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Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (11 April 2025)

Progress report | Doc. 16140 Add. 3 | 11 April 2025

Author(s):
Bureau of the Assembly
Rapporteur :
Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL

1 Decisions of the Bureau of 11 April 2025 requiring ratification by the Assembly

1.1 References to committees

The Bureau considered and approved the following references:

  • Ensuring lawful and ethical use of artificial intelligence in warfare, Doc. 16125, motion for a resolution: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to be taken into account in the preparation of the report on “The need to modernise the International Humanitarian Law”;
  • Paving the way for a culture of consent, Doc. 16133, motion for a resolution: reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
  • Safeguarding human rights in the artificial intelligence-driven public sector, Doc. 16148, motion for a resolution: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;
  • Bureau decision: Conflicts of Interest – establishing clear guidance for members of the Assembly for dealing with potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest: reference to the Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities for report (follow-up to Resolution 2596 (2025) Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption within the Council of Europe);
  • Bureau decision: Modification of various provisions of the Rules of Procedure: reference to the Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities for report (follow-up to Resolution 2596 (2025) Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption within the Council of Europe);
  • Bureau decision: Development of a code of conduct for interest representatives at the Assembly: reference to the Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities for report (follow-up to Resolution 2596 (2025) Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption within the Council of Europe and to Resolution 2594 (2025) Modification of various provisions of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure);
  • Bureau decision: Resolution 2599 (2025) Implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report (follow-up to Resolution 2599 (2025));
  • Bureau decision: Youth movements for Democracy: reference to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;

1.2 Composition of committees

1.2.1 Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)

On the basis of proposals by the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates Group, the Bureau nominated Mr Vladimir Đorđević (Serbia), Ms Susanne Fürst (Austria), Mr Matthieu Marchio (France), Ms Sigríður Á. Andersen (Iceland) and Ms Cristina Gabriella Dumitrescu (Romania) as members.

1.2.2 Committee on Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities

On the basis of proposals by the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates Group, the Bureau nominated Ms Ester Mieli (Italy) and Ms Victoria Tiblom (Sweden) as members.

1.2.3 Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

On the basis of a proposal by the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, the Bureau nominated Mr Mantzos Dimitrios (Greece) as a member.

On the basis of proposals by the Group of the European People's Party, the Bureau nominated Ms Andrea Eder-Gitschthaler (Austria) as a member and Mr Rónán Mullen (Ireland) as a substitute.

1.3 General Rapporteur on ethical standards and anti-corruption

The Bureau approved the Terms of Reference for a General Rapporteur on ethical standards and anti-corruption (Appendix 1).

The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.

Appendix 1 – Terms of Reference for a General Rapporteur on ethical standards and anti-corruption

Term of office: two years, renewable once

Mandate

The General Rapporteur on Ethical Standards and Anti-Corruption promotes good ethical standards and practices in the national parliaments of the Council of Europe’s member States and other parliaments with which the Parliamentary Assembly has relations. The General Rapporteur keeps the Assembly’s own ethical and integrity framework under review and can propose to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs actions to improve the framework or, in line with the code of conduct for members of the Assembly, to take steps to ensure that it is respected.

Responsibilities

The role of the General Rapporteur is to:

  • follow activities and maintain working relations, on the topic of anti-corruption, ethical standards, and in particular parliamentary ethical standards, with

a Council of Europe institutions and bodies, including GRECO and the Council of Europe ethics officer;
b ethics officers, ethics committees and other bodies and agencies of national parliaments;
c international governmental and non-governmental organisations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the European Union, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE);

  • represent the Assembly vis-à-vis any of the above-mentioned bodies or groups, when relevant and appropriate;
  • keep the Assembly’s ethics and integrity framework under review by:

a following up previous resolutions and recommendations of the Assembly on issues related to ethical standards and anti-corruption;
b studying the effective functioning of the Assembly’s ethics and integrity framework and identifying areas for its improvement; and
c promoting the development of a solid ethical culture within the Assembly;

  • participate in, and develop, initiatives for promoting and strengthening ethical standards and practices in the national parliaments of the Council of Europe’s member States and other parliaments with which the Assembly has relations.

The General Rapporteur can, in accordance with the code of conduct for members of the Assembly, and in particular its paragraphs 19 and 22, refer to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs concerns in relation to individual allegations of breaches of the code of conduct. It remains a matter for the Committee to consider whether or not to take any action pursuant to the code of conduct, such as by launching an investigation, in full accordance with its role under the code of conduct. The General Rapporteur’s mandate does not extend to making statements on individual cases.

The General Rapporteur shall report, at least annually, to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs on the functioning and effectiveness of the Assembly’s ethics and integrity framework. This report shall contain any proposals for the Committee to consider for improving the functioning of the Assembly’s ethics and integrity framework, and any proposals for better promoting strong ethical standards in national parliaments.