At its meeting on 24 June 2022, the Bureau appointed me as rapporteur for this report, which covers its activities over the period from the last Bureau meeting of the third part-session of 2022 (Friday 24 June) to the pre-session Bureau meeting of the fourth part-session of 2022 (Monday 10 October).
Chapter 2 presents a list of decisions taken by the Bureau over the reported period which do not require ratification.
Chapter 3 presents a list of decisions taken by the Bureau over the reported period that require ratification at the opening of the fourth part-session of the Assembly.
An addendum to this report will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 10 October, which will include decisions to be ratified by the Assembly at the opening of the 2022 fourth part-session, on 10 October. Another addendum will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 14 October. It will include only the decisions to be ratified by the Assembly on the same day, notably the references and transmissions to committees which will have been approved by the Bureau.
The Bureau will hold its next meeting on Thursday 24 November 2022, at 3 pm, in Reykjavik. The next meeting of the Standing Committee will be held in Reykjavik, on 25 November 2022.
On 12 September, the Bureau drew up the draft agenda.
On 12 September, the Bureau took note of the requests to hold debates on Europe half a year after the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, tabled by the five political groups, and on Food security in Europe: grain exports through Ukrainian ports, tabled by the Turkish delegation. On 19 September, the Monitoring Committee of the Assembly submitted a request to hold a current affairs debate entitled Military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Bureau will consider all three requests at its meeting on 10 October 2022.
On 24 June, the Bureau took note of a statement by the President of the Assembly. On 12 September, it took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and held an exchange of views with the Secretary General.
On 24 June, the Bureau decided to set up an ad hoc Committee to contribute to the report on A fourth Summit for a renewed, improved and reinforced Council of Europe, being prepared by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, and approved its terms of reference (Appendix 1). On the same day, the ad hoc Committee held an informal exchange of views.
On 12 September, the ad hoc Committee held its first meeting in Paris. After hearing a statement by Mr Evangelos Venizelos, Rapporteur of the High-level Reflection Group on the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe; as well as by Ms Fiona O’Loughlin (Ireland, ALDE), rapporteur on A fourth Summit for a renewed, improved and reinforced Council of Europe of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy; the ad hoc Committee held an exchange of views.
It will hold its next meeting on 24 November 2022, in Reykjavik.
On 24 June, the Bureau considered the proposals in the memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly, decided to declassify it, agreed to amend the Additional provisions relating to Assembly debates (as approved by the Bureau on 25 March 2002 and 17 December 2007), and decided to seize the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs to consider the possibility of making changes to the Rules of Procedures of the Assembly, as appropriate.
On 12 September, the Bureau considered the proposals contained in the memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly, under the instructions of the President of the Assembly, and decided that, as from the 2022 fourth part-session, the members of the delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo* would have the right to speak in the Plenary, as well as in Standing Committee meetings, without the right to vote; the names of the delegation members should appear in the list of speakers with the indication “Assembly of Kosovo*”, with the footnote: “*Following the Bureau decision of 12 September 2022. All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo”. The Bureau also decided to declassify the memorandum.
On 24 June, the Bureau decided to revise the composition of the ad hoc Committee to observe these elections (21 members (SOC-6; EPP/CD-6; EC/DA-4; ALDE-3; UEL-1; NR-1), as well as the two co-rapporteurs of the monitoring committee), took note of the list of members of the ad hoc committee and appointed Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) as its Chairperson.
On 12 September, the Bureau took note of the statement by the pre-electoral mission and approved the final list of members (Appendix 2).
On 12 September, the Bureau confirmed its decision taken via written consultation to observe these elections and to set up an ad hoc committee composed of 20 members (SOC-6; EPP/CD-6; EC/DA-4; ALDE-3; UEL-1;), as well as the two co-rapporteurs from the Monitoring Committee. It appointed Mr Alfred Heer (Switzerland, ALDE) as Chairperson and approved the list of the ad hoc committee members (Appendix 3).
On 24 June, the Bureau considered and approved the reference and transmissions to committees as presented in Doc. 15550 Add. 3, ratified by the Assembly the same day.
