Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

— on matters referred to them (Rule 26);

— when so instructed by texts adopted by the Assembly (taking account of Rule 25.1.b.);

— when stipulated by the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure;

— when mandated to do so by their specific terms of reference.

— the competent bodies (committees, etc.) of national parliaments of member states;

— the competent bodies (committees, etc.) of European parliamentary assemblies (European Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and others) and of the Interparliamentary Union (IPU);

— subject to decision by the Bureau of the Assembly, the competent bodies (committees, etc.) of national parliaments holding special guest, observer or partner for democracy status;

— subject to decision by the Bureau of the Assembly, the competent bodies (committees, etc.) of national parliaments of non-member states.

— the relevant rapporteur groups, working groups and liaison committees of the Ministers' Deputies and rapporteurs of the Ministers' Deputies;

— the relevant Council of Europe structures and bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Council of Europe partial agreements, the Council of Europe monitoring bodies and the relevant Council of Europe expert committees.

i. requests for membership of the Council of Europe;

ii. requests for granting observer status with the Council of Europe and with the Parliamentary Assembly, subject to the provisions of Rule 63 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure;

iii. requests for special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly, in accordance with Rule 62.3. of the Rules of Procedure;

iv. requests for partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly, in accordance with Rule 64.7. of the Rules of Procedure;

v. questions relating to the state of democracy and the functioning and development of democratic institutions in Europe, as well as in the observer states and in the states whose parliaments enjoy observer or partner for democracy status;

vi. major political challenges to modern society;

vii. issues related to democratic stability in Europe;

viii. issues related to deep/soft security in Europe;

ix. the prevention and settlement of crises and conflicts in, between, or having an impact on, member and observer states, as well as non-member states whose parliaments enjoy, or seek to acquire, observer or partner for democracy status.

i. all matters concerning the human rights treaties and mechanisms of the Council of Europe, notably the European Convention on Human Rights and its protocols, the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and other international instruments;

ii. other issues concerning the state of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Europe, as well as in the observer states and in the states whose parliaments enjoy observer or partner for democracy status, including allegations of serious human rights violations of a systemic or otherwise widespread nature;

iii. the functioning of national and international judicial institutions (as well as ombudspersons and national human rights institutions), the police, detention centres and prisons in the member states of the Council of Europe;

iv. national and international criminal law and criminology; the treatment of offenders and conditions of detention (including pre-trial detention); alternatives to imprisonment;

v. legal and human rights issues relating to the fight against terrorism.

i. the implementation and possible development within the member states and at European level of the rights guaranteed by the (revised) European Social Charter and the contribution of social cohesion to democratic security;

ii. the promotion of sustainable development including protection of biodiversity, forward-looking management of the environment and natural resources, climate change, co-operation for development, "greening" the economy, as well as relevant sectoral policies (in particular energy, transport, tourism, trade);

iii. access to adequate and affordable health services and effective management of public health risks and opportunities (in particular food security, natural and technological disasters, counterfeits, drugs, epidemics, pollution, biomedicine);

iv. policies aimed at improving social cohesion (in particular employment, social dialogue, social security, pensions), supporting groups which are in need of special protection (in particular children, the elderly, families), and fostering solidarity between generations, taking into account demographic, economic and social trends;

v. good governance and democratic practices at local and regional level.

i. questions relating to migration, including the rights of migrants, during the migration process;

ii. issues linked to the asylum process in Europe and the rights of asylum seekers and refugees;

iii. the situation of internally displaced persons in Europe and their rights and humanitarian needs;

iv. co-operation between countries of origin, transit and destination;

v. community relations in multicultural societies, including the situation and integration of migrants and their social, economic and civil and political rights;

vi. humanitarian law and humanitarian issues;

vii. questions relating to population, demography, nationality and stateless persons.

i. culture, education and youth policies and associated rights;

ii. cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue;

iii. management of cultural heritage;

iv. higher education and research policies;

v. the ethics of scientific and technological developments;

vi. sport and society;

vii. freedom of expression and information, media freedom and ethics;

viii. internet governance and security.

i. questions relating to the promotion of equality and equal opportunities across the board;

ii. all matters affecting equality between women and men, including political representation, economic empowerment, violence against women and gender-related crimes, trafficking in women, and sexual and reproductive health issues related to women's rights and freedoms;

iii. questions regarding national and other minorities, including Roma and Travellers;

iv. questions relating to the prevention and fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance in Europe.

i. advise the Bureau of the Assembly (following its request) on all matters of procedure or report to the Assembly or the Standing Committee on questions of interpretation or modification of the Rules of Procedure;

ii. report to the Assembly on any contested credentials of representatives and substitutes, in accordance with Rule 7. of the Rules of Procedure, and give its opinion on any challenge of still unratified credentials and any requests for annulment of previous ratifications of credentials on substantive grounds, in accordance with Rules 8.3. and 9.2. of the Rules of Procedure;

iii. report to the Bureau on any contested credentials of members of special guest delegations, after a joint meeting with the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, in accordance with Rule 62.6. of the Rules of Procedure;

iv. consider questions relating to the privileges and immunities of members of the Assembly, including those connected to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe of 2 September 1949 and its protocol of 6 November 1952;

v. consider requests for waiver of immunity referred to it under Rule 73 of the Rules of Procedure;

vi. consider questions concerning the right of representatives and substitutes to participate in meetings and the reimbursement of travel costs by national parliaments or governments;

vii. keep under review the Assembly’s committee structure and the functioning of the Assembly’s system of committees, and report on proposals for the setting up of new committees.

i. study the curricula vitae and interview all candidates for posts of judge of the European Court of Human Rights, before their election by the Assembly;

ii. under the authority of its chairperson, prepare a report to the Assembly on the election of each judge to the European Court of Human Rights, which shall include its recommendations. Whenever possible, the reasons for its recommendations and ranking of candidates shall be indicated in the report;

iii. review, when necessary, the standard curriculum vitae sent to candidates for the post of judge of the European Court of Human Rights;

iv. seek to ensure that the national procedure for the nomination of candidates complies with the criteria which the Assembly has drawn up for the establishment of lists, and in particular the presence of candidates of both sexes.

i. the committee shall vote by a majority of the votes cast. A decision to consider a single-sex list of candidates in exceptional circumstances shall require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. The committee shall vote on candidates by secret ballot. Only members who have attended in full the interview procedure for a post of judge may vote. Members of the committee from the country whose list is under consideration shall not have the right to vote, either on the possible rejection of their country’s list or on the expression of preferences among candidates. For any other decision, voting shall take place by a show of hands. However, voting may be by secret ballot if requested by at least one-third of the members present. The chairperson shall be entitled to vote;

ii. when rejection of a list of candidates is recommended to the Assembly, the reason(s) must be specified.

i. the fulfilment of the obligations assumed by the member states under the terms of the Council of Europe Statute, the European Convention on Human Rights and all other conventions concluded within the Organisation to which they are parties;

ii. the honouring of the commitments entered into by the authorities of member states on their accession to the Council of Europe.

i. the general committees of the Assembly by reasoned written application to the Bureau;

ii. no fewer than 20 members of the Assembly representing at least 6 national delegations and 2 political groups, through the tabling of a motion for a resolution or recommendation;

iii. the Bureau of the Assembly.