Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (19 April-16 June 2021)
Progress report
| Doc. 15318
| 16 June 2021
- Committee
- Bureau of the Assembly
- Rapporteur :
- Ms Petra BAYR,
Austria, SOC
1 Introduction
At its meeting on 26 April 2021, the Bureau appointed me as
rapporteur for this report which covers the activities over the
period from the last Bureau meeting of the second part-session of
2021 (Monday 26 April) to the first Bureau meeting of the third
part-session of 2021 (Friday 18 June).
Chapter 2 presents a list of activities and decisions which
do not require ratification. Chapter 3 presents decisions which
have already been ratified by the Standing Committee on 28 May.
An addendum to this report will be issued after the Bureau
meeting of 18 June, which will also include decisions to be ratified
by the Assembly on 21 June.
The report of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the
European Court of Human Rights presenting the conclusions of the
committee on the lists of candidates submitted by Croatia and the
Russian Federation are published as an Addendum 2 to this progress
report.
The Bureau will hold its next meetings in Strasbourg by videoconference
on Thursday 24 June 2021 at 2 pm, then on Monday 6 September 2021
(date and venue to be confirmed). The next meeting of the Standing Committee
will be held on 26 November 2021 (venue and format to be confirmed).
2 Activities
of the Bureau since the last part-session and decisions not requiring
ratification by the Assembly
2.1 Follow-up to
the second part-session of 2021 (Strasbourg, 19-22 April)
On 26 April, the Bureau approved the follow-up proposals to
the second part-session made by the Secretary General of the Assembly,
as follows:
- Current affairs
debate on Covid passes or certificates:
protection of fundamental rights and legal implications:
the Bureau decided to refer this issue to the Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights to be taken into account in the preparation
of its report on the same subject, to be debated in the Assembly
during the June part-session.
- Current affairs debate on Armenian
prisoners of war, other captives and displaced persons:
the Bureau decided to refer this issue to the Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Displaced Persons to be taken into account in the preparation
of its report on Humanitarian consequences
of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
2.2 Standing Committee
meeting (videoconference, 28 May 2021)
On 26 April, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda. On
27 May, it took note of the updated draft agenda.
2.2.1 Requests for
current affairs debates
On 27 May, the Bureau took note of the requests to hold current
affairs debates tabled by:
- the
Turkish delegation on The attacks by
the Israeli security forces against civilian Palestinians and other violations
of human rights and took note of its withdrawal;
- the United Kingdom delegation on The
forced landing by the Belarusian authorities on 23 May of civilian airliner
Flight FR4978 and the arrest of Roman Protasevich decided
to recommend to the Standing Committee to hold this debate and appointed
Mr John Howell (United Kingdom, EC/DA) as the first speaker in this
debate;
- the five political groups on The
urgent need to relaunch the Middle East peace process and prevent
a resurgence of violence decided to recommend to the
Standing Committee to hold this debate and appointed Mr Piero Fassino
(Italy, SOC) as the first speaker in this debate.
2.3 Third part-session
of 2021 (Strasbourg, 21-24 June)
On 26 April, the Bureau drew up the preliminary draft agenda
and decided to hold this part-session in a hybrid format. It also
took note of the proposals by the committees on Equality and Non-Discrimination,
on Culture, Science, Education and Media and on Migration, Refugees
and Displaced Persons to invite guests to address the Assembly.
On 27 May, it drew up the draft agenda and took note of the proposals
by the committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
to invite guests speakers to address the Assembly within the framework
of the debates by the Committee.
2.4 Communications
On 26 April, the Bureau took note of a statement by the Deputy
Secretary General of the Council of Europe. On 27 May, It took note
of the communication by the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary
General of the Council of Europe.
2.5 Election observation
2.5.1 Bulgaria: parliamentary
elections (4 April 2021)
On 27 May, the Bureau approved the report of the ad hoc committee.
2.5.2 Albania: parliamentary
elections (25 April 2021)
On 27 May, the Bureau approved the report of the ad hoc committee.
2.5.3 Palestine: parliamentary
elections (initially foreseen on 22 May 2021)
On 26 April, the Bureau decided to suspend the preparation
of the observation of these elections, pending the organisation
of a risk assessment mission. On 27 May, it took note of the postponement
of these elections sine die.
2.5.4 Armenia: early
parliamentary elections (20 June 2021)
On 26 April, the Bureau took note of the provisional list
of members of the ad hoc committee and authorised the President
to appoint its Chairperson. On 27 May, it approved the final list
of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and
confirmed the appointment of Mr George Katrougalos (Greece, UEL) as
its Chairperson (Appendix 1).
