3. Following a request submitted by the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population, the Bureau decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a debate under urgent procedure on “Large scale arrival of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe’s Southern shores” and to refer the matter to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population for report.

4. Following a request by 5 leaders of political groups on behalf of their political group for a current affairs debate to be held on the "Situation in the Northern Africa", the Bureau decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a current affairs debate on this issue and appointed Mr Gross as introductory speaker.

2.1.2 Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of France, Norway and Switzerland

5. The Bureau took note of the recommendations of the Sub-committee on the election of judges to the European Court on Human Rights in respect of Norway and Switzerland and decided to transmit them to members of the Assembly. As regards France, subsequent to the Sub-committee’s meeting, the procedure has been interrupted, as one of the three candidates has withdrawn his candidature. The French government has therefore been asked – as stipulated in paragraph 2 in the appendix to Resolution 1432 (2005) – to provide the Assembly with the name of another person in order to complete the list.

2.1.3 Updating of the draft agenda

6. The Bureau updated the draft agenda.

2.2 Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (29 January – 11 April 2011)

7. The Bureau approved the Progress Report.

2.3 Election observation

2.3.1 Kazakhstan: early Presidential elections (3 April 2011)

8. The Bureau took note of the oral report of the Chairperson of the ad hoc committee which observed the early presidential elections in Kazakhstan (Mrs Liovochkina Ukraine, EDG).

2.3.2 “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: possible early parliamentary elections (5 June 2011 [date tbc])

9. The Bureau decided in principle and subject to confirmation of this election and to the receipt of an invitation by the competent authorities of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" to observe the early parliamentary elections (5 June 2011 – date tbc) ; to constitute an ad hoc committee to observe these elections, composed of 20 members in accordance with the D’Hondt system (EEP/CD: 7, SOC: 6; EDG: 3, ALDE: 3, UEL: 1) and to authorise a pre-electoral mission approximately one month ahead of the elections.

2.4 Motions for Recommendation and Resolution

10. The Bureau approved the references and modifications to references as presented in appendix 1, subject to ratification by the Assembly.

2.5 Communications

11. The Bureau took note of communications by the President, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe as well as the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly.

2.6 Cooperation with European Parliament

12. The Bureau took note of the report on the first meeting of 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 (14 March 2011, Brussels) and took note that the next meeting will take place on 15 June 2011 in Paris.

2.7 Ad hoc committee of the Bureau on recent detentions, prosecutions and convictions of members of the opposition in Belarus

13. The Bureau approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee and decided to appoint Mr Tomáš Jirsa (Czech Republic, EDG) as Chairperson of the ad hoc Committee.

Appendix

A. REFERENCES TO COMMITTEE

1. Health-care rationing: a threat to equal access to health?, motion for a resolution presented by Mr Marquet and others, Doc. 12504

2. Guaranteed access to health care for migrants/foreign nationals, motion for a resolution presented by Mr Santini and others, Doc. 12512

Reference to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee for one report and to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population for opinion

3. Energy diversification, a common European economic interest, motion for a resolution presented by Mr Sasi and others, Doc. 12514

Reference to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development for report and to Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for opinion

4. The disastrous ecological impact of Armenia’s mining industry, resulting from the currently exploited and planned mines, Motion for a resolution presented by Mrs Postanjyan and others, Doc. 12515

Transmission to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for information

5. Promoting an appropriate policy on tax-havens, Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Van der Maelen and others, Doc. 12516

Reference to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development for report

6. Gender equality in South East Europe, Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Mendes Bota and others, Doc. 12517

Reference to the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for report

7. Controlling irregular migration and asylum claims beyond the European Union’s Eastern Border, Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Strik and others, Doc. 12525

Reference to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population for report

B. MODIFICATIONS OF REFERENCES

1. Privacy and the management of private information on the Internet and other online media, motion for a recommendation presented by Mrs Rihter and others, Doc. 12021 – Ref. 3608 of 2 October 2009

Reference to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education for report and to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for opinion

2. The role of parliaments in the consolidation and development of social rights in Europe, decision of the Bureau of 28 January 2011 – Ref. 3743 of 28 January 2011

Reference to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee for report in the framework of the debate on "the situation of human rights in Europe" (June 2011 part-session) and to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for opinion

C. EXTENSION OF A REFERENCE

1. The interception and rescue at sea of asylum seekers, refugees and irregular migrants, motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Díaz Tejera and others, Doc. 11880 and Doc. 11905 – Ref. 3569 of 29 May 2009 - validity: 29 May 2011

Extension until 30 June 2011

D. CONSULTATION OF COMMITTEES

1. The state of media freedom in Europe, motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Mats Johansson and others, Doc. 12518

Reference to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education for consultation on the follow-up to be given

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Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (11 April 2011)

Contents

1 Activities of the Bureau not requiring ratification by the Assembly

2 Decisions of the Bureau requiring ratification by the Assembly

2.1 2011 Second ordinary part-Session (Strasbourg, 11-15 April 2011)

2.1.1 Requests for debates under urgent procedure and current affairs debate