As in previous years, the Assembly's opinion is in two parts:
In the second part, the Assembly also recapitulates the procedure for preparing its opinion and states its budgetary priorities for 1992 (foreword).
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VOTE III of the ordinary budget — Expenditure of the Assembly |
Appropriations for 1991 |
Changes in real terms proposed for 1992 |
|---|---|---|
|
TITRE III du budget ordinaire – Dépenses relatives à l'Assemblée |
Crédits ouverts au budget de 1991 |
Modifications en termes réels proposées pour 1992 |
|
FF |
FF |
|
|
HEAD 3.1 – Staff CHAPITRE 3.1 – Dépenses de personnel |
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|
Sub-heads / Articles |
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|
3101 - Salary, allowances and social charges of the Clerk of the Assembly Rémunération, indemnités et charges sociales du Greffier de l'Assemblée |
925 000 |
|
|
3102 - Remuneration of staff recruited on established posts Rémunération du personnel recruté sur le cadre des emplois permanents |
22 648 000 |
|
|
3102 bis - Staffing changes requested in the Office of the Clerk Modifications demandées pour le cadre des emplois du Greffe |
+ 1 245 000 |
|
|
3103 - Recruitment, arrival and departure expenses, home leave Frais de recrutement, à l'arrivée et au départ — Congés dans le pays d'origine |
161 000 |
|
|
3104 - Overtime – Statutory and other allowances Heures supplémentaires – Indemnités statutaires et autres |
91 000 |
|
|
3105 - Remuneration and accessory charges of temporary conference staff Rémunération et charges accessoires du personnel temporaire de conférence |
13 033 000 |
+ 500 000 |
|
3106 - Provision for cost-of-living allowance and other adjustments to remuneration Provision pour vie chère et autres ajustements de la rémunération |
2 102 000 |
|
|
TOTAL HEAD 3.1 TOTAL DU CHAPITRE 3.1 |
38 960 000 |
+ 1 745 000 |
|
HEAD 3.2 — Allocation to the Assembly's political groups CHAPITRE 3.2 — Dotation des groupes politiques de l'Assemblée |
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|
3201 - Allocation to the Assembly's political groups Dotation des groupes politiques de l'Assemblée |
2 167 000 |
|
|
TOTAL HEAD 3.2 TOTAL DU CHAPITRE 3.2 |
2 167 000 |
|
VOTE III — Expenditure of the Assembly |
Appropriations for 1991 |
Changes in real terms proposed for 1992 |
|---|---|---|
|
TITRE III — Dépenses relatives à l'Assemblée |
Crédits ouverts au budget de 1991 |
Modifications en termes réels proposées pour 1992 |
|
FF |
FF |
|
|
HEAD 3.3 — Supplies, services and other operational expenditure CHAPITRE 3.3 — Dépenses de materiel et autres dépenses de fonctionnement |
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|
Sub-heads / Articles |
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|
3301 - Publishing and printing Publications et impressions |
1 713 000 |
|
|
3302 - Representational, travelling and subsistence expenses of the President of the Assembly Dépenses de représentation, frais de déplacement et de séjour du Président de l'Assemblée |
425 000 |
+ 50 000 |
|
3303 - Expenditure pertaining to the Private Office of the President of the Assembly Dépenses du Cabinet du President de l'Assemblée |
216 000 |
+ 100 000 |
|
3304 - Representational expenditure, other official expenditure and travelling expenses of members of the Assembly Dépenses de représentation, frais de fonction et de déplacement des membres de l'Assemblée |
590 000 |
+ 200 000 |
|
3305 - Official journeys Frais de mission |
1 183 000 |
+ 500 000 |
|
3306 - Expenses for inviting parliamentary delegations of non-member stales Dépenses d'accueil de délégations parlementaires d'Etats non membres |
96 000 |
|
|
3307 - Consultation of experts Consultation d'experts |
398 000 |
|
|
3308 - Organisation of ad hoc conferences Organisation de conférences ad hoc |
1 042 000 |
+ 200 000 |
|
3309 - Strasbourg Conference Conférence de Strasbourg |
500 000 |
+ 500 000 |
|
3310 - Other expenditure not specifically provided for in this vote Autres dépenses non spécialement prévues au présent titre |
100 000 |
+ 100 000 |
|
3311 - Modernisation of the Assembly's equipment <computerisation and office automation) Modernisation de l'équipement de l'Assemblée (informatisation et bureautique) |
t.e. |
p.m. |
|
3312 - Europe Prizes Prix européens |
206 000 |
+ 200 000 |
|
TOTAL HEAD 3.3 TOTAL DU CHAPITRE 3.3 |
6 469 000 |
+ 1 850 000 |
|
TOTAL VOTE III TOTAL DU TITRE III |
47 596 000 |
+ 3 595 000 |
|
VOTE IX — Contacts and co-operation with Central and Eastern European countries |
Appropriations for 1991 |
Changes in real terms proposed for 1992 |
|---|---|---|
|
TITRE IX — Contacts et coopération avec les pays d'Europe centrale et de l'Est |
Crédits ouverts au budget de 1991 |
Modifications en termes réels proposées pour 1992 |
|
FF |
FF |
|
|
HEAD 9.2 — Parliamentary activities CHAPITRE 9.2 — Activités parlementaires |
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Sub-liead / Article |
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9201 - Programme of interparliamentary co-operation Programme de coopération interparlementaire |
1 043 000 |
+ 400 000 |
|
a. Colloquies Colloques |
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b. Training of young parliamentarians Formation de jeunes parlementaires |
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c. Training of parliamentary administrative staff Formation du personnel administratif des parlements |
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TOTAL HEAD 9.2 (Vote IX) TOTAL DU CHAPITRE 9.2 (Titre IX) |
1 043 000 |
+ 400 000 |
The Assembly is called upon, as it is every year, to give its opinion on Vote 111 of the ordinary budget of the Council of Europe, that is. the part of the draft budget dealing with the appropriations pertaining to its operation. The appropriations pertaining to facilities, supplies and equipment do not come under this vote.
The increases requested for 1992 should be regarded as increases in real terms over the Assembly's appropriations for 1991. As in previous years, the Assembly is leaving it to the Secretariat's administrative departments to assess in due course the adjustments that are being or will be made to 1991 appropriations as a result of changes in salary scales, the implications of such changes for 1992 and the provisions that need to be made for salary adjustments in 1992. Similarly, it will be up to the Secretary General to adjust the other appropriations for inflation.
The amounts of the appropriations requested by the Assembly for 1992 will thus be determined by the total appropriations allocated to the Assembly for 1991 (including any additional appropriations allocated in the course of the year) plus :
The Assembly's priorities are:
This appropriation covers the basic salaries, allowances (both non-recurring and periodic) and social insurance of the staff of the Office of the Clerk, which comprises the following fifty-three posts:
Estimates for 1992 :
Creation of one A5 post 562 000 FF
Creation of one A2/A3 post 358 000 FF
Creation of one B5 post 280 000 FF
Upgradings :
one A4 post to A5 23 000 FF
one A3 post to A4 22 000 FF
The extension of the Assembly's activities over a far wider geographical area, the intensification of co-operation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and the substantial increase in administrative and managerial work call for optimum use of human resources and necessitate a structural reorganisation of the Office of the Clerk. The effectiveness of the Assembly's work and the consistency needed in the implementation of its programmes of activities depend on the ability of the Office of the Clerk to carry through these efforts to a successful conclusion. To that end. it seems highly desirable that, like the majority of the Secretariat's operational directorates, the Office of the Clerk of the Assembly should have a central division, comprising at least a head of division (A5), an administrative assistant (B5) and a secretarial assistant (B3).
In view of budget constraints, the Assembly is asking, in the 1992 budget, for the creation of one A5 post and one B5 post.
The holder of the A5 post, who would be in charge of the central division, would not only be responsible for supervising the activities currently assigned to the central unit, but would also assist the Clerk and Deputy Clerk in all matters relating to management of the Assembly's human and financial resources. He/she would thus be called upon to deal with the various problems to which the implementation of the budget and the management of a larger staff (53 posts as compared with 49 in the previous financial year) may give rise. Lastly, this member of staff would be assigned duties relating to the organisation and administrative co-ordination of the Assembly's thirteen permanent committees (planning of meetings, practical organisation, interpreting, official journeys, etc.) and, when necessary, would have to propose the most appropriate solutions for achieving optimum and rational use of existing resources.
