Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (26 April – 23 June 2013)
Progress report
| Doc. 13233
| 20 June 2013
1 Introduction
At its meeting on 30 May 2013 in Yerevan, the Bureau appointed
me as rapporteur for this report. In line with my predecessors,
this progress report covers the period outside of Assembly sessions,
leaving aside the decisions which have already been ratified by
the Assembly. Therefore, this report presents the Bureau’s activities
since the end of the second part-session of 2013 (22-26 April) until
the third part-session of 2013 (24-28 June). It also covers the
meeting of the Standing Committee held on 31 May 2013 in Yerevan.
The Bureau will hold its next meetings in Strasbourg on Monday
24 June at 8 a.m. and Friday 28 June 2013 at 8.30 a.m. (during the
3rd part-session), then on 2 September 2013 in Dubrovnik (Croatia).
2 Activities
of the Bureau since the last part-session
2.1 Follow-up to the
Assembly’s Resolutions
2.1.1 Follow-up to the
second part-session of 2013 (Strasbourg, 22-26 April)
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau approved the following proposals
made by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly:
- Current affairs debate on “Syrian
refugees in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq, how to organise and support
international assistance?”: the Bureau decided to refer this subject
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for
report and to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for
opinion;
- Request for the opening of a monitoring procedure in respect
of Hungary: the Bureau took note of the Opinion by the Monitoring
Committee, adopted on 25 April 2013, and decided to put this item
on the agenda of the Bureau meeting which was held in Yerevan on
30 May 2013.
2.2 Third part-session
of 2013 (Strasbourg, 24-28 June)
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau drew up the preliminary draft
agenda, which it updated at its meeting of 30 May 2013.
On 30 May 2013, at the request of the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination, the Bureau decided to invite Ms Najat Vallaud-Belkacem,
Minister of Women’s Rights, France, to address the Assembly in the
context of the debate on “Tackling discrimination on the grounds
of sexual orientation and gender identity”.
2.3 Standing Committee
(Yerevan, 31 May 2013)
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda
and of the revised draft agenda on 30 May.
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau took note of a draft statement
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which was adopted on the following
day by the Standing Committee (see Appendix).
2.4 Election observation
2.4.1 Presidential election
in Montenegro (7 April 2013)
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau approved the final report of the
ad hoc committee.
2.4.2 Early parliamentary
elections in Bulgaria (12 May 2013)
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau took note of the press release
issued by the ad hoc committee.
2.4.3 Parliamentary elections
in Albania (23 June 2013)
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau approved the composition of the
ad hoc committee to observe these elections and appointed Mr Luca
Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD) as its Chairperson. At its following meeting
in Yerevan, the Bureau approved the final composition of the ad
hoc committee.
2.4.4 Presidential election
in Azerbaijan (16 October 2013)
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau decided to observe this election
and constituted an ad hoc Committee for this purpose composed of
32 members: EPP/CD: 11, SOC: 10, ALDE: 4, EDG: 4, UEL: 1 (in accordance
with the D’Hondt system) and the two Co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring
Committee. It authorised a pre-electoral mission composed of 7 members
(one from each political group and the two Co-rapporteurs of the
Monitoring Committee), to take place at least one month ahead of
the election.
2.4.5 Presidential election
in Georgia (October 2013 – subject to the receipt of an invitation)
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau decided to observe this election
(subject to the confirmation of the date) and constituted an ad
hoc Committee for this purpose composed of 32 members: EPP/CD: 11,
SOC: 10, ALDE: 4, EDG: 4, UEL: 1 (in accordance with the D’Hondt
system) and the two Co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee.
It authorised a pre-electoral mission composed of 7 members (one
from each political group and the two Co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring
Committee), to take place at least one month ahead of the election.
2.5 Request for the
opening of a monitoring procedure in respect of Hungary
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau decided to propose to the Assembly
not to open a monitoring procedure in respect of Hungary. It also
decided to designate Mr Robert Walter (United Kingdom, EDG) to speak
on behalf of the Bureau during the plenary debate on this issue.
2.6 Václav Havel Human
Rights Prize
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau approved a memorandum prepared
by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning
the designation of members of the Selection Panel of the Václav
Havel Human Rights Prize. It invited Bureau members to propose candidatures
for the third Selection Panel member to be designated by the Bureau
and to submit them before 15 May 2013 to the Secretary General of
the Parliamentary Assembly.
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau confirmed Mr Thomas Hammarberg
and Ms Nuala Mole as members of the Selection Panel and elected
Mr Christos Pourgourides as the third Selection Panel member to
be designated by the Bureau, taking note that the three members
would start their two years term of office as of 1 June 2013.