On 24 June, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development and approved the terms of reference of a “General Rapporteur on child participation”. It also authorised Mr Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE), Chairperson of the Network of Contact Parliamentarians for a healthy environment, to represent the Assembly at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will take place in November 2022 in Egypt (subject to the availability of funds).
On 12 September, the Bureau took note of the Child Safeguarding Policy approved unanimously by the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.
On 24 June, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Chairperson of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media and decided to set up an ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in the 17th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sports.
On 12 September, the Bureau took note of the shortlist made by the Selection Panel at its meeting in Prague on 6 September 2022, consisting of (in alphabetical order):
On 24 June, the Bureau took note of the list of members of the ad hoc committee and appointed the President of the Assembly as its chairperson.
On 12 September, the Bureau approved the proposals contained in the document in Appendix 4.
On 24 June, the Bureau authorised the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development to meet in Izmir (Türkiye), on 22-23 September 2022.
On 12 September, the Bureau authorised the sub-committee on Media and Information Society of the committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, to meet in Vilnius on 21-22 November 2022.
On 12 September, the Bureau heard a statement by Ms Dora Bakoyannis, Chairperson of the Greek delegation, and by Mr Ahmet Yıldız, Chairperson of the Turkish delegation, about the alarming raise of tensions between Türkiye and Greece.
On 12 September, on the basis of a proposal by the group EPP/CD, the Bureau appointed Mr François Calvet (France) as a member.
The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.
AS/Bur (2022) 39
23 June 2022
Bureau of the Assembly
Ad Hoc Committee of the Bureau on the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
The Bureau of the Assembly decides, subject to ratification by the Assembly through its Progress Report, under Article 44.4.c. of the Rules of Procedure, to set up an ad hoc Committee of the Bureau on the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, with the following terms of reference, composition and timetable.
In Recommendation 2228 (2022), the Assembly reiterated its support for the organisation of a 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of Council of Europe to reaffirm the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law and elaborate a new vision for the Organisation in the context of the European multilateral architecture, an idea launched in Resolution 2186 (2017) and Recommendation 2113 (2017) and further elaborated, inter alia, in Resolution 2277 (2019), Recommendation 2153 (2019); Resolution 2369 (2021) and Recommendation 2199 (2021).
At the 132nd Session of the Committee of Ministers, held in Turin (Italy), on 20 May 2022, the Committee of Ministers “invited the Secretary General to set up a High-Level Reflection Group to consider Council of Europe’s responses to new realties and challenges and to start reporting to [the Ministers’ Deputies] at the earliest opportunity and no later than the handover meeting between the Irish and Icelandic Chairmanships” and decided “to consider the desirability of a 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe”.
Against this background, the Bureau decides to set up an ad hoc Committee to contribute to the report on “A fourth Summit for a renewed, improved and reinforced Council of Europe”, being prepared by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, in particular by
As and when appropriate, the ad hoc Committee will ensure the Assembly’s representation at the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe.
In an inclusive approach, the ad hoc Committee will be composed of:
The ad hoc Committee is expected to report back to the Bureau during the October 2022 part-session of the Assembly, but its timetable will be regularly reviewed and adjusted, as necessary.
Chairperson / Président Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche, SOC
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Chairperson / Président Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse, ALDE / ADLE
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Monday 23 January, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Friday 27 January, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Thursday 2 March, 3.00 pm, The Hague |
Bureau |
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Friday 3 March, 9.30 am, The Hague |
Standing Committee |
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Monday 24 April, 3.00 pm, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Friday 28 April, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Thursday 25 May, 3.00 pm, Riga |
Bureau |
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Friday 26 May, 9.00 am, Riga |
Standing Committee (CM Presidency) |
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Monday 19 June, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Friday 23 June, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Monday 11 September, 9.00 am, Paris |
Bureau |
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Monday 9 October, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Friday 13 October, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session) |
Bureau |
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Monday 27 November, 3.00 pm, Vaduz |
Bureau |
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Tuesday 28 November, 9.30 am, Vaduz |
Standing Committee (CM Presidency) |
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Friday 15 December, 9.00 am, Paris |
Bureau |