The accession of Hungary in 1990, and the accession of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic and, probably, Poland in 1991 are welcome developments and bear witness to our Organisation's dynamism, but they also raise certain problems for the functioning of the Assembly. It should be remembered that the accession of a new state brings a general increase in the workload of the Office of the Clerk, and particularly the workload of the committee secretariats. This is essentially due to:
Moreover, to facilitate contacts with the new member states and cope with the language difficulties of some of their parliamentarians, there should ideally be at least one A-grade staff member in the Office of the Clerk for each of those countries.
It should also be said that the Office of the Clerk has for many years had staffing difficulties. The Assembly's "main" committees should be able to rely on the full-time services of two staff members (one A4 and one A2/A3). This is not. however, the case for most of them, including
the Political Affairs Commiuee, the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, and the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee. The accession of three new states might thus provide an opportunity to put this right.
The Assembly is grateful that the Committee of Ministers has recognised these requirements by recently creating two A2/A3 posts for committee secretaries, using a supplementary budget for that purpose. It hopes that a third A2/A3 post can be created in 1992 to take into account Poland's accession.
As part of the structural reorganisation of the Office of the Clerk referred to in sub-paragraph a above, the creation of a B5 post would meet the following requirements : its holder would be essentially responsible for the technical and material organisation of the conferences, colloquies and symposia which are becoming increasingly frequent as interparliamentary co-operation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe develops.
The holder of this post would also be responsible for the preparation of the summer meetings which are held every year in a different member state. He/she would also help to prepare the Strasbourg Conference, which is held every four years, and the regional conferences which are held in the intervals. Most of these activities take place away from Strasbourg, which adds to the Secretariat's organisational work and calls for specialisation on the part of at least one staff member in the Office of the Clerk.
The Head of the Private Office of the President of the Assembly currently holds an A4 post. This classification no longer seems commensurate either with the extent of his tasks — which have increased with the President's growing involvement in running the Assembly's affairs — or with the high-level contacts which he is expected to maintain when travelling officially on the President's behalf. Comparison with similar duties in national parliaments and international parliamentary assemblies also indicates that the present grade is no longer in line with the nature of the post. For all these reasons, the Assembly requests upgrading to A5.
Since 1981. the Assembly has been arguing, on grounds of equity and non-discrimination, that the secretaries of the thirteen permanent committees should all have the same grade. A4. In the past, the Committee of Ministers has responded favourably to the Assembly's requests in this area. Regrettably, there were no further upgradings in 1991. The Assembly hopes that the Committee of Ministers will agree to the upgrading of one A3 post to A4 from I January 1992.
Increase requested for 1992: 500 000 FF.
The increase approved by the Committee of Ministers under this sub-head in 1991 fell short of thai requested by the Assembly. Realising the need for budgetary rigour, the Assembly is requesting a minimum increase of 500 000 FF, with a view to realising the following three objectives:
a. To hold the Conference of European Speakers and Presidents of Parliament (including the European Parliament), hosted by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly. This conference will last two days and is scheduled for the second half of February 1992.
(Estimated increase: 250 (XX) FF)
This is an enlarged version of the Conference of Presidents and Speakers of the Parliaments of Council of Europe member states, which has been meeting at two-yearly intervals in various European capitals since 1975, and which corresponds to the meetings of the parliaments of the Twelve. The choice of the Council of Europe to host the enlarged conference is dictated by the role which it plays in pan-European relations.
To permit the holding of a meeting on security and co-operation in Europe in 1992. This would mark a continuation of the meetings held in 1990 and 1991.
(Estimated increase: 150 000 FF)
To enable Assembly committees to meet more frequently in countries which have recently acceded to the Council of Europe and countries with special guest status. These meetings would allow the committees to discuss themes of common interest in their respective areas with theiropposite numbers in those countries. It is also important that the expectations of parliaments in those countries should not be disappointed.
(Estimated increase: 100 000 FF)
The Assembly proposes that the 1992 appropriations for Sub-heads 3103, 3104 and 3106 be kept at the same level in real terms as in 1991.
In view of the increase of 500 (XX) FF in real terms approved by the Committee of Ministers in 1991. the Assembly merely requests that the sum be adjusted for inflation in 1992.
It should be borne ¡11 mind that the appropriations under the following sub-heads have been voted since 1975 in the form of a lump sum. The various amounts in this package may subsequently be altered under Article 31 of the Financial Regulations.
The budgetary package covers the following items:
Increase requested for 1992 : 50 000 FF.
The Conference of European Speakers and Presidents of Parliament which is to be hosted by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly in the second half of February 1992 will affect this sub-head as it will entail hospitality duties on the part of the President. An increase in real terms of 50 000 FF is needed.
