Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (29 January – 11 April 2011)
Progress report
| Doc. 12570 Part I
| 09 April 2011
1 Introduction
1. On 28 January 2011, the Bureau appointed me rapporteur
for this report. Since the last part session of the Assembly, the
Bureau has met in Paris on 10 March 2011. The Standing Committee
met in Paris on 11 March 2011.
2. In line with my predecessors, this progress report covers
the period outside of Assembly part-sessions, leaving aside the
decisions which have already been ratified by the Assembly. Thus,
the first part of this report presents the Bureau’s activities since
the part-session of January 2011 and up until the April part-session
and the activities of the Standing Committee of 11 March 2011 are
presented in the second part of the report. I hope that this will
enable Assembly members to keep abreast of our activities outside
of part-sessions.
3. The Bureau will hold its next meetings on Monday 11 April
2011 at 8 am and Friday 15 April 2011 at 8.30 am (Strasbourg, part
session) then on 26 May 2011 at 2.30 pm (Kyiv, Ukraine). The next
meeting of the Standing Committee will be held in Kyiv on 27 May
2011.
2 Activities
of the Bureau since the last part session
2.1 Assembly reform
4. At its meeting on 10 March 2011, the Bureau held
an exchange of views on the draft report on the Assembly’s reform.
The Bureau also took note of the appointment of Mrs Bemelmans-Videc
(Netherlands; EPP/CD) to replace Mr Haibach on this ad hoc Committee
of the Assembly.
2.2 Co-operation with
the European Parliament
5. On 10 March 2011, the Bureau formally establishedan ad hoc Committee to participate
in the joint informal body to co-ordinate information sharing in
the context of the accession of the European Union to the European
Convention on Human Rights, to be co-Chaired by the Chairperson
of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and the Chairperson
of the Committee on Political Affairs.
6. The first meeting of this joint informal body was held on
14 March 2011 in Brussels and the second is scheduled for 15 June
2011 in Paris.
2.3 Ad hoc committees
of the Bureau for the observation of elections and referenda
2.3.1 Kazakhstan: early
presidential election (3 April 2011)
7. At its meeting on 10 March 2011, the Bureau confirmed
the proposal to observe that election; constituted an ad hoc Committee
composed of five members (one from each political group); and appointed
Mrs Liovochkina (Ukraine; EDG) as its Chairperson.
2.3.2 Turkey: parliamentary
elections (12 June 2011)
8. At its meeting on 10 March 2011, the Bureau decided,
subject to the receipt of an invitation from the competent Turkish
authorities, to observe these elections; constituted an ad hoc committee
for this purpose composed of 30 members in accordance with the d’Hondt
system (10 EPP/CD; 9 SOC; 5 ALDE; 5 EDG; 1 UEL); and authorised
a pre-electoral mission composed of five members (one from each
political group) – to be carried out approximately one month before
the elections.
2.4 Other ad hoc committees
of the Bureau
9. On 10 March 2011, the Bureau constituted a Bureau
ad hoc committee to participate in the thematic meeting of the Forum
to be held in Cyprus on 13 and 14 October 2011 on the subject “The
Interdependence of democracy and Social cohesion” and appointed
the Head of the Cypriot delegation in office at the time of the
event as the ad hoc Committee’s Chairperson for 2011.
10. Also on 10 March 2011, the Bureau decided to establish an
ad hoc committee of the Bureau on recent detentions, prosecutions
and convictions of members of the opposition in Belarus. This ad
hoc committee would be composed of one representative per political
group who is not a member of the Bureau.
2.5 Follow-up to texts
adopted during the first ordinary part session of the Assembly in 2011 (Strasbourg,
24-28 January 2011)
11. On 10 March 2011:
- Regarding
Resolution 1783 (2011) on “Follow-up to the reform of the Council
of Europe”, the Bureau asked the Ad hoc Committee on the Reform
of the Parliamentary Assembly to take into account the decisions
set out in paragraphs 9, 12, 17 and 18 in its work. Moreover, the Bureau asked the
committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to take paragraph 12.2
into account in its report on “Accession of the European Union to
the European Convention on Human Rights: Election of Judges” (Rapporteur
S. Holovaty, Ukraine, ALDE). The Bureau also requested the Committee
on Culture, Science and Education to make proposals to the Bureau
regarding the organisation of a new Youth Forum in Strasbourg. Finally,
the Bureau asked the Assembly’s committees to reinforce their dialogue
with the European Parliament and to examine the activities and programmes
of the Council of Europe falling within the scope of their mandates
in order to evaluate their political relevance.
- Regarding Resolution 1786 (2011) on “Reconciliation and
political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia”,
the Bureau asked the Assembly’s committees to take this dialogue
into account in their work.
- Regarding Resolution 1787 (2011) on “Implementation of
judgments of the European Court of Human Rights”, the Bureau decided
to ask the President of the Parliamentary Assembly to send a letter
to the Chairpersons of national parliamentary delegations of the
states concerned.
- Regarding Resolution 1790 (2011) on “The situation in
Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential election”, the Bureau
asked the Assembly’s committees to take this dialogue into account
in their work.
- Regarding Resolution 1792 (2011) on “Monitoring of commitments
concerning social rights”, the Bureau asked the Committee on Social,
Health and Family Affairs to take into account the decisions set
out in sub-paragraphs 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4 in its work.
2.6 Issues raised by
committees
2.6.1 Committee on Equal
Opportunities for Women and Men
12. The Bureau held an exchange of views on a memorandum
on gender mainstreaming in the work of the Assembly and agreed to
return to this subject at its meeting on 15 April 2011.
2.6.2 Political Affairs
Committee
13. The Bureau authorised the Committee to prepare a
report on the subject “Living together in 21st Century Europe: follow-up
to the Eminent Persons report” to be debated at the Assembly’s June
2011 part-Session, with the following Committees being seized for
opinion: Committee on Social, Health and Family Affairs; the Committee
on Migration, Refugees and Population; the Committee on Culture,
Science and Education; and the Committee on Equal Opportunities
for Women and Men.
14. The Bureau authorised Mr Kox, Rapporteur for “Request for
Partner for Democracy Status with the Parliamentary Assembly submitted
by the Palestinian National Council (PNC)”, to conduct a fact-finding
visit to the Palestinian Territories, including the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip, if possible, at the end of March for the purposes
of his report.
15. The Bureau authorised the Committee to prepare a report on
“Situation in Tunisia” for debate at the Assembly’s June 2011 part
session, and authorised the Rapporteur to carry out a fact-finding
visit to Tunisia for the purposes of her report.
2.7 Requests for extensions
of references
16. On 10 March 2011, the Bureau approved the following
extensions:
- Doc. 11843, Motion
for a Recommendation The Council of Europe
and the Eastern Partnership of the European Union, to
the Political Affairs Committee for report(reference
no. 3539), extension until 31 December 2011.
- Doc. 11892, Motion for a Resolution Theneed for independent and credible environmental
assessments, Committee on the Environment, Agriculture
and Local and Regional Affairs for report (reference no. 3562),
extension until 30 November 2011.
- Doc. 11894, Motion for a recommendation The potential dangers of electromagnetic fields
and their effect on the environment, Committee on the
Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for report
(reference No. 3563), extension until 30 November 2011.
2.8 Parliamentary Assembly
Human Rights Prize
17. On 28 January 2011, in accordance with the regulations
for the Prize, the Bureau approved the Recommendation submitted
by the Selection Panel proposing the Russian NGO ”Committee against
torture” as the winner.
The Assembly is invited to endorse this decision.
2.9 Other business
18. The Bureau awarded Mr Lluís Maria de Puig, former
President of the Assembly, the title of Honorary President of the
Assembly, with effect from the date that he ceases to be a member
of the Assembly; and conferred the title of Honorary Secretary General
of the Assembly on Mr Mateo Sorinas, former Secretary General of
the Assembly, with effect from 1 April 2011.
19. The Bureau took note of the dates of the European
Conference of Presidents of Parliament, to take place in
Strasbourg from 7-9 June 2012.
3 Activities of the
Standing Committee (Paris, 11 March 2011)
20. The Standing Committee held a current affairs debate
on “Co-operation between the Council of Europe and emerging democracies
in the Arab world” introduced by Mr Kox (Netherlands, UEL), with
the participation of Mr Dominique Baudis, President of the Arab
World Institute and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the European Parliament.
21. Following debates, the Standing Committee, adopted, on behalf
of the Assembly, the texts appearing in the attached list, which
are available on the Assembly website.
22. The Standing Committee ratified the credentials of new members
of the Assembly submitted by the delegations of Bulgaria and Germany.
23. The Standing Committee ratified the changes in the composition
of Assembly committees in respect of the delegations of Armenia,
France and Poland, and the change in the composition of the Ad hoc
Committee on the Reform of the Parliamentary Assembly.
24. The Standing Committee ratified the proposal by the Bureau
of March 2011, to set up an ad hoc committee of the Bureau on recent
detentions, prosecutions and convictions of members of the opposition
in Belarus. This ad hoc committee would be composed of one member
of each political group who is not a member of the Bureau.
25. On 10 March, the Bureau approved the following references,
ratified the following day by the Standing Committee.
- Doc. 12490, Motion for a resolution
on Serious setbacks in the fields of
the rule of law and human rights in Hungary, to the Committee
on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States
of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) to prepare a written
opinion in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of the terms of reference
of the Monitoring Committee.
- Doc. 12491,
Motion for a resolution on The situation
of women in Ukraine, 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 preparation of the report on Honouring
of obligations and commitments by Ukraine and to the Committee on
Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for information.
- Doc. 12492
rev. Motion for a recommendation Towards
a Council of Europe Convention to combat trafficking in organs,
tissues and cells of human origin to the Social, Health
and Family Affairs Committee for report.
- Doc. 12495,
Motion for a resolution Investing in
a low-carbon economy for growth and development, to the
Committee on Economic Affairs and Development for report and to
the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional
Affairs for opinion.
- Doc. 12498,
Motion for a resolution Integration of
migrants: is Europe failing? to the
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population for report.
- Granting of participatory status
to the international non-governmental organisation Andante to
the Committee on Culture, Science and Education for report at the Standing Committee
and to the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for
opinion.
- Bureau decision on The situation
in Tunisia, to the Political Affairs Committee for report.
- Follow-up to the current affairs debate on Co-operation between the Council of Europe
and emerging democracies in the Arab world, to the Political Affairs Committee
forreport.
- Bureau decision, Living together
in 21st century Europe: follow-up to the Eminent Persons report to
the Political Affairs Committee for report and to the following
committees for opinion: Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee;
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population; Committee on Culture, Science
and Education; and Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and
Men.
Appendix 1 – Texts adopted
by the Standing Committee (Paris, 11 March 2011)
Appendix 2 – Meetings elsewhere
than in Strasbourg and Paris authorised by the Bureau
1-2 June 2011, Committee on Migration, Refugees
and Population, Corfu (Greece).
Appendix 3 – Appointments
of Assembly representatives for official activities
- Ms
Annette Groth (Germany, UEL), Plenary Assembly of the European Roma
and Travellers Forum, Strasbourg, 30 March 2011;
- A Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Legal Affairs and
Human Rights (according to availability), High-level follow-up conference
on the Future of the European Court of Human Rights, Izmir (Turkey), 26‑27 April
2011;
- Ms Dzhema Grozdanova (Bulgaria, EPP/CD), Spring Session
of NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Varna (Bulgaria), 27‑30 May 2011
at no cost for the Assembly.
Appendix 4 – Institutional
representation of the Parliamentary Assembly on the European Commission against
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in 2011
The Bureau appointed the following representatives:
Mrs Lundgren (ALDE, Political Affairs Committee), Mr Cilevičs (SOC,
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights) and Mr Schneider (EPP/CD,
Committee on Culture, Science and Education).
