Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (30 September 2019)
Progress report
| Doc. 14968 Add. 1
| 30 September 2019
1 Decisions of
the Bureau of 30 September 2019 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1 References and
transmissions to committees
1.1.1 References and
transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references:
- Doc. 14930, Motion for a resolution, Ukraine
failed to live up to its commitments regarding the language rights
of national minorities: reference to the Committee on
the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of
the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) to
be taken into account in the framework of the report on the “Honouring
of obligations and commitments by Ukraine”;
- Doc. 14931, Motion for a resolution, Initiating
Assembly contacts with the Somaliland Parliament, with a view to
its possible eventual Partnership for Democracy with the Assembly:
no further action;
- Doc. 14932, Motion for a resolution, Support
for the independent civil society of Azerbaijan: reference
to the Monitoring Committee to be taken into account in
the framework of the report on the “Honouring of obligations and
commitments by Azerbaijan”;
- Doc. 14941, Motion for a resolution, Adopting
new tools in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe: transmission
to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for information;
- Doc. 14942, Motion for a resolution, Assessing
the functioning of the partnership for democracy: reference
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 14943, Motion for a resolution, Ways
and means to respond to the migratory challenge at all institutional
levels: transmission to the Committee on Migration, Refugees
and Displaced Persons for information;
- Doc. 14944, Motion for a resolution, Acting
for the health of all through healthy and sustainable food and agriculture:
transmission to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development for information;
- Doc. 14945, Motion for a resolution, Emergence
of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and their necessary
apprehension through European human rights law: consultation
of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights on possible follow-up;
- Doc. 14946, Motion for a resolution, Best
interests of the child and policies to ensure a work-life balance: reference
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14947, Motion for a resolution, Inaction
on climate change – a violation of children's rights: reference
to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14948, Motion for a recommendation, Artificial
intelligence in health care: medical, legal and ethical challenges
ahead: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development for
report.Note
1.1.2 Modification
of a reference
The Bureau considered and approved the following modification
of a reference:
- Doc. 14925, Motion for a resolution, Celebrating
the 70th anniversary of the Geneva conventions: the contribution
of the Council of Europe to the increasing synergy between International
Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law:
reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee
on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons 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 SOC Group, appointed
Mr Antonio Gutiérrez (Spain) and Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland), and
on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Alexandra
Louis (France).
1.2.2 Committee on
Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed
Mr Markus Wiechel (Sweden), on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE
Group, appointed Ms Nicole Trisse (France) and on the basis of a
proposal by the UEL Group, appointed Mr George Loucaides (Cyprus).
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 EC Group, appointed
Mr Morten Messerschmidt (Denmark).
1.3 Elections observation
1.3.1 Early parliamentary
elections in Belarus (17 November 2019)
The Bureau took note of the invitation letter, decided to
observe these elections, and constituted an ad hoc committee for
this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 7; SOC: 6, EC: 3, ALDE:
3, UEL: 1 - in accordance with the D’Hondt system).
The Assembly is invited to ratify
these proposals.
2 Other decisions
by the Bureau
2.1 Fourth part-session
of 2019 (Strasbourg, 30 September – 4 October)
2.1.1 Requests for
debates under urgent procedure
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems
(Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a debate under
urgent procedure on Democratic rights
violations and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation
on the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and
took note of the withdrawal of this request by the Group.
The Bureau took note the request tabled by the SOC Group to
hold an urgent debate on Saving people
in the Mediterranean Sea: the need for an urgent answer and
decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and to
refer the matter to the Committee on migration, refugees and displaced
persons.
2.1.2 Requests for
current affairs debates
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems
(Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a current affairs
debate on Democratic rights violations
and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation against
the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and
decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate with Mr
Martin Poliačik (Slovak Republic, ALDE) as first speaker.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the SOC Group
to hold a current affairs debate on Recent challenges
for local democracy in Russian and in Turkey and took
note of the withdrawal of this request.
2.1.3 Draft agenda
The Bureau updated the draft agenda.
2.1.4 Election of judges
to the European Court of Human Rights
The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee
on the election of judges following interviews with candidates for
the post of judge in respect of Portugal. This report had been already
declassified by the Committee and submitted to the attention of
all members of the Assembly (Doc. 14968 Add. 2).
2.1.5 Joint Committee
(Strasbourg, 3 October 2019 at 12 noon)
The Bureau took note of the draft agenda and prepared the
meeting.
2.2 Progress report
of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (28
June – 29 September 2019) (Rapporteur: Ms Nicole Trisse (France,
ALDE))
The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc. 14968).
2.3 Communications
The Bureau took note of the communications by the President
of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary
General of the Council of Europe.
2.4 Meetings of the
Bureau and Standing Committee in Tbilisi (28-29 November 2019)
The Bureau took note of the draft programme and practical
information.
2.5 Meetings of the
Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2020
The Bureau approved the proposals contained in the Appendix.
Appendix - Meetings of the Standing Committee
and the Bureau in 2020
Preliminary proposals for datesNote
Monday 27 January, 8.00 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 31 January, 8.30 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 5 March, 3.00 pm, Paris: Bureau
Friday 6 March, 9.30 am, Paris: Standing Committee
Monday 20 April, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 24 April, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 28 May,3.00 pm, Athens: Bureau
Friday 29 May, 9.00 am, Athens: Standing Committee (CM Chairmanship)
Monday 22 June, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 26 June, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Tuesday 7 September, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau
Monday 12 October, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 16 October, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 19 November, 3.00 pm, Berlin: Bureau
Friday 20 November, 9.00 am, Berlin: Standing Committee (CM
Chairmanship)
Friday 11 December, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau
