Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (13 October 2023)
Progress report
| Doc. 15834 Add 3
| 13 October 2023
1 Decisions of
the Bureau of 13 October 2023 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1 References and
transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references:
- Sustainable European guidelines
to counter social dumping and strengthen collective bargaining mechanisms, Doc. 15823: reference to
the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report
- Bureau decision, current affairs debate: "The situation
in the North of Kosovo*Note following
the recent attack and the need for de-escalation": transmission
to the Committee on Political Affairs and democracy for information
- Bureau decision, current affairs debate: "Escalation of
violence in the Middle-East following the recent Hamas attack on
Israel": transmission to the Committee on Political Affairs and
Democracy to be taken into account in
the preparation of its report on “Recent developments
in Libya and in the Middle East: what consequences for Europe?”
1.2 Issues raised
by committees
1.2.1 Committee on
Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The Bureau took note of the letter by the committee and decided
to set up an ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in a
Parliamentary Assembly co-operation event on “The situation of the
children of Ukraine”, on 15 December 2023, in Paris.
1.2.2 Committee on
Political Affairs and Democracy
The Bureau considered and approved the terms of reference
of the General Rapporteur on Democracy, and took note that the mandate
would start in January 2024 (Appendix).
1.3 Election observation
1.3.1 Serbia: early
parliamentary election (17 December 2023, tbc)
The Bureau, subject to receiving an invitation, decided to
observe these elections and to set up an ad hoc committee composed
of 20 members (SOC-6; EPP/CD-6; ALDE-4; EC/DA-3; UEL-1), as well
as the two co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee, and to conduct
a pre-electoral mission.
The Assembly is invited to ratify
these Bureau decisions.
Appendix – General rapporteur on democracy:
Terms of referenceNote
Denomination:
General rapporteur on democracy
Term of office: One
year, renewable once
Mandate: The general
rapporteur on democracy ensures the visibility and coherence of
the Assembly’s actions to strengthen democracy, counter its backsliding
and promote innovative practices to enhance citizens’ trust in democratic
institutions and their participation in political decision-making,
in line with the Reykjavik Principles of Democracy and the approach
endorsed by the Heads of State and Government at the Fourth Council
of Europe Summit (16-17 May 2023).
Responsibilities: The
role of the general rapporteur is to:
- enhance the capacity of the
Assembly to identify and address emerging trends, tools, initiatives, challenges,
and opportunities in the area of democracy, and enhance the quality
of democratic life;
- follow activities and maintain
relations with the Council of Europe organs, bodies and structures
which deal with issues relating to democracy and the delivery of
the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy, representing the Assembly
as appropriate;
- follow activities and maintain,
when appropriate, relations with bodies and agencies of the United Nations,
the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe, and with other international governmental and inter-parliamentary
organisations;
- contribute to promoting the
role of the Assembly as a platform to promote exchange of best practice
and innovations in the area of democracy, establishing dialogue
with civil society and non-governmental organisations with special
expertise in this field, in Europe and beyond;
- enhance the external visibility
and outreach of the work and role of the Assembly on democracy, including
the follow-up and promotion of adopted resolutions and recommendations
of the Assembly and, in appropriate cases, make public statements,
launch appeals, or propose to do so to the committee.
The general rapporteur on democracy periodically reports to
the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