2.5.5 Republic of Moldova:
early parliamentary elections (11 July 2021)
On 27 May, the Bureau confirmed the observation of these elections
and set up an ad hoc committee composed of 20 members (SOC-7; EPP/CD-6;
EC/DA-3; ALDE-3; UEL-1) as well as the two co-rapporteurs of the
Monitoring committee, and decided to conduct a pre-electoral mission.
It also approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to
observe these elections and appointed Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria,
SOC) as Chairperson of the ad hoc committee (Appendix 2).
2.5.6 Bulgaria: early
parliamentary elections (11 July 2021)
On 27 May, the Bureau decided to observe these elections and
to set up an ad hoc committee composed of 20 members (SOC-7; EPP/CD-6;
EC/DA-3; ALDE-3; UEL-1) as well as the two co-rapporteurs of the monitoring
committee. Given the very short timeframe since the last parliamentary
elections, it decided to maintain the same list of members and the
Chairperson of the ad hoc committee, Mr Alfred Heer (Switzerland, ALDE),
as for the previous elections, while updating the list of substitutes
(Appendix 3).
2.5.7 Palestine: Presidential
election (31 July 2021)
On 26 April, the Bureau decided to postpone the consideration
of this item to one of its forthcoming meetings.
2.5.8 Russian Federation:
parliamentary elections (19 September 2021)
On 27 May, the Bureau, subject to receiving an invitation,
decided to observe these elections and to set up an ad hoc committee
composed of 40 members (SOC-13; EPP/CD-12; ALDE-7; EC/DA-6; UEL-2)
as well as the two co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring committee, and
it decided to conduct a pre-electoral mission.
2.5.9 Schedule of the
elections
On 27 May, the Bureau took note of the updated schedule of
elections.
2.6 References and
transmissions to committees
2.6.1 Lapse of reference
On 26 April, the Bureau took note of the following lapse of
reference
- Doc. 14476, Reference 4363 of 15 March 2018, Strengthening parliamentary
dialogue with Algeria
2.7 European Committee
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment (CPT) – Lists of candidates in respect of Croatia,
Cyprus, France, Liechtenstein, Malta, Slovenia, Switzerland and
the United Kingdom
On 26 April, the Bureau approved the lists of candidates in
respect of Croatia, France, Liechtenstein, Malta, Slovenia, Switzerland
and the United Kingdom to be forwarded 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.
2.8 Assembly General
Rapporteurs: stocktaking
On 27 May, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared
by the Secretary General of the Assembly and decided to resume its
consideration at its forthcoming meeting.
2.9 Issues raised
by committees
2.9.1 Committee on
Equality and Non-Discrimination
On 26 April, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Chairperson
of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination inviting the
President of the Assembly to present the commitment of the Assembly
in the framework of the UN Gender Equality Forum’s Action Coalition
on gender-based violence and supported this proposal.
2.9.2 Committee on
Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
On 27 May, the Bureau decided to postpone the consideration
of the draft terms of reference of a General Rapporteur on Missing refugee and migrant children in Europe until
the Bureau has considered the Memorandum on Assembly
General Rapporteurs: stocktaking. It also decided to
authorise the rapporteur on Pushback
on land and sea: illegal measures of migration management to
pay a fact-finding visit to Morocco.
2.10 European Conference
of Presidents of Parliament 2021
On 26 April, the Bureau took note that the Conference would
discuss the following themes:
- Democracies
facing the Covid-19 public health crisis: sharing experiences
- “#EnvironmentRightNow”: national parliaments and the right
to a healthy and sustainable environment
and that the third theme will be a current political issue
to be chosen amongst proposals to be suggested by Presidents of
Parliament.
2.11 2021 World Forum
for Democracy (Strasbourg, 8-10 November)
On 27 May, 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.
3 Decisions taken
by the Bureau at its meetings on 26 April and 27 May, and subsequently
ratified by the Standing Committee
3.1 Bureau meeting
on 26 April
On 26 April, the Bureau approved the following references
and transmissions:
- Doc. 15245 Motion for a resolution, Public
health emergency: the need for a holistic approach to multilateralism
and health care: reference to the Committee on Social
Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for
report
- Doc. 15246 Motion for a resolution, For
a fairer future: building on the lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic to
promote equality in Europe: reference to the Committee
on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development to be taken
into account in the framework of the report on “Overcoming the socio-economic crisis
sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic“ and to the Committee on Equality
and Non-Discrimination for opinion
- Doc. 15247 Motion for a resolution, The
need to address discrimination on the basis of political opinion: no further action
- Doc. 15248 Motion for a resolution, Sexual
and reproductive health and rights: reference to the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination for
report
- Doc. 15249 Motion for a resolution, Forced
migration due to political repressions: reference to
the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to be taken into
account in the framework of the report on “Call for an inclusive
national political process in Belarus“
- Doc. 15254 Motion for a recommendation, Covid-19
impact on global tourism and aviation industries and their safe
revival: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development to be taken into account in the
framework of the report on “Overcoming the socio-economic crisis
sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic”
- Doc. 15262 Motion for a resolution, Establishment
of a “youth partner” status with the Parliamentary Assembly: reference to the Committee on
Political Affairs and Democracy for report and
to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for opinion
3.2 Bureau meeting
on 27 May
On 27 May, the Bureau approved the following references and
transmissions:
- Doc. 15269 Motion for a recommendation, Preventing
addictive behaviours in children: reference to the Committee on
Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report
- Doc. 15271 Motion for a resolution, The
deployment of mercenaries in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: transmission to Committee on the
Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council
of Europe (Monitoring Committee) for
information
- Doc. 15273 Motion for a resolution, The
impact of the Covid-19 restrictions for civil society space and activities: reference to the Committee on
Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report
- Doc. 15274 Motion for a resolution, Precarious status of cross-border
and seasonal workers in Europe: 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
3.3 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
3.3.1 Monitoring Committee
On 27 May, the Bureau:
- on
the basis of a proposal by the EPP/DC group, appointed Ms Marijana
Balić (Croatia) as a member;
- on the basis of a proposal by the EC/DA group, appointed
Mr Zsolt Németh (Hungary) as a member;
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC group, appointed
Mr Irakli Chikovani (Georgia) as a member.
3.3.2 Committee on
the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights
On 27 May, the Bureau on the basis of a proposal by the EPP/DC
group, appointed Ms Andrea Eder-Gischthaler (Austria) as a substitute.
4 Activities of
the Standing Committee (videoconference, 28 May 2021)
The Standing Committee:
- held
an exchange of views with Mr Levente Magyar, Deputy Minister, Parliamentary
State Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary,
Hungarian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council
of Europe
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly
submitted by the delegations of Andorra, Denmark, Germany, San Marino
and Ukraine
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees
- held current affairs debates on “The urgent need to relaunch
the Middle East peace process and prevent a resurgence of violence”
and on “The forced landing by the Belarusian authorities on 23 May
of civilian airliner flight FR4978 and the arrest of Roman Protasevich”
- took note of the draft agenda of the third part-session
of the Parliamentary Assembly (21-24 June 2021)
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau (see Appendix)
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- decided to hold its
next meeting on 26 November 2021 (venue
and format to be confirmed)
Appendix 1 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections
in Armenia (20 June 2021)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. George Katrougalos, Greece / Grèce
Socialists, Democrats and Greens
Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI,
San Marino / Saint-Marin
- Ms / Mme Bela BACH, Germany
/ Allemagne
- Mr / M. Paulo PISCO, Portugal
- Ms / Mme Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland
/ Suisse
- Ms / Mme Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA
– STOJCHEVSKA, North Macedonia / Macédoine du Nord
- Mr / M. Christian PETRY, Germany / Allemagne
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain / Espagne
Group of the European People’s
Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Arin KARAPET, Sweden
/ Suède
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Poland
- Ms / Mme Catia POLIDORI, Italy
/ Italie
- Mr / M. Luís LEITE RAMOS, Portugal
- Mr / M. Francesco SCOMA, Italy / Italie
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Zsolt CSENGER-ZALÁN, Hungary / Hongrie
- Mr / M. Franck HEINRICH, Germany / Allemagne
- Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Aleksander STOKKEBØ, Norway / Norvège
- Mr / M. Krzysztof TRUSKOLASKI, Poland / Pologne
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Mr / M. Olivier
