05/06/2018 Session
PACE is scheduled to elect its new President at its summer session in Strasbourg (25-29 June 2018). VIPs to address members include the Croatian and Slovak Prime Ministers as well as the Luxembourg Foreign Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, will present the communication from the Committee of Ministers. An exchange of views with the organisation’s Secretary General is also scheduled.
Among the items on the agenda is the protection of human rights defenders as well as new restrictions on NGO activities in member states.
The Assembly will discuss the humanitarian situation of refugees in the countries neighbouring Syria and will hold a joint debate on the extra-territorial processing of asylum claims and the creation of safe refugee shelters abroad as well as the human rights impact of the external dimension of EU asylum and migration policy, with the participation of Dimitrios Vitsas, Minister of Immigration Policy of Greece.
Forced marriage in Europe and the balance between the best interest of the child and the need to keep families together are also scheduled for debate.
Also on the agenda are the persecution of LGBTI people in the Chechen Republic, the deliberate destruction and illegal trafficking of cultural heritage, and women in the economy.
An urgent debate has been requested on “Threats to the health and life of Ukrainian prisoners in the Russian Federation and occupied Crimea”.
The Assembly will decide its final agenda on the opening day of the session.
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Monday 25 June
• Election of the President of the Assembly
• Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee
• Communication from the Committee of Ministers, presented by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers
Tuesday 26 June
• Possible election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of San Marino
• The humanitarian situation of refugees in the countries neighbouring Syria
• Address by Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia
• Question time to Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
• Protecting human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States
• Free debate
Wednesday 27 June
• New restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States
• Address by Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic
• Joint debate
- Extra-territorial processing of asylum claims and the creation of safe refugee shelters abroad
- Human rights impact of the “external dimension” of European Union asylum and migration policy: out of sight, out of rights?
and statement by Dimitrios Vitsas, Minister of Immigration Policy of Greece
• Persecution of LGBTI people in the Chechen Republic (Russian Federation)
Thursday 28 June
• Possible debate under urgent procedure or current affairs debate
• Address by Jean Asselborn, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg
• Striking a balance between the best interest of the child and the need to keep families together
• Forced marriage in Europe
Friday 29 June
• Deliberate destruction and illegal trafficking of cultural heritage
• Empowering women in the economy
• Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee (continued)
Practical information
Livestreams: plenary session and press conferences
Videos: can be downloaded for free in broadcast quality (or via [email protected])
Press accreditation
Social media: PACE YouTube channel; Twitter; Facebook; Flickr
Hashtag: #PACEsummer2018
Web: PACE site and session page
Contact: PACE Communication Division, tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93; [email protected]