmos Szabó (Hungary, SOC) on the
basis of proposals by the Socialist group, subject to ratification
by the Assembly.