FRANÇAIS, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania / Lituanie
- Ms / Mme Alexandra LOUIS, France
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Ms /
Mme Diana STOICA, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Claude KERN, France
- Mr / M. Georges-Louis BOUCHEZ, Belgium / Belgique
- Mr / M. LE NAY, France
- Mr / M. Jacques Damien COTTIER, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse
- Ms / Mme Lesia ZABURANNA, Ukraine
European Conservatives Group and
Democratic Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens
et Alliance démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Arkadiusz MULARCZYK, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie
- Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Ms /
Mme Anamaria GAVRILĂ, Romania / Roumanie
Group of the Unified European
Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. M George KATROUGALOS,
Greece / Grèce
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Thomas PRINGLE, Ireland / Irlande
- Mr / M. Gaik VARTANEAN, Republic of Moldova / République
de Moldova
- Ms / Mme Nina KASIMATI, Greece
/ Grèce
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Ms / Mme Boriana
ÅBERG, Sweden / Suède
- Mr / M. Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland / Finlande
Venice Commission / Commission
de Venise
- Mr / M. Richard
BARRETT, expert, Ireland / Irlande
Appendix 2 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections
in the Republic of Moldova (11 July 2021)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. Stefan Schennach, Austria / Autriche
Socialists, Democrats and Greens
Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Ms / Mme Marina
BERLIGHIERI, Italy / Italie
- Mr / M. Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain / Espagne
- Mr / M. Andi-Lucian CRISTEA, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Stephan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche (P)
- Ms / Mme Róisín GARVEY, Ireland
/ Irlande
- Mr / M. Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Christian PETRY, Germany / Allemagne
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Predrag SEKULIC, Montenegro
Group of the European People’s
Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Krzysztof TRUSKOLASKI,
Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Christian KLINGER, France
- Ms / Mme Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ,
Lithuania / Lituanie (P)
- Mr / M. Cristian Augustin NICULESCU-ȚÂGÂRLAȘ, Romania
/ Roumanie
- Ms / Mme Boriana ABERG, Sweden
/ Suède
- Ms / Mme Laurence TRASTOUR-ISNART,
France
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Aleksander STOKKEBØ, Norway / Norvège
- Mr / M. Joseph O’REILLY, Ireland / Irelande
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Mr / M. Jacques
LE NAY, France (P)
- Ms / Mme Diana STOICA, Romania /
Roumanie
- Mr / M. Jacques MAIRE, France
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Ms /
Mme Marina BARDINA, Ukraine
- Ms / Mme Jennifer DE TEMMERMAN,
France
- Mr / M. Georges-Louis BOUCHEZ, Belgium / Belgique
- Mr / M. Fabien GOUTTEFARDE, 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. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie (P)
- Ms / Mme Olena KHOMENKO, Ukraine
- Mr / M. Arkadiusz MULARCZYK, Poland / Pologne
Substitutes / Suppléant.e.s
- Mr /
M. Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine
- Mr / M. Axel KASSEGER, Austria / Autriche
- Mr / M. Norbert KLEINWAECHTER, Germany / Allemagne
Group of the Unified European
Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. Thomas PRINGLE, Ireland
/ Irlande (P)
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ,
Switzerland / Suisse (P)
- Ms / Mme Ms Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE,
Latvia / Lettonie
Venice Commission / Commission
de Venise
(P) Member of the pre-electoral mission
Appendix 3 – List of members of the ad hoc
committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections
in Bulgaria (11 July 2021)
Chairperson /
Président: Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse
Socialists, Democrats and Greens
Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Christian PETRY, Germany
/ Allemagne
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie
- Mr / M. Pedro CEGONHO, Portugal
- Mr / M. Yunus EMRE, Turkey / Turquie
- Mr / M. André VALLINI France
- Mr / M. Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland / Pologne
Group of the European People’s
Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria
/ Autriche
- Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / M. Aleksander STOKKEBØ, Norway / Norvège
- Ms / Mme Laurence TRASTOUR-ISNART,
France
- Mr / M. Vladimir VARDANYAN, Armenia / Arménie
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Joe O’REILLY, Ireland / Irlande
- Mr / M. Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania / Roumanie
- Ms / Mme Catia POLIDORI, Italy
/ Italie
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe
(ADLE)
- Mr / M. Fabien
GOUTTEFARDE, France
- Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse
- Ms / Mme Yevheniia KRAVCHUK,
Ukraine
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Damien COTTIER, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Christoph HOFFMANN, Germany / Allemagne
- Mr / M. Hovhannes IGITYAN, Armenia / Arménie
- Ms / Mme Liliana TANGUY, France
- Mr / M. Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania / Lituanie
- Mr / M. Bertrand BOUYX, France
- Ms / Mme Alexandra LOUIS, France
- Ms / Mme Nicole DURANTON, France
- Mr / M. Jacques LE NAY, France
- Mr / M. Frédéric PETIT, France
- Mr / M. Jean-Pierre GRIN, Switzerland / Suisse
- Mr / M. Georges-Luis BOUCHEZ, Belgium / Belgique
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
- Mr / M. Mikayel MELKUMYAN, Armenia / Arménie
Group of the Unified European
Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s
- Mr /
M. Andrej HUNKO, Germany / Allemagne
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland
/ Pologne
- Mr / M. Frank SCHWABE, Germany / Allemagne
Venice Commission / Commission
de Venise
