Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (31 January 2020-21 January 2021)
Progress report
| Doc. 15213
| 21 January 2021
1 Introduction
At its meeting on 31 January 2020, the Bureau appointed me
as rapporteur for this report, which exceptionally covers a whole
year of activities. It covers the activities over the period from
the last Bureau meeting of the January part-session of 2020 (Friday
31 January) to the first Bureau meeting of the January part-session
of 2021 (Friday 22 January) including the Bureau meetings held on
5 March in Paris, on 30 April, 7 May, 25 June, 14 September, 12
October, 19 November and 9 December, all last seven by videoconference.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the April part-session (20-24 April)
and the June part-session (22 to 26 June) did not take place. The
October part-session was replaced by a meeting of the “enlarged”
Standing Committee (on 12-13 October, and on 22-23 October).
During the reporting period, the Parliamentary Assembly has
taken a series of measures intended to adapt its working procedures
in response to the exceptional situation of the Covid-19 pandemic,
in order to maintain its activities. These measures have been taken
on an exceptional and provisional basis (Chapter 2.4). Chapter 2 of
the report presents a list of activities and decisions which do
not require ratification. Chapter 3 presents decisions which have
already been ratified by the Assembly on 31 January and by the Standing
Committee on 6 March, 30 April, 7 May, 26 June, 15 September, 13
October and 22-23 October, on 20 November and on 4 December. Chapter
4 presents decisions to be ratified by the Assembly on Monday 25
January 2021.
An addendum to this report will be issued after the Bureau
meeting of Friday 22 January 2021, which will also include decisions
to be ratified on 25 January by the Assembly.
The Bureau will hold its next meeting in Strasbourg by videoconference
on Friday 22 January at 9:30 am, then on 1 February. The next meeting
of the Standing Committee will be held in Berlin in March 2021.
2 Activities
of the Bureau since the last part-session and decisions not requiring
ratification by the Assembly
2.1 First part-session
of 2020 (Strasbourg, 27-31 January)
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the follow-up proposals
to the texts adopted by the Assembly, made by the Secretary General
of the Assembly, as follows:
- Reference
on Modification of the Assembly’s Rules
of Procedure – follow-up to Resolution 2319 (2020) on the Complementary
joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly
in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory
obligations, to the Committee on Rules of Procedure,
Immunities and Institutional Affairs, for
report;
- Reference on Gender representation
in the Parliamentary Assembly, to the Committee on Rules
of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, for report and to the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination, for
opinion;
- Reference on Recent developments
in Libya and in the Middle East: what consequences for Europe? to the
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, for
report.
2.2 Standing Committee
meeting (Paris, 6 March 2020)
On 31 January, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda.
On 5 March, the Bureau:
- Request for a current affairs debate:
took note of the request tabled by Mr Tiny Kox (Netherlands, UEL), on
behalf of the UEL Group, to hold a current affairs debate on “Recent
developments at the Turkish-Greek-Bulgarian borders: how to safeguard
human rights?”, and decided to recommend to the Standing Committee
to hold the proposed current affairs debate and to appoint Mr Tiny
Kox as the first speaker in the debate;
- Draft agenda: took
note of the revised draft agenda.
2.3 Second, third
and fourth part-sessions of 2020
On 31 January, the Bureau drew up the preliminary draft agenda
of the April 2020 part-session. On 5 March, it drew up the draft
agenda.
On 16 March, following a written consultation, the Bureau
decided to cancel the April part-session.
On 30 April, the Bureau decided to postpone the summer part-session
of the Assembly, scheduled to be held in Strasbourg on 22-26 June
2020, to a later date before the October part-session. This part-session
has been subsequently cancelled.
On 14 September, the Bureau agreed with the Presidential Committee's
proposal – in view of the sanitary situation – to replace the October
part-session of the Assembly by a meeting of the “enlarged” Standing Committee
(on 12-13 October, to be continued on 22-23 October) and left it
to the President to decide whether to convene it physically or remotely.
2.4 Organisation
of the work of the Assembly in view of the Covid-19 pandemic: supplementary working
methods and arrangements for the conduct of remote meetings
On 30 April, the Bureau approved the memorandum on Committees’
decision-making framework and decided its entry into force as from
the day of its approval; authorised the tabling of motions for resolutions
and recommendations through electronic means with scanned signatures
of members, until the next part-session of the Assembly in Strasbourg
and extended by six months the validity of all current references
to committees; and agreed to resume consideration of detailed arrangements
for the conduct of remote committee meetings at its next meeting.
On 7 May, the Bureau approved the memorandum prepared by the
Secretary General of the Assembly, agreed that the arrangements
for the conduct of remote meetings specified in it would apply mutatis mutandis to its own remote
meetings and decided that these arrangements will enter into force
as from the day of their approval and remain in force until the
opening of the nearest part-session of the Assembly in Strasbourg.
It approved the proposal to extend by six months the former rapporteurs’
responsibility for ensuring the follow-up to their reports (Rule
50.1 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure).
On 25 June, the Bureau took note that it would not be possible
to hold the summer part-session of the Assembly, and held an exchange
of views on the preparation of the meetings of the Bureau and of
the Standing Committee in Chania (Greece) on 14-16 September 2020,
as well as on the next part-session in October (12-16 October 2020)
and the Bureau and Standing Committee meetings in Berlin (19 and
20 November 2020).
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared
by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly; requested
the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs to propose to the Assembly necessary changes to its Rules
of Procedure in order to enable a plenary session of the Assembly,
including the election of personalities, to be held in January 2021
(physically or in hybrid or remote mode); and decided to prolong
the mandate of the current Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly
until the end of February 2021, subject to agreement with the Committee
of Ministers to be reached within the Joint Committee.
On 19 November, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared
by the Secretary General of the Assembly, and decided, by anticipation
and subject to the adoption by the Standing Committee on
20 November 2020 of the draft resolution
on Modification of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure on alternative arrangements
for the organisation of Parliamentary Assembly part-sessions presented
by the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs, taking account of the exceptional circumstances created
by the Covid-19 pandemic, that committee meetings will be held in
a hybrid manner (combined remote and in-person participation of
members) or by electronic means of remote communication during the
period from 23 November 2020 until 31 January 2021. In accordance
with Rule 48.1, the committee chairperson shall decide on the format
which he or she deems most appropriate when convening the meeting,
taking into account safety and accessibility conditions
2.5 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 30 April 2020)
On 30 April, the Bureau took note of the request tabled on
24 April 2020 by the five political groups, to hold a current affairs
debate on “Response of Council of Europe member States to the COVID-19
pandemic with respect to human rights, democracy and the rule of
law”, decided to recommend to the Standing Committee to hold this
current affairs debate and to appoint Mr Jacques Maire (France,
ALDE) as first speaker in the debate, and took note of the draft
agenda.
2.6 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 7 May 2020)
On 7 May, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda.
2.7 Bureau and Standing
Committee meetings in Athens (28-29 May 2020)
On 5 March, the Bureau took note of the draft programme and
the practical information.
On 7 May, the Bureau took note that the meeting of the Bureau
foreseen in Athens end of May has been scheduled for September in
Greece.
On 18 August, the Bureau and the Standing Committee members
were informed that the meetings foreseen in Chania (Greece) for
the week of 14th September were to be
replaced by “virtual” meetings.
2.8 Joint Committee
(by videoconference, 25 June 2020)
On 25 June, the Bureau prepared the meeting of the Joint Committee,
and took note of the request by the Secretary General of the Council
of Europe for an exceptional prolongation of the mandate of the
current postholder of Deputy Secretary General, Ms Battaini-Dragoni,
until the end of the month following the month of the election of
her successor by the Parliamentary Assembly and decided to support
this request.
2.9 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 26 June 2020)
On 26 June, the Bureau took note that Mr Tiny Kox (Netherlands,
UEL) withdrew the request tabled on behalf of the UEL Group to hold
a current affairs debate on “The consequences of a possible Israeli
annexation of the occupied Palestinian Territories”. It also took
note of the revised draft agenda.
2.10 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 15 September 2020)
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the request tabled
by Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland, SOC), and 34 members of the Assembly,
to hold a current affairs debate on “The events and current situation
in Belarus”, decided to recommend to the Standing Committee to hold
this current affairs debate and to appoint Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland,
SOC), as first speaker in the debate. It also took note of the revised
draft agenda.
2.11 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 12-13 October and 22-23 October 2020)
On 12 October, the Bureau took note of the request by Mr Tiny
Kox (Netherlands, UEL), on behalf of the UEL Group, to transform
their request tabled on 28 September 2020 to hold a current affairs
debate on “New crack down of political
and social opposition in Turkey: how to safeguard human rights,
fundamental freedoms and the protection of Turkish citizens by the
European Court of Human Rights?” into a request for a
debate under urgent procedure and decided to recommend to the Standing
Committee to hold this debate under urgent procedure and to refer
the matter to the Monitoring Committee. It also took note of the
request tabled by the Monitoring Committee on 5 October 2020 to
hold a current affairs debate on “Armed
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, failure of peaceful conflict
resolution and a risk to regional stability” and decided
to recommend to the Standing Committee to hold this current affairs
debate and to appoint Mr Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE),
as first speaker in the debate. It also took note of the revised
draft agenda.
On 19 November, the Bureau approved the follow-up proposals
by the Secretary General of the Assembly to the current affairs
debate and decided to refer the issue of Humanitarian
consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan to
the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report.
2.12 Joint Committee
(by video conference, 23 October 2020)
On 12 October, the Bureau prepared the meeting of the Joint
Committee.
2.13 Forthcoming meetings
of the Assembly until the end of 2020
On 12 October, the Bureau took note of the calendar of meetings.
2.14 Standing Committee
meeting (by videoconference, 20 November and 4 December 2020)
On 19 November, the Bureau took note of the revised draft
agenda and decided to recommend to the Standing Committee to hold
a current affairs debate on The Athens
Declaration by the Committee of Ministers’ Presidency on “Effectively
responding to a public health crisis in full respect for human rights,
democracy and the rule of law” and appointed Mr Jacques
Maire (France, ALDE) as the first speaker in the debate.
On 9 December, the Bureau took note of the information provided
by the Secretary General of the Assembly on the follow-up to both
Standing Committee meetings.