Increase requested for 1992: l00 00 FF.
Appropriations under this package sub-head have proved inadequate in recent years, particularly to cover official journeys by Private Office staff travelling at the President's request. The increase of 100 000 FF should remedy this situation.
Increase requested : 200 000 FF.
An increase in the number of official journeys by rapporteurs can be expected as more reports call for visits to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Members of the Assembly may also be required to participate, on an ad hoc basis, in certain Council of Europe expert missions to these countries.
The increase of 200 000 FF in real terms constitutes a minimum.
Increase requested : 500 000FF.
The request for increased appropriations under this sub-head is based largely 011 the arguments put forward under Sub-head 3304. but also on those put forward under Sub-head 3105 (in particular, the holding of more Assembly committee meetings in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe). Provision should be made for an increase in real terms of 500 000 FF.
Increase requested : 200 (XX) FF.
The 1st Pan-European Parliamentary Conference on the Protection of East-West Environment took place in Vienna from 23 to 26 October 1990. The Assembly took note with satisfaction of the outcome of this first conference and welcomes the fact that the attendance bore witness to a pan-European dimension.
The Assembly considers that it is essential to devise and implement a proper European policy for the management of water resources. To this end. it suggests that the Committee of Ministers set up a Council of Europe action plan.
In the same context, the Assembly in its Order No. 462 has instructed its Committee on the Environment. Regional Planning and Local Authorities to organise the second pan- European parliamentary conference on this question. Representatives of local and regional authorities of Europe and of industry, specialists and NGOs would attend this conference. The organisation of this conference will involve a supplementary cost of 200 (XX) FF.
Increase requested : 500 (XX) FF.
This section of the budget was inaugurated in 1991 to finance the Strasbourg Conference, and particularly the third conference, held in September 1991. The 1992 appropriations should:
allow the Assembly to finance meetings scheduled in the intervals between the conferences (meetings of the steering committee and the contact group, organisation of regional conferences and colloquies on democracy):
allow the Assembly to support the International Institute for Democracy. This was established in 1988 by the Steering Committee of the Strasbourg Conference. Its purpose is to promote the development of democractic institutions and practice, and to co-ordinate and promote research in the field of pluralist democracy. The Assembly wishes to draw on the institute's services in connection with the training programmes for young parliamentarians and parliamentary administrative staff included under Vote IX. In preparing reports and organising official journeys to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Assembly could also usefully consult the information which the institute is to collect on democratic developments in those countries and on national and international support initiatives.
In 1991, the Committee of Ministers felt unable to approve the grant requested for the institute. The Rapporteur takes the view that the Council of Europe as such should support the institute, which is wholly reliant at present on voluntary contributions by national parliaments. He suggests that this support might take the form of a grant in the Assembly's budget (Vote III) or another budget vote, or the secondment of two temporary staff (one A2/A3 and one B3).
Increase requested: 100 000 FF.
This sub-head covers, inter alia, the hiring of cars and the purchase of promotional items (medals, flags, etc.). An increase of 100 000 FF in real terms would be necessary to meet the increased cost of promotional items and the expenditure entailed by the Conference of European Speakers and Presidents of Parliament, particularly as regards the hiring of cars.
Token entry.
As mentioned in the foreword to this opinion, the Assembly continues to regard the modernisation of its equipment as a matter of priority. It is therefore willing to help fund this via a lump-sum contribution to be deducted from its package.
Increase requested : 200 (XX) FF.
The increase approved in 1991 still does not allow the Assembly to finance meetings of the selection committee and the plaques of honour awarded to prize-winning towns. A further increase of 200 000 FF is needed for this purpose.
Increase requested : 400 000 FF.
At the Assembly's request, this sub-head covers:
a. colloquies;
b. the training of young parliamentarians;
c. the training of parliamentary administrative staff.
In view of the priority which the Assembly continues to attach to ongoing dialogue and co-operation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and of the first positive results achieved in these three fields, appropriations under this sub-head should be increased by 400 000 FF in real terms.
In addition to the requests made under Head 3.1 (staff), the Assembly requests the following increases in real terms:
The Assembly requests that the other sub-heads of the package be adjusted for inflation in 1992.
Lastly, with regard to Vote IX of the ordinary budget. Head 9.2 (parliamentary activities), the Assembly requests the following increase in real terms: