The Assembly,
See table to appendix
Foreword
A higher appropriation is needed than in 1987 because the effect, over a full year, of the salary adjustment in 87.
This appropriation, which covers basic salaries, noncutting and regular allowances and social insurance, will based on the approved 1987 establishment of the Clerk's Office (46 posts - see table below).
At 1 April 1987, staff numbers in the Clerk's Office, division and not including vacant posts, were:
Increases will be needed on account of:
Estimate for 1988: 402 500 F
Creation of an A4 post 392 500 F
Upgrading:
- 1 B3 to B4 10 000F
Comments
In its Opinion No. 129 (1986), the Assembly requested the creation of an A4 post, mainly for the purposes of the Strasbourg Conference: preparations for the 2nd Conference and for conferences in future years. The Committee of Ministers did not comply with this request. The Assembly considers that its parliamentary democracy activities are ongoing ones and has therefore repeated its request for the creation of an A4 post. Detailed explanations of the need for such a post are given in Opinion No. 129 (1986) as follows:
"Thorough preparations for the 2nd Conference and planned development of this activity in the years ahead will require the full-time attention of a highly capable official. An A4 post is warranted by the duties the official will have, which will include servicing the Steering Committee and Contact Group of the Strasbourg Conference. Preparations for meetings will require a great deal of consultation, and occasional negotiation with the European Parliament and parliaments and embassies of non-member states involved in the conference.
Although the work generated by the Strasbourg Conference in itself fully justifies creating an A4 post, this slight increase in staff can be expected to help the Assembly cope better with exceptional work such as servicing the Colombo Commission in 1985 and 1986 and, in 1988, cooperating with other Secretariat departments on the European Public Campaign on North-South Interdependence and Solidarity.
In its Opinion No. 129 (1986), the Assembly also requested that a B3 post be upgraded to B4, stressing that central functions in the Clerk's Office now involved much more, and much more demanding, work. Since the Secretary General has transferred a grade B4 from the Paris Office to the Clerk's Office, it is not necessary to reiterate this request.
In the Secretariat organisation chart, the Private Office of the President of the Assembly has a grade B3 secretarial post. In fact, the secretary in question works not only for the Private Office but also for the President of the Assembly himself. The duties of the President have increased considerably since 1983, with the result, inter alia, that the President is in Strasbourg more often and the secretary therefore has more work and increased responsibility.
The President of the Assembly has requested that his secretary be upgraded to B4 on account of the responsibility carried by the post and the qualifications required for it. The Assembly endorses this request. In particular, it considers that the post is equivalent to those of the secretaries of the specially appointed officials, which are classified as B4.
The Assembly suggests that the 1988 appropriations for Sub-heads 68, 69 and 70 be kept the same in real terms as for 1987.
Appropriation in 1987: 9 956 000 F
This covers remuneration, social charges, travelling expenses and compensation for travelling time for:
This sub-head also covers the cost of translation and interpretation in additional unofficial languages in connection with the Assembly's external relations, subject to the conditions and financial restrictions approved by the Committee of Ministers.
This appropriation needs to be increased because of the effect over a full year in 1988 as a whole of the 1987 salary adjustment.
At its meeting on 7 January 1987, the Bureau of the Assembly took various steps to cut the cost of interpretation for committee meetings and thus avoid overstepping the appropriation under Sub-head 71 by as much as in 1986.
This covers the 1988 increases in the salaries of the staff of the Clerk's Office.
Increase in 1988: 200 000 F
(First instalment of a total increase of 500 000 F to be achieved by 1990)
(Appropriation in 1987: 1 030 000 F)
This sum is to be apportioned among the Assembly's political groups in accordance with a scheme decided on by the Bureau of the Assembly.
The Committee of Ministers granted an increase in the appropriations of the political groups in the 1987 budget. But the resources thus made available to groups are still not at a level to permit the group with the smallest number of members to employ at least a full-time grade B2 secretary. Currently, the annual salary of a temporary locally recruited secretary of this grade amounts to 137 000 F. The allocation for the smallest Assembly group would need to be increased by 100 000 F. Obviously, the allocations made to the other four groups of the Assembly would have to be increased by the same amount.
The groups cannot operate properly without a minimum staff. Those receiving the highest annual allocations already employ in Strasbourg a part-time official ranking higher than grade B2. They could make use of the proposed increase of 100 000 F to progressively offer their staff full-time contracts. To ensure sound financial management, the Committee on the Budget and the Intergovernmental Work Programme and the Bureau of the Assembly would make the requested additional appropriations available to groups on justification.
In order to limit the annual growth rate of its appropriations, the Assembly proposes that the increase of 500 000 F under Sub-head 73 should be spread over the budgets for the next three years. The first instalment, to be included in the 1988 budget, would amount to 200 000 F.
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 1 500 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 1 338 000 F)
This sub-head covers publishing and printing costs relating to :
official Assembly documents, namely:
- 1 200 copies in each official language of the Working Papers (2 800 to 3 000 pages) ;
- 900 copies in each official language of the Official Report of Debates (1 200 to 1 400 pages);
distribution of reports and documents adopted by the Assembly and its committees and translation of certain texts adopted (for circulation by national parliaments);
other documents of the Assembly and its committees.
The Assembly requests the same level of provision in 1988 as in 1987.
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 272 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 248 000 F)
This sub-head covers the representational, travelling and subsistence expenses incurred by the President of the Assembly in the performance of his duties:
The Assembly requests the same appropriation in 1988 as in 1987.
Indicative appropriation in 1987: 149 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 124 000 F)
This sub-head covers:
The Assembly requests the same appropriation for 1988 as for 1987.
Indicative estimate for 1988 : 413 000 F
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 393 000 F
Increase: 20 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 411 000 F)
This sub-head covers'
The expenses of members travelling on official business fall into two categories:
No additional funds are needed for the second category in 1988, since the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities is not intending to increase the number of flags of honour awarded each year (fifty in 1986). Nevertheless, in Resolution 862 (1986) on "Thirty years of the Europe Prize", the Assembly recommended several measures which have financial implications and which are currently being considered by the above-mentioned committee.
Since 1984, the Standing Committee has taken steps to restrict the expenses of members travelling officially for the Assembly (see, in particular,Doc. 5468, Section VI). Despite this restrictive policy, expenditure under Subhead 77 again exceeded the indicative appropriation in 1986. This is due partly to the fact that the Assembly is taking its external relations a stage further and strengthening co-operation with intergovernmental bodies (thus, since February 1987, it is represented on the Steering Committee on the Mass Media), and partly to the fact that national parliaments are less prepared to pay the expenses of members travelling on official Assembly business.
In order to bring the appropriation under Sub-head 77 into line with actual expenditure, the Assembly suggests increasing it by 20 000 F in real terms. This would also cover the expenses in respect of the Assembly's representation on the recently appointed Bureau and Organising Committee for European Cinema and Television Year (1988). It is particularly important that the Assembly should be involved in this Year along with the European Parliament, as in the case of European Music Year (1985).
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 822 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 794 000 F)
This sub-head covers official travel by staff of the Clerk's Office and other Secretariat staff required to attend meetings of Assembly bodies and other organisations as well as other journeys by staff travelling officially at the Clerk's request.
The Assembly requests that the appropriation for Sub-head 78 in 1988 be kept at the same level in real terms as in 1987.
In its Opinion No. 114 (1983), the Assembly suggested using, where economically justifiable, interpreters on the permanent staff of the Secretariat rather than using, almost exclusively, temporary or free-lance interpreters. Council of Europe interpreters do not receive any special allowances and their expenses on official journeys are subject to the same economic criteria as those of other staff. Whereas free-lance interpreters are charged to Sub-head 71 (which also covers their travelling expenses and subsistence allowances), permanent Council of Europe staff interpreters travel on Sub-head 78.
The Assembly reiterates this suggestion and hopes that arrangements will be made for transfers between Subheads 71 and 78 when the use of staff interpreters saves money.
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 354 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 469 000 FNote
This sub-head covers fees, travelling expenses, subsistence allowances and administrative assistance for experts- including those from non-member states-given specialised work or brought in for consultation by Assembly bodies, either individually or as members of working parties. 100 000 F of the appropriation are used to finance the European Parliamentary and Scientific Contact Group appointed by the Committee on Science and Technology to strengthen liaison with the European Parliament and ensure continuity in the preparations for parliamentary conferences.
The Assembly requests the same appropriation for 1988 as for 1987.
Indicative estimate for 1988 : 710 000 F
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 660 000 F
Increase: 50 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 303 000 F)
This covers the organisation of conferences, colloquies, symposia and seminars (including travelling and subsistence expenses of the experts and Council of Europe staff attending), publishing, translation and printing costs (including non-official languages), and entertainment and other expenses incidental to these meetings.
Expenditure under this sub-head was low in 1986 since a planned conference on political co-operation between Europe and Africa did not take place.
In order to make it possible to hold the 2nd Strasbourg Conference in 1987, the Committee of Ministers allocated the Assembly 100 000 F (exceptional non-recurring item of expenditure). In 1988, funds will be needed for the follow-up to this conference and preparations for the 3rd Strasbourg Conference. Moreover, the Assembly will organise a major conference in May-June 1988 to assess the results of the European Public Campaign on North-South Interdependence and Solidarity and the implementation of the Lisbon Declaration on the same subject. This conference will (together with an Assembly debate during the January 1988 session) constitute the Assembly's main contribution to the European campaign organised in co-operation with the European Community and the European Parliament. Finally, the Committee on Culture and Education will hold in 1988 a colloquy in Orvieto on "Cinema and Television: the audiovisual field as a vector of communication between Eastern and Western Europe". This colloquy will represent the Assembly's main contribution to the European Cinema and Television Year (1988). The overall costs of the Orvieto Colloquy are estimated at approximately 200 000 F of which 150 000 F should be covered by appropriations already made for 1988.
In the circumstances, the Assembly invites the Committee of Ministers to renew the special allocation of 100 000 F and to increase the indicative appropriation under Sub-head 80 by 50 000 F in real terms for the Orvieto Colloquy.
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 91 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 91 000 F)
This covers refreshments for staff on night duty, car hire, gratuities for exceptional work during meetings of Assembly bodies not held at the Council of Europe headquarters, the purchase of medals, flags, flagpoles, etc., night watchmen. reception and information services, sundries and contingencies.
As decided by the Committee of Ministers, Subhead 81 has, since 1986, covered the expenses (travelling expenses and lump-sum allowance) of a few parliamentary officials from non-member states undergoing training with the Parliamentary Assembly.
The Assembly requests that the indicative appropriation for Sub-head 81 in 1988 be kept at the same level in real terms as in 1987.
Token entry.
The Assembly is lagging behind the private sector and many parliamentary administrations in member states as far as computerisation and office automation are concerned. The Assembly is therefore prepared, in principle, to make a lump-sum contribution to the cost of modernising its equipment. The Assembly's main demands as regards computerisation were set out in a memorandum transmitted in January 1987 to the Secretary General, who is drawing up a plan for computerisation for 1987-89. The Assembly welcomes this initiative.
Indicative estimate for 1988: 110 700 F
Indicative 1987 appropriation: 100 700 F
Increase: 10 000 F
(Approximate expenditure in 1986: 92 000 F)
This sub-head covers:
The Assembly requests that the indicative appropriation under Sub-head 82 be increased by 10 000 F in real terms. The revised rules of the Europe Prize, which will come into force in 1988, foresee the award to some ten municipalities of a special medal "for European merit" (in fact, this is aimed at honouring the too many municipalities applying for the Europe Prize which cannot hope to win it in the foreseeable future).
| VOTE 111 of the ordinary budget - Expenditure of the Assembly | Appropriations for 1987 | Increases in real terms proposed for 1988 |
|---|---|---|
| F | F | |
| HEAD XV - Staff | ||
| Sub-heads | ||
| 67 - Remuneration of permanent staff | 16 325 000 | |
| 67 bis - Assembly staffing changes | 402 500Note | |
| 68 - Staff recruited to fill vacant permanent posts on a temporary basis | 60 000 | |
| 69 - Expenses on arrival and departure, home leave | 144 500 | |
| 70 - Overtime and allowances for exceptional duties | 77 000 | |
| 71 - Remuneration and accessory charges for temporary conference staff | 9 956 000 | |
| 72 - Provision for cost-of-living allowance and other adjustments to remuneration | 930 000Note | |
| TOTAL HEAD XV | 28 281 400 | 402 500 |
| VOTE III - Expenditure of the Assembly | Expenditure in 1986 | Initial indicative appropriations for 1987 | Increases in real terms proposed for1988 |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | F | F | |
| HEAD XVI - Special secretariat expenses and other expenses | |||
| 73 - Special secretariat expenses and other expenses | 752 500 | 1 030 000 | 200 000Note |
| TOTAL HEAD XVI | 752 500 | 1 030 000 | 200 000 |
| HEAD XVII - Supplies, services and other operational expenditure (budgetary package) | |||
| Sub-heads / Articles | |||
| 74 - Publishing and printing | 1 338 000 | 1 500 000 | |
| 75 - Representational, travelling and subsistence expenses of the President of the Assembly | 248 000 | 272 000 | |
| 76 - Expenditure pertaining to the Private Office of the President of the Assembly | 124000 | 149000 | |
| 77 - Representational expenditure, other official expenditure and travelling expenses of the members of the Assembly | 411 000 | 393 000 | 20 000 |
| 78 - Official journeys | 794 000 | 822 000 | |
| 79 - Consultation of experts | 469000 | 354 000 | |
| 80 - Organisation of ad hoc conferences | 303 000 | 660 000 | 50000 |
| 81 - Other expenditure not specifically provided for in this vote | 91 000 | 91 000 | |
| 81 bis - Lump-sum contribution to, the cost of modernising the Assembly's equipment (computerisation and office automation) | t.e | ||
| 82 - Europe Prizes | 92 000 | 100 700 | 10 000 |
| TOTAL HEAD XVII | 3 870 000 | 4 341 700 | 80 000 |
| TOTAL VOTE III | 33 653 100 | 682 500 |