2.15 First part-session
of 2021 (Strasbourg, 25-29 January)
On 19 November, the Bureau was informed of the state of preparation
of the first part-session of 2021, held an exchange of views and
took note of the options of draft agendas (physical part-session
or remote/hybrid part-session) as presented by the Secretary General
of the Assembly.
On 9 December, the Bureau took note of the information provided
by the Secretary General of the Assembly, adopted the draft agenda
of the 1st part-session of 2021, agreed
to hold this part-session in a hybrid manner and decided that the
elections of personalities during this part-session shall be held
by individual electronic voting.
2.16 Communications
On 31 January, on 5 March, on 30 April, on 25 June, on 14
September, on 12 October, on 19 November and on 9 December, the
Bureau took note of the communications by the President, the Secretary
General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2.17 Election observations
2.17.1 Azerbaïdjan:
élections législatives anticipées (9 février 2020)
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the updated list of members
of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 1).
On 5 March, it approved the report of the ad hoc committee.
2.17.2 Armenia: constitutional
referendum (initially foreseen on 5 April 2020)
On 5 March, the Bureau decided to observe this referendum
and constituted an ad hoc committee in the form of an Election Assessment
Mission (composed of one member of each political group and the
two co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee), appointed Mr Andrej
Hunko (Germany, UEL) as its Chairperson and left it to the President
of the Assembly to approve the list of members. The Constitutional
referendum, which had first been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
is no longer scheduled.
2.17.3 North Macedonia:
parliamentary elections (12 April 2020; 15 July 2020)
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the list of members of
the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and appointed Lord
Blencathra (United Kingdom, EC/DA) as its Chairperson.
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the final list of members
of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections, which was updated
on 25 June.
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the cancellation
of the observation of these elections.
2.17.4 Serbia: parliamentary
elections (24 June, initially foreseen on 26 April 2020)
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the list of members of
the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and appointed Mr Aleksander
Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD) as its Chairperson.
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the final list of members
of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections.
On 25 June, the Bureau took note of the cancellation of the
observation of these elections.
2.17.5 Poland: presidential
election (10 May 2020; 28 June 2020)
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the list of members of the
ad hoc committee to observe this election and appointed Mr Stefan
Schennach (Austria, SOC) as its Chairperson.
On 25 June, the Bureau approved the updated list of members
of the ad hoc committee to assess this election (Appendix 2).
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the memorandum submitted
by the Chairperson of the Election Assessment Mission.
2.17.6 Montenegro: parliamentary
elections (30 August 2020)
On 25 June, the Bureau decided to observe these elections
and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of
20 members (EPP/CD: 6, SOC: 6, ALDE: 4, EC/DA: 3, UEL: 1), as well
as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; to conduct
a pre-electoral mission, and to authorise the President of the Assembly
to appoint the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee.
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the cancellation
of the observation of these elections.
2.17.7 Georgia: parliamentary
elections (31 October 2020)
On 25 June, the Bureau decided to observe these elections
and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of
30 members (EPP/CD: 10, SOC: 9, ALDE: 5, EC/DA: 4, UEL: 2), as well
as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; to conduct
a pre-electoral mission, and to authorise the President of the Assembly
to appoint the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee.
On 14 September, the Bureau approved the list of members of
the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and appointed Mr Tiny
Kox (Netherlands, UEL) as its Chairperson. On 12 October, the Bureau
approved the final list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe
these elections (Appendix 3).
On 19 November, the Bureau took note of the press release
by the ad hoc committee to observe these elections, authorised a
post-electoral mission and agreed to update the list of members
of the ad hoc committee at its next meeting. On 9 December, it confirmed
its decision to authorise a post-electoral mission and approved
the list of members of the post-electoral delegationNote. Due to the sanitary situation, the post-electoral
mission was cancelled.
2.17.8 Republic of Moldova:
presidential election (1st November 2020)
On 25 June, the Bureau decided to observe this election and
constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20
members (EPP/CD: 6, SOC: 6, ALDE: 4, EC/DA: 3, UEL: 1), as well
as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; to conduct
a pre-electoral mission, and to authorise the President of the Assembly
to appoint the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee.
On 14 September, the Bureau approved the list of members of
the ad hoc committee to observe this election and appointed Mr Joseph
O’Reilly (Ireland, EPP/CD) as its Chairperson.
On 12 October, the Bureau approved the final list of members
of the ad hoc committee to observe this election (Appendix 4).
On 19 November, the Bureau took note of the cancellation of
the observation mission of this election.
2.17.9 Jordan parliamentary
elections (10 November 2020)
On 14 September, the Bureau decided to observe these elections
and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of
11 members (EPP/CD: 3; SOC: 3; ALDE: 2; EC/DA: 2; UEL: 1).
On 12 October, the Bureau approved the list of members of
the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 5) and
appointed Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD) as Chairperson of
the ad hoc committee.
On 19 November, the Bureau took note of the cancellation of
the observation mission of these elections.
2.17.10 Kazakhstan: parliamentary
elections (10 January 2021)
On 19 November, the Bureau decided not to observe these elections.
2.17.11 Kyrgyzstan: presidential
election (10 January 2021)
On 9 December, the Bureau decided to observe this election,
subject to the sanitary conditions, constituted an ad hoc committee
for this purpose composed of 5 members (one representative of each
political group) and authorised the President to approve the list
of members and to appoint the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee.
Due to the sanitary situation, the observation mission was cancelled.
2.17.12 Bulgaria: parliamentary
elections (28 March 2021)
On 9 December, the Bureau decided to observe these elections
and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of
20 members (EPP/CD: 6, SOC: 6, ALDE: 4, EC/DA: 3, UEL: 1) as well
as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; and to conduct
a pre-electoral mission.
2.17.13 Schedule of elections
for 2020
On 31 January and on 30 April, the Bureau took note of the
updated calendar of elections to be observed by the Assembly in
2020.
2.18 Election of the
Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
On 19 November, the Bureau interviewed Mr Bjørn Berge (Norway)
and Ms Leyla Kayacik (Turkey), candidates for the post of Deputy
Secretary General of the Council of Europe (in
camera).
2.19 Election of the
Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly
On 31 January, the Bureau considered and approved the proposals
contained in the memorandum prepared by the Secretariat of the Assembly.
On 14 September, the Bureau decided to prolong the mandate
of the current Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly until
the end of February 2021, subject to agreement with the Committee
of Ministers to be reached within the Joint Committee.
On 9 December, the Bureau interviewed Ms Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis
(Greece) and Mr Wojciech Sawicki (Poland), candidates for the post
of Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly (in camera).
2.20 European Union
accession to the European Convention on Human Rights
On 31 January, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared
by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly and invited
its President to contact the President of the European Parliament
with a view to resuming the joint work in this respect.
2.21 Honorary President
On 31 January, the Bureau decided to grant the title of Honorary
President to Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Assembly
2018-2020.
2.22 Assessment of
the conformity of the decision-making processes developed by committees with
the Assembly's Rules of Procedure
On 5 March, the Bureau took note of the Opinion by the Committee
on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs.
2.23 Participation
of members in Parliamentary Assembly plenary sessions and committee meetings
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the proposals contained in
paragraph 51 of the information memorandum on the participation
of members in Parliamentary Assembly plenary sessions and committee
meetings in accordance with Resolution
1583 (2007) and decided:
- to
invite the President of the Assembly to notify in writing the chairpersons
of the delegations and the speakers of the parliaments concerned
by low participation rates (Rule 44.10 of the Rules of Procedure and
paragraph 7.2 of Resolution
1583 (2007)) and to arrange a meeting with the chairpersons of the relevant
delegations;
- to make publicly available the statistics relating to
the participation of national delegations on the Assembly’s website.
2.24 Meetings of the
Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2021
On 14 September, the Bureau approved the proposals contained
in the Appendix 6.
2.25 Issues raised
by committees
2.25.1 Committee on
Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
On 31 January, the Bureau authorised Ms Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdottir
(Iceland, SOC) to carry out a fact-finding visit to the Canadian
Parliament in the spring of 2020, in the framework of the preparation
of her report on “Revision of the Code
of Conduct for Members of the Parliamentary Assembly in accordance
with §13.2 of Resolution 2274 (2019) on Promoting parliaments free
of sexism and sexual harassment”.
2.25.2 Committee on
Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
On 31 January, the Bureau authorised Baroness Doreen E. Massey
(United Kingdom, SOC) to participate in the Safe
Sport International Conference, in Quebec City (Canada),
on 15-17 April 2020, in the framework of the preparation of her
report on “Addressing sexual violence
against children: stepping up action and co-operation in Europe”.
2.25.3 Committee on
Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
On 14 September, the Bureau took note of the request by the
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons to set up
an ad hoc sub-committee of the Committee on Migration, Refugees
and Displaced Persons to visit Moria camps and, subject to receiving
an invitation by the Greek authorities and to sanitary conditions,
authorised this ad hoc sub-committee to meet in Moria (Greece) at
dates to be determined.
2.26 2020 Václav Havel
Human Rights Prize
On 31 January, the Bureau took note of the press release of
the launch of the 2020 edition of the Prize.
On 30 April, the Bureau took note of the prolongation of the
deadline to submit candidatures to the 2020 edition of the Václav
Havel Human Rights Prize, until 30 June 2020.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the related sanitary situation
in Europe, the procedure leading to the selection of the Laureat
of the Prize has been postponed.
On 9 December, the Bureau took note of the state of play of
the 2020 edition of the Prize.
2.27 European Committee
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (CPT)
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the lists of candidates
in respect of Romania and of the Slovak Republic, to be forwarded
to the Committee of Ministers and approved the recommendation of
the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to invite the delegations
of Poland and of the Russian Federation to submit a new list of
candidates to the CPT.
On 19 November, the Bureau approved the list of candidates
in respect of Germany, Italy and the Russian Federation and decided
to forward it to the Committee of Ministers and approved the recommendation
of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to invite the
delegation of Cyprus to submit a new list of candidates to the CPT.
2.28 Institutional
representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2020
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the designations as set
up in Appendix 7.
On 5 March, the Bureau appointed Sir Roger Gale (United Kingdom,
EC/DA) as representative of the Assembly to the Venice Commission.
2.29 Budgetary matters
2.29.1 Analysis of the
use made by the Assembly’s political groups of their allocations
for 2019
On 25 June, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Chairperson
of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs, and approved the communication submitted by the committee.
2.29.2 Expenditure of
the Parliamentary Assembly for the 2021 financial year
On 9 December, the Bureau took note of the information provided
by the Secretary General of the Assembly.
2.29.3 Apportionment
of the allocation to political groups for 2021
On 9 December, the Bureau approved the proposal for the apportionment
of the allocation.
2.30 2020 World Forum
for Democracy (Strasbourg, 16-18 November)
On 25 June, the Bureau took note of the concept paper and
decided to set up an ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate
in the Forum.
2.31 Parliamentary
co-operation activities: work plan 2021
On 9 December, the Bureau took note of the information provided
by the Secretary General of the Assembly.
3 Decisions taken
by the Bureau at its meetings in 2020 and subsequently ratified
by the Assembly or the Standing Committee
3.1 Bureau meeting
on 31 January
Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 31 January
2020 which were subsequently ratified by the Assembly on 31 January
can be found in Doc 15036
Add. 3 (see Appendix 8).
On 31 January, the Bureau approved the following extensions
of references which were subsequently ratified by the Assembly on
the same day:
- Doc. 14262, Motion for a resolution, Russian
racial discrimination of Crimean Tatars in Crimea: extension
until 31 December 2020;
- Doc. 14382, Motion for a resolution, The
continuing need to restore human rights and the rule of law in the
North Caucasus region: extension until 30 September 2020;
- Doc. 14476, Motion for a resolution, Strengthening
parliamentary dialogue with Algeria: extension until 15
December 2020.
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the following extensions of
references:
- Doc. 14489, Motion for a resolution, The
treatment of people with autism and their families (Reference 4374
of 27 April 2018) – validity: 27 April 2020: extension until 30
June 2020;
- Doc. 14494, Motion for a resolution, Strengthening
the role of young people in the prevention and resolution of conflicts (Reference
4377 of 27 April 2018 – validity: 27 April 2020): extension until
31 October 2020.
3.2 Bureau meeting
on 5 March
On 5 March, the Bureau approved the following references and
transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee
the following day:
- Doc. 15040, Motion for a resolution, Media
freedom, public trust and the people’s right to know: reference
to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;
- Doc. 15041, Motion for a resolution, The
control of online communication: a threat to media pluralism, freedom
of information and human dignity: reference to the Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media for
report;
- Doc. 15045, Motion for a resolution, Justice
and security for women in peace reconciliation: reference
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report and to the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for
opinion;
- Doc. 15046, Motion for a resolution, Follow-up
to the humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine: transmission
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for information;
- Doc. 15047, Motion for a resolution, Relationship
between the parliamentary majority and the opposition in a democracy:
reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 15048, Motion for a resolution, More
participatory democracy to tackle climate change: reference to
the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 15049, Motion for a resolution, Political
prisoners in the Russian Federation: reference to the Committee
on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for
report;
- Doc. 15052, Motion for a resolution, Condemnation
of antisemitism and of the goals of the BDS-Movement: no
further action;
- Doc. 15053, Motion for a resolution, Exploiting
children in rural sectors of coffee and cocoa: no further action;
- Bureau Decision, Modification
to the Rules of Procedure: reference to the Committee
on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, for report.
3.3 Bureau meeting
on 7 May
On 7 May, the Bureau approved the following references and
transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee
the same day:
- Doc. 15066, Motion for a resolution, Widespread recurring violence
against security, fire and medical services on New Year’s Eve: how
to restore trust and the rule of law: no further action;
- Doc. 15067, Motion for a resolution, Enhancing
participation of women from vulnerable groups in political and public
decision-making: reference to the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 15069, Motion for a resolution, Gender
mainstreaming of migration policies: reference to the Committee
on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for
report;
- Doc. 15070, Motion for a resolution, Employment
of disabled people in Europe: no further action;
- Doc. 15071, Motion for a resolution, Prevention
of abuse of mutual legal co-operation with respect to refugees and
asylum seekers: transmission to the Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights for information;
- Doc. 15072, Motion for a resolution, Re-establishing sustainable
living conditions for autochthonous communities in balance with
their natural environments in member States: no further action;
- Doc. 15073, Motion for a resolution, The Parliamentary Assembly’s
role in developing a systematic approach to cope with global epidemic
outbreaks: no further action;
- Doc. 15074, Motion for a resolution, Impact
of armed conflicts on transboundary environmental damage: reference
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 15077, Motion for a resolution, For
an assessment of the means and provisions to combat children's exposure
to pornographic content: reference to the Committee on
Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report and to the Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media for opinion;
- Doc. 15078, Motion for a resolution, Food
ethics in Europe: a citizen's issue that concerns all of us:
no further action;
- Doc. 15079, Motion for a resolution, Introducing
sustainable management practices in forests of the continental biogeographical
region: transmission to the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development for
information;
- Doc. 15080, Motion for a resolution, How
to move forward to make businesses more responsible for human rights
abuses?: transmission to the Committee on Legal Affairs
and Human Rights for information;
- Doc. 15081, Motion for a resolution, The
crackdown on human rights defenders and NGOs in the field of refugee
rescue, support and integration: no further action;
- Doc. 15082, Motion for a resolution, Voluntary
relocation for migrants in need of humanitarian protection: reference
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
- Doc. 15094, Motion for a resolution, COVID-19
– an effective and human rights-compliant response: reference
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report with the title: ”Lessons
for future public health emergencies from an effective and rights-based
response to the COVID-19 pandemic”;
- Bureau decision: Democracies
facing the COVID-19 pandemic: reference to the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for
report;
- Bureau decision: Women’s rights
must withstand the COVID-19 crisis: reference to the
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for
report;
- Bureau decision: The impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic on human rights and the rule of law:
reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media for
opinion;
- Bureau decision: Humanitarian
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for migrants and refugees: reference
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
3.4 Bureau meeting
on 25 June
On 25 June, the Bureau approved the following references and
transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee
the following day:
- Doc. 15068, Motion for a resolution, Artificial
intelligence and climate change and Doc. 15108, Motion for a resolution, Anchoring
the right to a healthy environment: need for enhanced action by
the Council of Europe: reference of both motions to the
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for a single report;
- Doc. 15106, Motion for a resolution, Deinstitutionalisation
of persons with disabilities: reference to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report and to the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination for
opinion;
- Doc. 15107, Motion for a resolution, Eradicating
extreme child poverty in Europe: an international obligation and
a moral duty: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development for
report;
- Doc. 15111, Motion for a resolution, Safe
third countries for asylum seekers: reference to the
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
- Doc. 15112, Motion for a resolution, Alternative
care for unaccompanied and separated migrant children: reference
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report and to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for opinion;
- Doc. 15113, Motion for a resolution, Climate
and migration: reference to the Committee on Migration, Refugees
and Displaced Persons for report;
- Bureau decision, Democracies
facing the COVID-19 pandemic: reference to the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for
report and to the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations
and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring
Committee) for opinion.
3.5 Bureau meeting
on 14 September
On 14 september, the Bureau approved the following references
and transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing
Committee the following day:
- Doc. 15118, Motion for a recommendation, Creation
of a reserve fund out of unused funds of the Parliamentary Assembly:
transmission to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs for information;
- Doc. 15119, Motion for a resolution, The
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education and culture: reference
to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;
- Doc. 15121, Motion for a resolution, Combatting
rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe: reference to
the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 15125, Motion for a resolution, Impact
of COVID-19 on children’s rights: reference to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 15126, Motion for a resolution, Air
quality strategy to reduce the spread of coronavirus: transmission
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for information;
- Doc. 15130, Motion for a resolution, Call
for an inclusive national political process in Belarus:
reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 15131, Motion for a resolution, Urgent
need for electoral reform in Belarus: reference to the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy for
report;
- Doc. 15135, Motion for a resolution, Human
rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation:
reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;
- Bureau decision, Addressing issues of criminal and civil
liability in the context of climate change: reference to the Committee
on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;
- Bureau decision, Addressing
inequalities in access to environmental rights: reference
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Bureau decision, Research policies
and environment protection: reference to the Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media for
report.
3.6 Bureau meeting
on 12 October
On 12 October, the Bureau approved the following references
and transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing
Committee the same day:
- Doc. 15137, Motion for a resolution, Fighting
and preventing excessive and unjustified use of force by the law
enforcement officers: reference to the Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights for report;
- Doc. 15140, Motion for a resolution, The
role of the media in times of crisis: reference to the
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;
- Doc. 15144, Motion for a resolution, Safeguarding
democratic values in international trade: reference to the
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 15145, Motion for a resolution, Overcoming
the socio-economic crisis sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic:
reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development for report;
- Doc. 15146, Motion for a resolution, Towards
a Covid-19 vaccine: ethical, legal and practical considerations:
reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development for report;
- Doc. 15155, Motion for a resolution, Poisoning
of Alexei Navalny: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs
and Human Rights for report;
- Doc. 15160, Motion for a resolution, Safeguarding
peace and stability in the East Mediterranean Sea: reference
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 15162, Motion for a resolution, The
impact of Brexit on human rights on the island of Ireland: reference
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 14802, Motion for a resolution, Should
politicians be prosecuted for statements made in the exercise of
their mandate? (Reference 4428 of 1 March 2019 – validity:
1 September 2021): reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and
Human Rights for report and
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for opinion.
3.7 Bureau meeting
on 19 November
On 19 November, the Bureau approved the following references
and transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing
Committee the same day:
- Doc. 15165, Motion for a resolution, Track
and trace applications: ethical, cultural and educational challenges:
transmission to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and
Media for report and to the
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for
opinion;
- Doc. 15168, Motion for a resolution, Combating
antisemitism in Europe: transmission to the Committee on
Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 15169, Motion for a resolution, Raising
awareness of and countering Islamophobia in Europe: transmission
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 15170, Motion for a resolution, Closing
the digital divide: promoting equal access to digital technologies:
transmission to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Doc. 15175, Motion for a resolution, Which measures can States
legally take under the European Convention on Human Rights in order
to crack down on Islamic extremism? no further action;
- Doc. 15176, Motion for a resolution, Protecting
the pillars of democracy during health crises: transmission
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 15180, Motion for a resolution, Pushbacks
on land and sea: illegal measures of migration management: transmission
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
- Doc. 15181, Motion for a resolution, European
Union Pact on Migration and Asylum: a human rights perspective: transmission
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report;
- Bureau decision, Humanitarian
consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan: reference
to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report.
3.8 Composition of
the Monitoring Committee, the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs, and the Committee on the Election of
Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
3.8.1 Monitoring Committee:
On 5 March, on the basis of a proposal by the EC/DA Group,
the bureau appointed Mr Zbigniew Rau (Poland).
On 7 May, on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, the
Bureau appointed Ms Jette Christensen (Norway).
On 25 June, the Bureau:
- on
the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr Birgir
Thórarinsson (Iceland) as member;
- on the basis of a proposal by the EC/DA Group, appointed
Mr Richard Bacon (United Kingdom), Mr Iván Espinosa De Los Monteros
(Spain), and Mr Samad Seyidov (Azerbaijan), as members;
- on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed
Mr Damien Cottier (Switzerland) as member.
On 12 October, on the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group,
the Bureau appointed Ms Milena Damyanova (Bulgaria) as member.
3.8.2 Committee on
Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs:
On 5 March, the Bureau appointed Mr Sergey Kislyak as non
registered member (Russian Federation, NR).
3.8.3 Committee on
the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
On 25 June, on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, the
Bureau appointed Mr Irakli Kobakhidze (Georgia) as member.
On 19 November, on the basis of a proposal by the EC/DA Group,
the Bureau appointed Mr. Arkadiusz Mularczyk (Poland).
3.9 Dates of Assembly
part-sessions (2023-2025)
On 12 October, the Bureau approved the revised memorandum
prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly (Appendix 9),
subject to ratification by the Standing Committee.
4 Decisions taken
by the Bureau at its meeting on 9 December requiring ratification
by the Assembly on Monday 25 January through the Progress report
On 9 December, the Bureau approved the following references
and transmissions subject to ratification by the Assembly:
- Doc. 15184, Motion for a resolution, Review
of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of
the Kyrgyz Republic: reference to the Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy for report and
to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for opinion;
- Doc. 15189, Motion for a resolution, Sports
policies in times of crisis: reference to the Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media for
report.
On 9 December, the Bureau decided on the following modification
of a reference:
- Doc. 15069, Motion for a resolution, Gender
mainstreaming of migration policies: reference to the Committee
on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for
report and to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for opinion.
5 Activities of
the Standing Committee
5.1 Paris, 6 March
2020
The Standing Committee:
- ratified
the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the
delegations of Germany, Poland and Spain;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- took note of the draft agenda of the second part-session
of the Assembly (20-24 April 2020);
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- held a current affairs debate on “Recent developments
at the Turkish-Greek-Bulgarian borders: how to safeguard human rights?”;
- adopted the following text on behalf of the Assembly: Resolution 2328 (2020), Prevention of violence and discrimination against religious
minorities amongst refugees in Europe
- held an exchange of views on the functioning and the future
of the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly;
- decided to hold its next meeting in Athens on 29 May 2020.
5.2 Videoconference,
30 April 2020
The Standing Committee:
- ratified
the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the
delegations of Azerbaijan, Germany and Norway;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- approved the minutes of the meeting of the Standing Committee
held in Paris on 6 March 2020;
- took note of the decision of the Bureau of the Assembly
to postpone the summer part-session of the Assembly, scheduled to
be held in Strasbourg on 22-26 June 2020, to a later date, before
the October part-session;
- held a current affairs debate on “Response of the Council
of Europe member States to the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to
human rights, democracy and the rule of law”;
- decided to hold its next meeting on 7 May 2020 by videoconference.
5.3 Videoconference,
7 May 2020
The Standing Committee:
- approved
a change in the composition of an Assembly committee;
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- decided to hold its next meeting on 26 June 2020 by videoconference.
5.4 Videoconference,
26 June 2020
The Standing Committee:
- held
an exchange of views with Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe;
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Estonia, Germany, Hungary, the Slovak
Republic and the United Kingdom;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- approved the minutes of the Standing Committee meetings
held on 30 April and 7 May 2020;
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- took note of the report of the Ad hoc Committee of the
Bureau on the observation of the early parliamentary elections in
Azerbaijan (9 February 2020);
- held an exchange of views with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Director-General of the World Health Organization;
- within the framework of the debate on “Addressing sexual
violence against children: stepping up action and co-operation in
Europe”, heard an intervention by Ms Najat Maalla M’jid, Special
Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence
against Children;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its next meeting in Chania (Crete, Greece)
on 15 and 16 September 2020.
5.5 Videoconference,
15 September 2020
The Standing Committee:
- held
an exchange of views with Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe;
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, the
Russian Federation, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- approved the minutes of the Standing Committee meeting
held on 26 June 2020;
- took note of the Bureau’s decision to replace the fourth
part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly (12-16 October 2020)
by an enlarged Standing Committee meeting to be held in two parts
on 12-13 and 22-23 October 2020;
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- held a current affairs debate on “Events and current situation
in Belarus”;
- adopted a declaration on the events and current situation
in Belarus (Appendix 10);
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its next meeting by videoconference on
12-13 and 22-23 October 2020.
5.6 Videoconference,
12-13 October 2020 and 22-23 October 2020
The Standing Committee:
Monday 12 October 2020
- held an exchange of
views with Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Greece, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe;
- held an exchange of views with Mr Angel Gurría, Secretary-General
of the OECD;
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Croatia and Spain;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- approved the minutes of the Standing Committee meeting
held on 15 September 2020;
- ratified the dates of Assembly part-sessions (2023-2025)
as proposed by the Bureau (see Appendix 9);
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- held a current affairs debate on “Armed conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, failure of peaceful conflict resolution
and a risk to regional stability”;
Tuesday 13 October 2020
- held an exchange of
views with Ms Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for
Human Rights on her 2019 annual activity report;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
Thursday 22 October 2020
- held an exchange of
views with Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Greece, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- Recommendation 2181 (2020), Need for democratic governance of artificial intelligence;
- Resolution
2341 (2020), Need for democratic governance of artificial intelligence;
- Recommendation
2182 (2020), Justice by algorithm – the role of artificial intelligence
in policing and criminal justice systems;
- Resolution
2342 (2020), Justice by algorithm – the role of artificial intelligence
in policing and criminal justice systems;
- Recommendation
2183 (2020), Preventing discrimination caused by the use of artificial intelligence;
- Resolution
2343 (2020), Preventing discrimination caused by the use of artificial
intelligence;
- Recommendation
2184 (2020), The brain-computer interface: new rights or new threats
to fundamental freedoms?;
- Resolution
2344 (2020), The brain-computer interface: new rights or new threats
to fundamental freedoms?;
- Recommendation
2185 (2020), Artificial intelligence in health care: medical, legal
and ethical challenges ahead;
- Recommendation
2186 (2020), Artificial intelligence and labour markets: friend
or foe?;
- Resolution
2345 (2020), Artificial intelligence and labour markets: friend
or foe?;
- Recommendation
2187 (2020), Legal aspects of “autonomous” vehicles;
- Resolution
2346 (2020), Legal aspects of “autonomous” vehicles;
Friday 23 October 2020
- held a debate under
urgent procedure on “New crackdown on political opposition and civil
dissent in Turkey: urgent need to safeguard Council of Europe standards”;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its next meeting by videoconference on
20 November 2020.
5.7 Videoconference,
20 November 2020
The Standing Committee:
- held
an exchange of views with Mr Michael Roth, Minister of State for
Europe at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Special Representative
of the Federal Government for the German Presidency of the Committee
of Ministers of the Council of Europe;
- held an exchange of views with Mr Robert Spano, President
of the European Court of Human Rights;
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland,
France, Latvia and the Netherlands;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- approved the minutes of the Standing Committee meeting
held on 12, 13, 22 and 23 October 2020;
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- held a current affairs debate on “The Athens Declaration
by the Committee of Ministers Chairmanship on: “Effectively responding
to a public health crisis in full respect for human rights, democracy
and the rule of law””;
- adopted a declaration on the parliamentary contribution
to the Athens Declaration by the Committee of Ministers Chairmanship
on: “Effectively responding to a public health crisis in full respect
for human rights, democracy and the rule of law” (Appendix 11);
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its next meeting by videoconference at
a date to be determined.Note
5.8 Videoconference,
4 December 2020
The Standing Committee:
- ratified
the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the
delegations of Denmark and Poland;
- approved a change in the composition of an Assembly committee;
- approved the minutes of the Standing Committee meeting
held on 20 November 2020;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its next meeting on 19 March 2021 (venue
to be confirmed).
6 Gender equality
in the functioning of the AssemblyNote
1. Since 2012, following a Bureau
decision, statistics on the gender breakdown of Assembly positions
are prepared every year and included in the Progress report on the
activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee presented
during the January part-session. They provide a picture of the situation
as of December of any given year. The publication of this information
aims at enhancing transparency and raising awareness.
2. In 2020, the total number of women members of the Assembly
represented 37%, compared to 34% in 2019, bringing the proportion
back to that of 2018. According to data collected by the Inter-parliamentary Union,
Note the total share of women members
of parliament in the Council of Europe member States increased slightly
over the last year, from 29% in December 2019 to 30% in October
2020. This appears to demonstrate that the provisions laid down
in Rule 6.2 a. of the Assembly’s Rules of procedure, namely that
‘
national delegations should include
members of the under-represented sex at least in the same percentage
as in their national parliaments’ have had a positive
impact, since in many cases the national delegations to the Assembly have
a higher representation rate of women than national parliaments.
3. In 2020, the Assembly’s presidency was held by a man, Mr Rik
Daems, who succeeded to Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier (three of the
last ten Assembly presidents have been women). The percentage of
women as Vice-Presidents of the Assembly dropped substantially from
41% to 25%, and that of women Bureau members decreased even further,
from 42% to 23%. This reflects the decrease in the number of women
as Chairpersons of committees (3 out of 9 compared to 4 out of 9
in 2019). There were no women members of the Presidential Committee
in 2020.
4. As regards the composition of committees, an overall of 36 %
of full members in 2020 were women, up from 34% in 2019. Women alternates
counted for 37%, a one-point increase compared to 2019. Women represented
over a third of full members in only two committees: Committee on
Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (45%) and Committee
on Equality and Non-discrimination (65%), up respectively from 43%
and 51% in 2019. Three committees counted 30% of women as full members
(Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, Committee on the
Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights and Committee
on Culture, Science, Education and Media). The percentage of women
full members stood at 33% for the Committee on Legal Affairs and
Human Rights, at 32% for the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs, at 29% for the Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Displaced Persons and at 19% for the Monitoring Committee.
5. On average, the representation of women as rapporteurs for
report decreased significantly from 36% in 2019 to 30% in 2020.
It also remains very low in some committees and there were no women
rapporteurs at all in the Committee on Culture, Science, Education
and Media in 2020. The representation of women as Rapporteurs for
opinion decreased overall from 46% in the previous year to 30% in
2020. The representation of rapporteurs for opinion is very unbalanced
moving from 100% women to 0% from one year to the other and the
other way around – this is mainly because the number of opinions
is very variable from one year to another.
|
OVERVIEW ASSEMBLY
|
|
Position
|
Men
|
Women
|
Total
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
President
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Presidents
|
12
|
4
|
16
|
59%
|
75%
|
41%
|
25%
|
|
Presidential Committee
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
86%
|
100%
|
14%
|
0%
|
|
Assembly Bureau
|
27
|
8
|
35
|
58%
|
77%
|
42%
|
23%
|
|
COMMITTEES
|
Men
|
Women
|
Total
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
|
|
Full Members
|
57
|
25
|
82
|
70%
|
70%
|
30%
|
30%
|
|
Alternates
|
64
|
13
|
77
|
78%
|
83%
|
22%
|
17%
|
|
Chairperson
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
63%
|
80%
|
37%
|
20%
|
|
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
|
|
Full Members
|
55
|
27
|
82
|
70%
|
67%
|
30%
|
33%
|
|
Alternates
|
56
|
24
|
80
|
68%
|
70%
|
32%
|
30%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
92%
|
75%
|
8%
|
25%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
100%
|
67%
|
0%
|
33%
|
|
Committee on the Election of Judges to the
European Court of Human Rights
|
|
Full Members
|
14
|
6
|
20
|
71%
|
70%
|
29%
|
30%
|
|
Alternates
|
11
|
1
|
12
|
81%
|
92%
|
19%
|
8%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
100%
|
33%
|
0%
|
67%
|
|
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development
|
|
Full Members
|
44
|
36
|
80
|
57%
|
55%
|
43%
|
45%
|
|
Alternates
|
42
|
33
|
75
|
57%
|
56%
|
43%
|
44%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
67%
|
33%
|
33%
|
67%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
5
|
4
|
9
|
33%
|
56%
|
67%
|
44%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
0%
|
67%
|
100%
|
33%
|
|
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced
Persons
|
|
Full Members
|
60
|
24
|
84
|
69%
|
71%
|
31%
|
29%
|
|
Alternates
|
50
|
29
|
79
|
67%
|
63%
|
33%
|
37%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
67%
|
50%
|
33%
|
50%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
5
|
2
|
7
|
43%
|
71%
|
57%
|
29%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
-
|
100%
|
-
|
0%
|
|
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and
Media
|
|
Full Members
|
57
|
24
|
81
|
64%
|
70%
|
36%
|
30%
|
|
Alternates
|
42
|
35
|
77
|
70%
|
55%
|
30%
|
45%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
50%
|
67%
|
50%
|
33%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
80%
|
100%
|
20%
|
0%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
|
|
Full Members
|
29
|
54
|
83
|
49%
|
35%
|
51%
|
65%
|
|
Alternates
|
37
|
40
|
77
|
37%
|
48%
|
63%
|
52%
|
|
Chairperson
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0%
|
100%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
67%
|
0%
|
33%
|
100%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
44%
|
25%
|
56%
|
75%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
25%
|
0%
|
75%
|
100%
|
|
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and
Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
|
|
Members
|
57
|
13
|
70
|
76%
|
81%
|
24%
|
19%
|
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
100%
|
33%
|
0%
|
67%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
75%
|
83%
|
25%
|
17%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs
|
|
Members
|
17
|
8
|
25
|
83%
|
68%
|
17%
|
32%
|
|
Chairperson
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
33%
|
100%
|
67%
|
0%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
60%
|
50%
|
40%
|
50%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
OVERVIEW COMMITTEES
|
|
Position
|
Men
|
Women
|
Total
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Members
|
390
|
217
|
607
|
66%
|
64%
|
34%
|
36%
|
|
Alternates
|
302
|
175
|
477
|
64%
|
63%
|
36%
|
37%
|
|
Committee Chairpersons
|
6
|
3
|
9
|
56%
|
67%
|
44%
|
33%
|
|
Committee Vice‑Chairpersons
|
15
|
11
|
26
|
76%
|
58%
|
24%
|
42%
|
|
Rapporteurs for report
|
32
|
14
|
46
|
64%
|
70%
|
36%
|
30%
|
|
Rapporteurs for opinion
|
7
|
4
|
11
|
54%
|
64%
|
46%
|
36%
|
|
GENDER BREAKDOWN, BUREAUX OF SUB-COMMITTEES
|
|
Committees
|
Men
|
Women
|
Total
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
100%
|
50%
|
0%
|
50%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
100%
|
-
|
0%
|
-
|
|
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
50%
|
100%
|
50%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
67%
|
-
|
33%
|
-
|
|
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
100%
|
25%
|
0%
|
75%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
67%
|
100%
|
33%
|
0%
|
|
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced
Persons
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
67%
|
50%
|
33%
|
50%
|
|
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and
Media
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0%
|
50%
|
100%
|
50%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
100%
|
67%
|
0%
|
33%
|
|
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
67%
|
0%
|
33%
|
100%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and
Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairperson
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0%
|
-
|
100%
|
-
|
|
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities
and Institutional Affairs
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairperson
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
100%
|
-
|
0%
|
-
|
|
Vice-Chairpersons of
Sub-Committees
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
OVERVIEW – SUB-COMMITTEES
|
|
Position
|
Men
|
Women
|
Total
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Sub-Committee Chairpersons
|
9
|
7
|
16
|
64%
|
62%
|
36%
|
38%
|
|
Sub-Committee Vice-Chairpersons
|
4
|
3
|
7
|
73%
|
57%
|
27%
|
43%
|
|
GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
|
|
National
Delegations (Representatives and Substitutes)
|
Total
|
Men
|
Women
|
Percentage
of men
|
Percentage
of women
|
|
Albania
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
29%
|
71%
|
|
Andorra
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Armenia
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Austria
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
58%
|
42%
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
12
|
8
|
4
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Belgium
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
54%
|
46%
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
10
|
4
|
6
|
40%
|
60%
|
|
Bulgaria
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Croatia
|
9
|
4
|
5
|
44%
|
56%
|
|
Cyprus
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Czech Republic
|
13
|
11
|
2
|
85%
|
15%
|
|
Denmark
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Estonia
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Finland
|
9
|
3
|
6
|
33%
|
67%
|
|
France
|
36
|
19
|
17
|
53%
|
47%
|
|
Georgia
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Germany
|
36
|
24
|
12
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Greece
|
14
|
9
|
5
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Hungary
|
14
|
9
|
5
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Iceland
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Ireland
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
43%
|
57%
|
|
Italy
|
36
|
25
|
11
|
69%
|
31%
|
|
Latvia
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Lithuania
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Luxembourg
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Malta
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
83%
|
17%
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Monaco
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Montenegro
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Netherlands
|
11
|
5
|
6
|
45%
|
55%
|
|
North Macedonia
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Norway
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Poland
|
23
|
18
|
5
|
78%
|
22%
|
|
Portugal
|
14
|
9
|
5
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Romania
|
19
|
15
|
4
|
79%
|
21%
|
|
Russian Federation
|
36
|
27
|
9
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
San Marino
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Serbia
|
14
|
5
|
9
|
36%
|
64%
|
|
Slovak Republic
|
9
|
5
|
4
|
56%
|
44%
|
|
Slovenia
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Spain
|
22
|
11
|
11
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Sweden
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
58%
|
42%
|
|
Switzerland
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Turkey
|
36
|
26
|
10
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Ukraine
|
24
|
14
|
10
|
58%
|
42%
|
|
United Kingdom
|
36
|
26
|
10
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Total
|
628
|
398
|
230
|
63%
|
37%
|
|
GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (REPRESENTATIVES
ONLY)
|
|
National
Delegations (representatives)
|
Total
|
Men
|
Women
|
Percentage
of men
|
Percentage
of women
|
|
Albania
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Andorra
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Armenia
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Austria
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
83%
|
17%
|
|
Belgium
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
83%
|
17%
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
20%
|
80%
|
|
Bulgaria
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
83%
|
17%
|
|
Croatia
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
40%
|
60%
|
|
Cyprus
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Czech Republic
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
83%
|
17%
|
|
Denmark
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Estonia
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Finland
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
40%
|
60%
|
|
France
|
18
|
12
|
6
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Georgia
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Germany
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Greece
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
57%
|
43%
|
|
Hungary
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
71%
|
29%
|
|
Iceland
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
33%
|
67%
|
|
Ireland
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Italy
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Latvia
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Lithuania
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Luxembourg
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Malta
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Monaco
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Montenegro
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Netherlands
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
40%
|
60%
|
|
North Macedonia
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Norway
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
40%
|
60%
|
|
Poland
|
11
|
10
|
1
|
91%
|
9%
|
|
Portugal
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
57%
|
43%
|
|
Romania
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
78%
|
22%
|
|
Russian Federation
|
18
|
14
|
4
|
78%
|
22%
|
|
San Marino
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Serbia
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
29%
|
71%
|
|
Slovak Republic
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Slovenia
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Spain
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Sweden
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Switzerland
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Turkey
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Ukraine
|
12
|
5
|
7
|
42%
|
58%
|
|
United Kingdom
|
18
|
12
|
6
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Total
|
312
|
200
|
112
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (SUBSTITUTES
ONLY)
|
|
National
Delegations (substitutes)
|
Total
|
Men
|
Women
|
Percentage
of men
|
Percentage
of women
|
|
Albania
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Andorra
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Armenia
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Austria
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Belgium
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
29%
|
71%
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Bulgaria
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Croatia
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Cyprus
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Czech Republic
|
7
|
6
|
1
|
86%
|
14%
|
|
Denmark
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Estonia
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Finland
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
25%
|
75%
|
|
France
|
18
|
7
|
11 |
39%
|
61%
|
|
Georgia
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Germany
|
18
|
11
|
7
|
61%
|
39%
|
|
Greece
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
71%
|
29%
|
|
Hungary
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
57%
|
43%
|
|
Iceland
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Ireland
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
25%
|
75%
|
|
Italy
|
18
|
12
|
6
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Latvia
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Lithuania
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Luxembourg
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Malta
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Republic of Moldova
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Monaco
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Montenegro
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Netherlands
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
North Macedonia
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Norway
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
Poland
|
12
|
8
|
4
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Portugal
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
71%
|
29%
|
|
Romania
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Russian Federation
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
San Marino
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Serbia
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
43%
|
57%
|
|
Slovak Republic
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Slovenia
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
0%
|
100%
|
|
Spain
|
12
|
5
|
7
|
42%
|
58%
|
|
Sweden
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
67%
|
33%
|
|
Switzerland
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
100%
|
0%
|
|
Turkey
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
72%
|
28%
|
|
Ukraine
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
United Kingdom
|
18
|
14
|
4
|
78%
|
22%
|
|
Total
|
316
|
198
|
118
|
63%
|
37%
|
|
OVERVIEW – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
|
|
National
Delegations
|
Total
|
Men
|
Women
|
Percentage of men
|
Percentage of women
|
| |
|
|
|
2019
|
2020
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Total
|
628
|
398
|
230
|
66%
|
63%
|
34%
|
37%
|
|
Representatives
|
312
|
200
|
112
|
64%
|
64%
|
36%
|
36%
|
|
Substitutes
|
316
|
198
|
118
|
67%
|
63%
|
33%
|
37%
|
Appendix 1 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections
in Azerbaijan (9 February 2020)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. Frank SCHWABE, Germany / Allemagne
(SOC)
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)
/ Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Viorel Riceard
BADEA, Romania / Roumanie
- Ms / Mme Alina Ștefania GORGHIU,
Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Raivo TAMM, Estonia / Estonie*
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne**
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
/ Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Frank SCHWABE,
Germany / Allemagne
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse
- Ms / Mme Petra BAYR, Austria /
Autriche
- Ms / Mme Edite ESTRELA, Portugal
- Ms / Mme Thorhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR,
Iceland / Islande
- Mr / M. Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland / Finlande
- Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie
- Mr / M. Christophe LACROIX, Belgium / Belgique
- Ms / Mme Maryvonne BLONDIN,
France
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Mr / M. Alfred HEER,
Switzerland / Suisse*
- Mr / M. Bernard CAZEAU, France
- Mr / M. Eerik-Niiles KROSS, Estonia / Estonie
- Mr / M. Jacques LE NAY, France
- Mr / M. Zeki Hakan SIDALI, Turkey / Turquie
European Conservatives Group and Democratic
Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance
démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER,
United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
- Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie
- Lord Simon RUSSELL, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
- Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)
/ Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. Georgios KATROUGKALOS,
Greece / Grèce*
- Mr / M. Sokratis FAMELLOS, Greece / Grèce
Co-Rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH,
Austria / Autriche*
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
- Mr / M. Oliver KASK,
member / membre
- Mr Gaël MARTIN-MICALLEF, Legal advisor, Venice Commission
/ Conseiller juridique, Commission de Venise
Secretariat / Secrétariat – Election Observation
and Interparliamentary Co-operation Division
- Mr Bogdan TORCĂTORIU,
Administrative Officer,
- Ms Danièle GASTL, Assistant
- Ms Anne GODFREY, Assistant
*Member of the pre-electoral mission
** Awaiting non-conflict of interest declaration
Appendix 2 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the presidential election in Poland
(28 June 2020)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche
(SOC)
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
/ Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH,
Austria / Autriche
- Ms / Mme Yuliya LOVOCHKINA,
Ukraine
- Mr / M. Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino / Saint-Marin
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)
/ Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Reinhold LOPATKA,
Austria / Autriche
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
- Ms / Mme Renata
TARDIOLI, Member / membre
- Mr / M Gaël MARTIN-MICALLEF, Legal advisor, Venice Commission
/ Conseiller juridique, Commission de Venise
Secretariat / Secrétariat
- Mr / M. Chemavon CHAHBAZIAN,
Head, Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division/
Chef, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération
interparlementaire
- Ms / Mme Anne GODFREY, Assistant,
Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division
/ Assistante, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération
interparlementaire
Appendix 3 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the Parliamentary elections in
Georgia (31 October 2020)
Chairperson /
Président: Tiny KOX, Netherlands/Pays-Bas, UEL/GUE
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)
/ Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Ms / Mme Erika
BENKÖ, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria / Autriche
- Mr / M. Matern von MARSCHALL, Germany, Allemagne
- Mr / M. Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
/ Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Ms / Mme Petra
BAYR, Austria / Autriche **
- Ms / Mme Marietta KARAMANLI,
France
- Mr / M. Boriss CILEVIĆS, Latvia / Lettonie**
- Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie **
- Ms / Mme Bela BACH, Germany
/ Allemagne
- Mr / M. Krzysztof ŚMISZEK, Poland / Pologne
- Ms / Mme Jette CHRISTENSEN,
Norway / Norvège
- Mr / M. André VALLINI, France **
- Mr / M. Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland / Pologne
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Ms / Mme Marija
GOLUBEVA, Latvia / Lettonie
- Mr / M. Hovhannes IGITYAN, Armenia / Arménie
- Mr / M. Edmon MARUKYAN, Armenia / Arménie
- Mr / M. Jacques LE NAY, France **
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Ms / Mme Kathrine
OLLDAG, Denmark / Danemark
European Conservatives Group and Democratic
Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance
démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA,
Italy / Italie **
- Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)
/ Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. Georgios KATROUGKALOS,
Greece / Grèce
- Mr / M. Tiny KOX, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Jussi SARAMO,
Finland / Finlande
- Ms / Mme Violeta TOMIĆ, Slovenia
/ Slovénie
- Mr / M. Sokratis FAMELLOS, Greece / Grèce
Co-Rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Claude KERN,
France
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
- Ms / Mme Katharina
PABEL, Austria / Autriche, substitute member
- Mr / M. Gaël MARTIN-MICALLEF, Legal advisor, Venice Commission
/ Conseiller juridique, Commission de Venise
Secretariat / Secrétariat
- Mr / M. Bogdan TORCĂTORIU,
Administrative Officer, Election Observation and Interparliamentary
Co-operation Division/ Division de l’observation des élections et
de la coopération interparlementaire
- Ms / Mme Danièle GASTL, Assistant,
Election Observation and Interparliamentary Co-operation Division /
Assistante, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération
interparlementaire
- Ms / Mme Anne GODFREY, Assistant,
Election Observation and Interparliamentary Co-operation Division
/ Assistante, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération
interparlementaire
* election declaration
missing
** has participated in at least 2 missions
Appendix 4 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the presidential election in the
Republic of Moldova (1 November 2020)
Chairperson /
Président: Joe O’REILLLY, Ireland / Irlande, EPP-CD/ PPE-DC
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)
/ Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Ms / Mme Borina
ÅBERG, Sweden / Suède **
- Mr / M. Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania / Roumanie **
- Mr / M. Joe O’REILLLY, Ireland / Irlande * **
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne **
- Mr / M. Luís LEITE RAMOS, Portugal **
- Mr / M. Vladimir VARDANYAN, Armenia / Arménie*
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Eduard KÖCK,
Austria / Autriche
- Mr / M. Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania / Roumanie **
- Mr / M. Francesco SCOMA, Italy / Italie
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
/ Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Ms / Mme Yulya
LOVOCHKINA, Ukraine**
- Lord Leslie GRIFFITHS, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni *
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse **
- Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche **
- Mr / M. Dino SOCOTAR, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. George FOULKES, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni **
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Ms / Mme Margreet
De BOER, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
- Mr / M. Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland / Finlande * **
- Mr / M. Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland / Pologne
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Mr / M. Georges-Louis
BOUCHEZ, Belgium / Belgique
- Mr / M. Iulian BULAI, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Jean-Pierre GRIN, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Christoph HOFFMANN, Germany / Allemagne
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Ms / Mme Kathrine
OLLDAG, Denmark / Danemark
European Conservatives Group and Democratic
Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance
démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Arkadiusz MULARCZYK,
Poland / Pologne **
- Ms / Mme Theo CLARKE, United
Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)
/ Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Ms / Mme Violeta
TOMIĆ, Slovenia / Slovénie
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Georgios KATROUGKALOS,
Greece / Grèce
Co-Rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain
FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse **
- Mr / M. Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania / Lituanie *
* election declaration missing
** has participated in at least 2 missions
Appendix 5 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections
in Jordan (10 November 2020)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne***
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)
/ Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ,
Poland / Pologne***
- Mr / M. Aleksander STOKKEBØ, Norway / Norvège*
- Ms / Mme Els VAN HOOF, Belgium
/ Belgique
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Zsolt CSENGER-ZALÁN,
Hungary / Hongrie
- Ms / Mme Alina Ştefania GORGHIU,
Romania / Roumanie**
- Mr / M. Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria / Autriche**
- Mr / M. Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania / Roumanie**
- Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Francesco SCOMA, Italy / Italie
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
/ Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Kimmo KILJUNEN,
Finland / Finlande **
- Mr / M. Paulo PISCO, Portugal
- Ms / Mme Maria Luisa BUSTINDUY,
Spain / Espagne
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH,
Austria / Autriche***
- Ms / Mme Bela BACH, Germany
/ Allemagne*
- Ms / Mme Susana SUMELZO, Spain
/ Espagne*
- Ms / Mme Zita GURMAI, Hungary
/ Hongrie*
- Mr / M. André VALLINI, France**
- Mr / M. Antonia GUTIÉRREZ, Spain / Espagne**
- Mr / M. Krysztof ŚMISZEK, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse **
- Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie**
- Mr / M. Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland / Pologne
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Ms / Mme Petra
STIENEN, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
- Mr / M. Fabien GOUTTEFARDE, France
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Ms / Mme Fiona
O’LOUGHLIN, Ireland / Irlande
- Ms / Mme Alexandra LOUIS, France**
- Mr / M. Bertrand BOUYX, France
- Ms / Mme Maša KOCIPER, Slovenia
/ Slovénie
European Conservatives Group and Democratic
Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance
démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Axel KASSEGGER,
Austria / Autriche
- Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie**
Substitutes / Suppléants
- Mr / M. Arkadiusz MULARCZYK,
Poland / Pologne **
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)
/ Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. Sergey KALASHNIKOV,
Russian Federation / Fédération de Russie
Substitutes / Suppléants
Rapporteur AS/POL(ex officio)
- Mr / M. George LOUCAIDES,
Cyprus / Chypre
* election declaration missing
** has participated in at least 2 missions
Appendix 6 – Meetings of the Standing Committee
and the Bureau in 2021
Preliminary proposals for datesNote
Memorandum prepared by the Secretariat
of the Assembly
Monday 25 JanuaryNote,
8.00 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 29 JanuaryNote,
8.30 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 4 MarchNote,
3.00 pm, Paris: Bureau (tbc)
Friday 5 MarchNote,
9.30 am, Paris: Standing Committee (tbc)
Monday 19 April, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 23 April, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 27 May,3.00 pm, Budapest: Bureau (tbc)
Friday 28 May, 9.00 am, Budapest: Standing Committee (tbc)
(CM Chairmanship)
Monday 21 June, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 25 June, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Monday 6 September, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau
Monday 27 September, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 1 October, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 25 November, Rome: Bureau (tbc)
Friday 26 November, Rome: Standing Committee (tbc) (CM Chairmanship)
Friday 10 December, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau
Appendix 7 – Institutional representation
of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2020
|
Body
/ Organe
|
who
represents the Assembly /
qui représente l'Assemblée
|
reference
|
2020
|
|
I. Council of Europe bodies / Organes du Conseil de l'Europe
|
|
European Commission for Democracy
through Law
Venice Commission
Commission européenne pour la démocratie par
le droit – Commission de Venise
|
Representatives of the
Assembly appointed by the Bureau to attend the sessions of the Commission
Représentants de l'Assemblée désignés par le
Bureau pour assister aux sessions de la Commission
|
Article 2.4 of the Venice Commission
Statute
(Res CM (2002) 3)
Article 2.4 du statut de la Commission de Venise
(Rés CM (2002) 3)
|
Members:
Appointment
by the President
Mr Vardanyan (Armenia EPP/CD)
(AS/Jur)
Substitute:
Lord Richard Balfe (United Kingdom, NR)
(AS/Jur)
|
|
Council for Democratic Elections
of the Venice Commission
Conseil
des élections démocratiques de la Commission de Venise
|
Representatives of AS/Pol,
AS/Jur and AS/Mon approved by the Bureau of the Assembly
Représentants de l’AS/Pol, l’AS/Jur et l’AS/Mon
approuvés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée
|
Bureau decision of
10
March 2003
Décision du
Bureau du
10
mars 2003
|
Members:
Mr Fassino
(Italy, SOC) (AS/Pol)
Mr Antonio Gutiérrez (Spain,
SOC) (AS/Jur)
Mr Kox (Netherlands, UEL) (AS/Mon)
Substitutes:
Mr Cozmanciuc
(Romania, EPP/CD) (AS/Pol)
Sir Christopher Chope (United
Kingdom, EC/DA) (AS/Jur)
Mr Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD)
(AS/Mon)
|
|
European Centre for Global Interdependence
and Solidarity
North-South Centre
Centre européen pour l’interdépendance et la solidarité
mondiales – Centre Nord-Sud
|
Two members of the Executive Council
– appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly
Deux membres du Conseil exécutif – désignés
par le Bureau de l’Assemblée
|
Article 4.2 (b) of the North-South
Centre revised Statute
(Res CM (2011) 6)
Article 4.2 (b) du statut révisé du Centre
Nord-Sud
(Rés
CM (2011) 6)
|
Members:
Mr Schennach
(Austria, SOC) (AS/Soc)
Mr Leite Ramos (Portugal, EPP/CD
(AS/Cult)
Substitutes:
Ms Günay (Turkey,
EC) (AS/Soc)
Mr Carlos Alberto Gonçalves (Portugal,
EPP/CD) (AS/Cult)
|
|
European Commission Against Racism
and Intolerance
ECRI
Commission européenne contre le racisme et l’intolérance
– ECRI
|
Representatives of the
Assembly appointed by the Bureau (representatives of the following three
committees: AS/Pol, AS/Ega and AS/Cult)
Représentants de l’Assemblée désignés par le
Bureau (représentants des trois commissions suivantes: AS/Pol, AS/Ega
et AS/Cult)
|
Article 5 of the ECRI Statute
(Res CM (2002) 8)
Article
5 du statut de l’ECRI (Rés CM (2002) 8)
|
Members:
Mr Corlăţean
(Romania, SOC) (AS/Pol)
Mr Cepeda (Spain, SOC) (AS/Cult)
Mr Jallow
(Sweden, UEL) (AS/Ega)
Substitutes:
Ms Yasko
(Ukraine, EPP/CD) (AS/Pol)
Mr Ben Chikha (Belgium, SOC)
(AS/Ega)
Mr Avetisyan (Armenia, SOC) (AS/Cult)
|
|
Group of States against Corruption
GRECO
Groupe d'états contre la corruption – GRECO
|
A representative of the
Assembly appointed by the Bureau
Un représentant de l'Assemblée désigné par
le Bureau
|
CM decision of 717th meeting
in 2000 in accordance with Article 7.2 of the Statute of the GRECO
Décision du CM lors de la 717ème réunion en 2000
selon l'Article 7.2. du Statut du GRECO
|
Member:
Mr López
(Andorra, SOC) (AS/Jur)
Substitute:
Mr Vlasenko
(Ukraine, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur)
|
|
Committee for Works of
Art
Comité des œuvres d'art
|
Two members appointed
by the Bureau of the Assembly (at present AS/Cult Committee member
and Museum Prize rapporteur)
Deux
membres désignés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée (actuellement un membre
de l'AS/Cult et le rapporteur du Prix du musée)
|
CM decision of 482nd meeting
in 1992
Décision du CM
lors de la 482ème réunion en 1992
|
Members:
Lady
Eccles (UK, EC/DA) (AS/Cult)
Mr Rampi (Italy, SOC)
(AS/Cult)
|
|
MONEYVAL
|
A representative of the
Assembly appointed by the Bureau
Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par
le Bureau
|
Article 4.1 of Resolution CM/Res
(2010) 12
Article 4.1 de
la Résolution
CM/Res
(2010) 12
|
Member:
Mr Corlăţean
(Romania, SOC) (AS/Jur)
Substitute:
Sir
Edward Leigh (UK, EC/DA) (AS/Jur)
|
|
Council of Europe Convention on
Offences relating to Cultural Property
Convention du Conseil de l’Europe sur les infractions visant
des biens culturels
|
A representative of the
Assembly appointed by the Bureau
Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par
le Bureau
|
STCE n°221
CM(2017)
32, Chapter V, Article 23.1
|
|
|
II. Other
|
|
EUROPA NOSTRA
Pan-European
Federation for Heritage
EUROPA
NOSTRA – Fédération paneuropéenne du patrimoine
|
One member (and substitute)
to be nominated by the Assembly – to attend the Federation Council meetings
as observer
Un membre (et
son/sa suppléant/e) qui seront désignés par l'Assemblée pour assister
aux réunions du Conseil de la Fédération en tant qu'observateurs
|
Article 21.4 of the Statute
of Europa Nostra
|
Mr Gryffroy (Belgium,
NR) (AS/Cult)
|
Appendix 8 – Decisions taken by the Bureau
at its meeting on 31 January 2020, and subsequently ratified by
the Assembly on 31 January 2020
Doc. 15036 Add. 3
31 January 2020
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau
and Standing Committee (31 January 2020)
Progress report
Bureau of the Assembly
Rapporteur: Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, Group of the Unified
European Left
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 31 January
2020 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. References and transmissions to committees
1.1.1. References to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references:
- Doc. 15030, Motion for a resolution, Stopping
harassment of women and men speaking out for the right to abort:
reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for
report;
- Bureau decision, Modification
of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure – follow-up to Resolution 2319 (2020)
on the Complementary joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers
and the Parliamentary Assembly in response to a serious violation
by a member State of its statutory obligations: reference
to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs for report;
- Bureau decision, Gender representation
in the Parliamentary Assembly (follow-up to the challenge
of credentials): reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure,
Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report and
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for opinion;
- Bureau decision, Recent developments
in Libya and in the Middle East: what consequences for Europe?:
reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report.
1.1.2. Requests for modification of references
The Bureau considered and approved the following modifications
of references:
- Doc. 14976, Motion for a resolution, The
activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD): reference to the Committee on Political Affairs
and Democracy for report and
to the Committee Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for opinion;
- Doc. 15011, Motion for a resolution, Discrimination
against persons dealing with long-term illness: reference
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report and to the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination for opinion.
1.2. Composition of the Monitoring Committee,
the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional
Affairs and the Committee on the election of judges to the European
Court of Human Rights
1.2.1. Monitoring Committee
The Bureau:
- on the basis
of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Ms Boriana Åberg (Sweden),
Mr Viorel Riceard Badea (Romania), Mr Bernard Fournier (France),
Mr Nikola Poposki (North Macedonia), Mr Tomislav Tolušić (Croatia)
and Mr Nicos Tornaritis (Cyprus) as members;
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed
Mr Andrzej Szejna (Poland) as member.
1.2.2. Committee on Rules of Procedure,
Immunities and Institutional Affairs
The Bureau:
- on the basis
of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr Giorgi Kandelaki
(Georgia), Ms Annicka Engblom (Sweden), Ms Linda Ozola (Latvia),
Mr Vladimir Vardanyan (Armenia) and Mr Sergiy Vlasenko (Ukraine)
as members;
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed
Ms Selin Sayek Böke (Turkey), Ms Yuliya Lovochkina (Ukraine) and
Mr Constantinos Efstathiou (Cyprus) as members.
1.2.3. Committee on the Election of Judges
to the European Court of Human Rights
The Bureau:
- on the basis
of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr Jason Azzopardi
(Malta) as member and Mr Evripidis Stylianidis (Greece) as alternate;
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed
Ms Margreet De Boer (Netherlands), Ms Klotilda Bushka (Albania)
and Mr Andrzej Szejna (Poland) as members, and Mr Irakli Kobakhidze (Georgia)
as alternate;
- on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed
Ms Stephanie Krisper (Austria) and Ms Emilie Enger Mehl (Norway)
as members.
1.3. Poland: presidential election (10
May 2020 tbc)
Subject to receiving an invitation, the Bureau decided to
observe this election and constituted an ad hoc committee for this
purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 6; SOC: 6, ALDE: 4: EC/DA:
3, UEL: 1), as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee;
and to conduct a pre-electoral mission.
Appendix 9 – Dates of Assembly part-sessions
(2023-2025)
AS/Bur (2020) 17rev
6 October 2020
Bureau of the Assembly
Dates of Assembly part-sessions
(2023 – 2025)
Memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary
Assembly
General principles
1. In 1994, the Bureau decided
that the dates of Assembly part-sessions should be fixed for the
last full week of the months of January, April, June and September
in each year. However, at its meeting on 3 September 2002, taking
note of the risk of an overlap with the session of the European
Parliament (EP) in September, the Bureau decided to amend the general
rule and to fix the 4th part-session
of each year for the week after the last week in the month of September.
2. With a view to the co-ordination of national and international
parliamentary timetables, the Bureau usually approves the dates
of part-sessions for a 3-4-year period two to three years before
the start of that period. The dates for 2020-2022 were approved
by the Bureau in January 2017.
April part-sessions
3. On several occasions, the Bureau
had to change the date of this part-session, either to avoid a clash with
the Catholic or Orthodox Easter holidays or with the session of
the EP.
4. In order to facilitate the travel arrangements for those MPs
who are concerned by the Orthodox Easter dates, it was agreed that
the April 2020 part-session would open on Monday at 4 pm instead
of 11.30 am. Similar arrangements will have to be proposed for the
April 2022 part-session.
5. April 2025 part-session will have to be advanced to 7-11 April
also in order to avoid a clash with Easter holidays. In view of
past experience with the EP, it cannot be excluded that a change
of date may have to be envisaged depending on the dates still to
be chosen by the EP. For the moment, the EP has fixed its plenary session
dates only up to 2022.
October part-sessions
6. The issue of a clash of dates
with the EP session has sometimes arisen also for the 4th part-session, despite
the decision taken by the Bureau in 2002. This is particularly the
case as the current practice of the EP is to fix two plenary sessions
in Strasbourg in October, at present during the first and last week
in October. According to the information received from the EP secretariat,
this schedule is likely to continue in the foreseeable future.
Proposed decisions
7. Table 1 below gives the dates
for the years 2020 to 2022 already approved for information. In
order to have an overview for the years 2023-2025, table 2 below
provides the dates of the part-sessions on the basis of the decision
taken or indications given by the Bureau. The dates proposed do
not coincide with public holidays in the host country of the Council
of Europe. As a general rule, it is proposed that the Assembly should meet
the second full week in October, unless it could meet during a week
which starts the last days in September and ends the first days
in October (e.g. in 2021, 2024 and 2025, see below).
8. The Bureau is invited to agree with the dates proposed below
for the part-sessions for the years 2023-2025,
subject to ratification by the Assembly.
Table 1: part-sessions of the Assembly
for 2020 – 2022 (dates already approved)
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
27-31
January
|
25-29
January
|
24-28
January
|
|
20-24
April
|
19-23
April
|
25-29
April
|
|
22-26
June
|
21-25
June
|
20-24
June
|
|
12-16
October
|
27 September-1
October
|
10-14
October
|
Table 2: part-sessions of the Assembly
for 2023 – 2025 (dates to be agreed)
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
23-27
January
|
22-26
January
|
27-31
January
|
|
24-28
April
|
22-26
April
|
7-11
April
|
|
19-23
JuneNote
|
24-28
June
|
23-27
June
|
|
9-13
October
|
30 September-4
October
|
29 September-3
October
|
Appendix 10 – Declaration on an urgent need
for a democratic, broad-based and inclusive political process in
Belarus
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly’s political dialogue with the representatives of the Belarusian
National Assembly, the opposition forces as well as the civil society
aims at promoting in Belarus the values and principles of pluralist
democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights and freedoms, thus
opening the Pan-European acquis for the people of Belarus.
2. The Assembly recalls that its relations with the National
Assembly of Belarus date back to 1992, when it was granted Special
Guest status. Lack of democratic progress and continued violation
of human rights led to the suspension of the Special Guest Status
in 1997. The accession process, initiated in 1993, was subsequently
frozen.
3. Nevertheless, the Assembly recalls that, although not a member
state of the Council of Europe, to date, Belarus has signed and
ratified 12 Council of Europe treaties and protocols and has joined
four Partial Agreements: the European Commission for Democracy through
Law (Venice Commission), the Group of States against Corruption
(GRECO), the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sports and the European Pharmacopeia.
Recently, the co-operation was intensified through two successive
Action Plans whose implementation is facilitated by the Council
of Europe Information Point in Minsk.
4. While welcoming existing avenues of co-operation which aim
at bringing Belarus’s legal and institutional framework closer to
Council of Europe standards, the Assembly deplores the lack of respect,
by the authorities, of democratic standards and fundamental rights
and freedoms.
5. It recalls that, in its past reports on the situation in Belarus,
it expressed strong concerns about systemic human rights violations.
Furthermore, it notes that the existence of death penalty and the
continued practice of execution of death sentences makes Belarus
the only European country to use this inhuman and unacceptable punishment
which constitutes a major obstacle for the development of our relations.
6. Furthermore, in its reports on the observation of parliamentary
and presidential elections, the Assembly has repeatedly highlighted
the lack of level playing field in the electoral process that prevented
candidates from campaigning on equal footing and did not allow the
voters to make an informed, free and democratic choice.
7. Against this background, the Assembly strongly regrets the
fact that the presidential election of 9 August 2020, conducted
under the existing electoral system, were far from being free and
fair and failed to meet international standards for democratic elections
and Belarus’s commitments under international human rights legal
instruments.
8. The Assembly strongly condemns the excessive use of force
by law enforcement and the military against peaceful protestors
in the aftermath of the elections and urges the Belarus authorities
to put an immediate halt on violence and intimidation, to release
all detained protesters and to promptly launch full, transparent
and impartial investigation into the multiple cases of police violence
and brutality in order to bring to justice all those responsible.
This is an essential first step for restoring the confidence of
the citizens in the authorities and in institutions.
9. The Assembly expresses solidarity with the courage and determination
of the people of Belarus who continue to defend their fundamental
rights and freedoms peacefully and responsibly.
10. The Assembly commends in particular women’s active participation
in the political process as engaged citizens, voters, leaders and
campaigners, and stresses once more that the participation of women
in political and public decision-making is a fundamental right and
a key condition for justice and democracy.
11. The people of Belarus have demonstrated their commitment to
the common values of the European family where they fully belong.
Their demand for democratic change and reforms must be met with
an open and constructive attitude by the authorities.
12. The Assembly recalls that the Council of Europe’s strategic
objective remains the rapprochement and accession of Belarus to
the Organisation, its values and principles. It hopes that Belarus
will initiate political and democratic reforms and work together
with the Assembly and the Council of Europe towards restoring the Special
Guest status and resuming the accession process.
13. The Assembly considers that a democratic, broad-based and
inclusive national political process, fully involving civil society,
needs to be urgently launched in Belarus, as a first step towards
a peaceful way out of the current crisis and to open the door for
the necessary reforms, starting from the constitutional and electoral reforms.
14. The Assembly reiterates its readiness to support this process
– in close co-operation with the Council of Europe advisory bodies,
in particular the Venice Commission – by intensifying co-operation
with the National Assembly of Belarus, all political stakeholders,
as well as the civil society. In this regard, the Assembly welcomes
the initiatives of its Committees and calls on the authorities,
all political stakeholders and the civil society to fully co-operate
with the Assembly rapporteurs.
Appendix 11 – Declaration on the parliamentary
contribution to the Athens Declaration by the Committee of Ministers
Chairmanship on: “Effectively responding to a public health crisis
in full respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law”
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly recalls its action and contribution towards efforts responding
to the Covid-19 health crisis and its consequences, including its
supporting efforts at national and Council of Europe levels to find
viable and sustainable solutions to contain the pandemic.
2. The Assembly draws attention to the reports, recommendations
and resolutions it adopted on various aspects of the crisis in June
and October 2020, and calls for their full implementation:
3. The Assembly reiterates its commitment to continue providing
input to the important work carried out by the other Statutory Organ
of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers, including
through the preparation of five additional reports focusing on Covid-19:
a The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
on education and culture
b Impact of Covid-19 on children´s rights
c Towards a Covid-19 vaccine: ethical, legal and practical
considerations
d Overcoming the socio-economic crisis sparked by the Covid-19
pandemic
e Protecting the pillars of democracy during health crises
4. The Assembly stresses the importance of a human rights, rule
of law and democracy centered approach in responding to the pandemic
challenges.
5. Furthermore, the Assembly urges governments to ensure that
all measures taken are gender-responsive, and special attention
is placed on tackling increased risks of violence against women,
including domestic violence, as well as on full respect of children’s
rights.
6. The Assembly stresses the need for parliamentary scrutiny
of all measures taken by the authorities when addressing the new
waves of the novel coronavirus.
7. The Assembly welcomes progress as regards vaccine development
and underlines the need to ensure equitable deployment to ensure
its efficacy. It will debate this very issue during its January
2021 part-session from the ethical, legal and practical angle.
8. Taking into consideration all the above, the Assembly welcomes
the Athens Declaration by the Committee of Ministers Chairmanship,
as well as the “Secretary General’s Toolkit”, and resolves to continue working
in close coordination with the Committee of Ministers to support
the implementation of the standards, measures and policies contained
therein.
9. Finally, the Assembly invites its Observers and Partners for
democracy delegations to join forces with the Assembly in this regard.