2.7 Issues raised by
committees
2.7.1 Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau, at the request of the Chairperson
of the Committee, decided to:
- authorise
Mr Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD), Rapporteur on “The situation
in Belarus”, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Belarus, in the
framework of the preparation of his report;
- authorise Mr Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (Turkey, EDG), Rapporteur
on the “Request for partner
for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly submitted by
the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic” to carry out a fact-finding
visit to Kyrgyzstan in June 2013, in the framework of the preparation
of his report;
- authorise an ad hoc Sub-Committee composed of representatives
of all political groups to carry out a fact-finding visit to Kyrgyzstan, in the framework of
the preparation of the report on the “Request for partner for democracy
status with the Parliamentary Assembly submitted by the Parliament
of the Kyrgyz Republic” (Rapporteur: Mr Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkey,
EDG);
- authorise Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier (Switzerland, SOC),
Rapporteur on the “Parliamentary contribution to solving the Western
Sahara conflict”, to carry out a fact-finding visit to the region,
in the framework of the preparation of her report.
2.8 References and
transmissions to committees
2.8.1 References approved
by the Bureau
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau approved the following references,
which were subsequently ratified by the Assembly:
- Doc. 13148, Motion for a resolution, Protecting patients and public
health against undue influence of the pharmaceutical industry, to
the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 13149, Motion for a resolution, The inclusion of children’s
rights in national constitutions as an essential component of effective
national child policies, to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health
and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 13150, Motion for a resolution, Effectively combating the
adverse consequences of dirty money, to the Committee on Social
Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for
report;
- Doc. 13153, Motion for a resolution, Focusing on the perpetrators
to prevent violence against women, to the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 13164, Motion for a resolution, The “left-to-die boat”: actions
and reactions, to the Committee on Migration and Displaced Persons for report;
- Doc. 13165, Motion for a recommendation, Criminalisation of irregular
migrants: a crime without victim, to the Committee on Migration
and Displaced Persons for report;
- Bureau decision, Activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD), to the Committee on Political Affairs and
Democracy for report;
- Bureau decision, Draft Protocol no. 16 to the Convention
for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Rights, to the
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for
report;
- Bureau decision, Modification of Article 45.7 of the Rules
of Procedure on Length of mandate and non-re-eligibility of committee
chairpersons, to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs for report;
- Bureau decision, Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon
and Iraq, how to organise and support international assistance,
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report and to the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for
opinion.
- On 30 May 2013, the Bureau approved the following references,
which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee:
- Doc. 13173, Motion for a resolution, The “backbone” to a successful
regional democracy, to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and
Sustainable Development for information;
- Doc. 13185, Motion for a recommendation, Urgent need to deal with
new failures to co-operate with the European Court of Human Rights,
to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;
- Doc. 13186, Motion for a resolution, Ensuring equal treatment and
dignified care for the elderly, to the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development for
information;
- Doc. 13188, Motion for a recommendation, Violence against women
in Europe, reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 13189, Motion for a recommendation, Innovative medical treatments
of infectious diseases,transmission
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for information;
- Doc. 13190, Motion for a resolution, Improving co-operation between
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Parliaments in addressing
Equality and Non-Discrimination Issues, to the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination for report.
2.8.2 Request for modification
of a reference
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau modified the following reference,
which was subsequently ratified by the Assembly:
- Doc. 12603, Motion for a resolution, Parliamentary contribution
to solving the Western Sahara conflict (Ref. 3783 of 20 June 2011
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report), request from the Committee
on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons to be referred to for
opinion: no further action.
2.8.3 Requests for extension
of references
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau approved the extension of the
following references:
- Doc. 12603, Motion for a resolution, Parliamentary contribution
to solving the Western Sahara conflict (Ref. 3783 of 20 June 2011
– validity: 20 June 2013): extension until 30 April 2014;
- Doc. 12604, Motion for a recommendation, Integration tests for
migrants: a step forward or back? (Ref. 3784 of 20 June 2011 – validity:
20 June 2013): extension until 31 December 2013;
- Doc. 12635, Motion for a resolution, Missing persons from Europe’s
conflicts: the long road to finding humanitarian answers (Ref. 3786
of 24 June 2011 – validity: 24 June 2013): extension until 31 October 2013.
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau approved the extension of the following
reference:
- Doc. 12585, Motion for a resolution, Improving user protection
and security in cyberspace (Ref. 3772 of 27 May 2011 – validity:
27 May 2013): extension until 31 January 2014;
- Doc. 12252, Motion for a resolution, The rule of law in Council
of Europe member states: upholding the authority of the Parliamentary
Assembly’s recommendations (Ref. 3684 of 21 June 2010 (extended
on 25 May 2012): extension until 30 June 2014.
2.8.4 Reply after consultation
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau decided to refer the motion for
a resolution on Measures to combat the rising popularity of right-wing
extremism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the Council of Europe’s
member States (Doc. 13103) to the Committee on Political Affairs
and Democracy to be taken into account
in the preparation of the report on “Counteraction to manifestations
of neo-Nazism and xenophobia” (Ref. 3816 of 3 October 2011).
2.9 Communications
The Bureau took note of communications by the President of
the Assembly and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of
Europe.
2.10 Ad hoc Committee
to participate in the International parliamentary conference: Role
of Parliamentary Organisations in building a Europe without dividing
lines (St Petersburg, Russian Federation, 12 April 2013)
On 26 April 2013,the
Bureau took note of the oral report by the President of the Assembly.
2.11 ONE in FIVE campaign
- Partnership between the Parliamentary Assembly and the A.G. Leventis
Foundation, signed on 4 April 2013
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau took note of a memorandum prepared
by the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly.
2.12 European Committee
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (CPT)
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau drew up the list of candidates
for the CPT in respect of Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary,
Luxembourg, Serbia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, which was subsequently
forwarded to the Committee of Ministers.
2.13 Composition of
the Monitoring Committee
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau appointed Mr Jean-Charles Allavena
(Monaco, EPP/CD), Mr Charlò Bonnici (Malta, EPP/CD) and Mr Gergely
Gulyàs (Hungary, EPP/CD), on the basis of proposals submitted by
the EPP/CD group, and on the basis of a proposal submitted by the
ALDE Group, appointed Ms Tina Acketoft (Sweden, ALDE); those appointments
were subsequently ratified by the Assembly
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau appointed Mr Michael Mc Namara
(Ireland, SOC), on the basis of a proposal submitted by the Socialist
Group; this appointment was subsequently ratified by the Standing
Committee.
2.14 Meetings elsewhere
than in Strasbourg and Paris
During the reference period, the Bureau authorised the following
meetings:
- an ad hoc Sub-Committee
(of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development)
to participate in the parliamentary conference on the implementation
of the ONE in FIVE Campaign of the Council of Europe on 11 June
2013 in Baku;
- the ad hoc Sub-Committee on the reform of international
football (of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media)
to hold a meeting in 2013 (date to be confirmed) in Zurich and Nyon,
Switzerland;
- the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs to meet on 30 May 2013 in Yerevan.
2.15 Appointment of
Assembly representatives for official activities
The following members were appointed during the reference
period:
- Mr Joao Mota Amaral
(Portugal, EPP/CD) to participate in the ceremony for the 2012 North-South
Prize award which took place in Lisbon on 21 May 2013;
- Ms Nursuna Memecan (Turkey, ALDE) to participate in the
22nd Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul
(Turkey) from 29 June to 3 July 2013.
2.16 Analysis of the
use made by the Assembly’s political groups of their allocations
for 2012
On 30 May 2013, the Bureau approved the draft communication
submitted by the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and
Institutional Affairs.
2.17 Project of installation
of stained glass windows in the upper part of the Assembly Chamber
On 26 April 2013, the Bureau took note of the project of the
Armenian government to donate stained glass windows for the windows
in the Assembly Chamber.
3 Activities of the
Standing Committee (Yerevan, 31 May 2013)
The Standing Committee heard a welcome address from Mr Hovik
Abrahamyan, Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia and held
an exchange of views with Mr Edward Nalbandian, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Armenia, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers.
Following debates, the Standing Committee adopted the following
texts on behalf of the Assembly, which are available on the Assembly
website:
- Opinion 284 (2013)
on Budgets and priorities of the Council of Europe for the biennium
2014-2015
- Resolution 1935 (2013) on Expenditure of the Parliamentary
Assembly for the biennium 2014-2015
- Resolution 1936 (2013) on Harmonisation of regulatory
and para-regulatory provisions of monitoring and post-monitoring
dialogue procedures
- Resolution 1937 (2013) on Length of term of office and
re-eligibility of committee chairpersons
- Resolution 1938 (2013) on Promoting alternatives to imprisonment
- Resolution 1939 (2013) on Parental leave as a way to foster
gender equality
- Recommendation 2018 (2013) on Promoting alternatives to
imprisonment
It adopted a statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, contained in the Appendix hereafter.
The Standing Committee ratified the references as listed in
chapter 2.8 of this report. It referred back to the Committee on
Equality and Non-Discrimination the report on “Gender equality in
the countries of the former Yugoslavia” (Doc. 13092).
It ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Hungary, Luxembourg, Montenegro,
the Russian Federation and Spain, and approved changes in the composition
of Assembly committees.
The Standing Committee took note of the draft agenda of the
third part-session of the Assembly (24 – 28 June 2013) as well
as of the report of the Ad hoc Committee of the Bureau on “Observation
of the presidential election in Montenegro (7 April 2013)”.
Appendix
Statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
On the occasion of its meeting in Yerevan on 31 May 2013,
the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) made the following statement:
“The search for a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is a commitment taken by Armenia and by Azerbaijan upon
their accession to the Council of Europe. In this context, we express
our full support to the negotiations within the framework of the
OSCE Minsk Group, on the basis of the ‘Madrid principles’ which
establish a framework for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The
Assembly urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to seize the opportunity offered
by their respective chairmanships of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe, to promote reconciliation between these
two member states and their populations, as well as to intensify
the search, in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, for a solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This should be reflected in the
respective priorities of these two chairmanships.
Our Assembly is ready to do everything it can, through parliamentary
diplomacy, to facilitate dialogue and establish a climate of trust
between parliamentarians from both member States.”
