57.1. Written
declarations not exceeding 200 words on subjects within the competence
of the Council of Europe may be tabled provided they have been signed
by at least twenty representatives or substitutes of four national
delegations and two political groups. They shall be published unless
the President has ruled that they are inadmissible in accordance
with criteria outlined in paragraph 2 below. Written declarations
shall neither be referred to a committee nor debated in the Assembly.
57.2. Written declarations shall
not contain propaganda for commercial purposes or on behalf of persons
of associations whose ideas or activities are incompatible with
the Council of Europe’s principles. They shall also address areas
falling within the Council of Europe’s sphere of competence and
shall not contain racist, xenophobic or intolerant language or words
and expressions whose meaning constitutes an affront to human dignity.
57.3. Any representative or substitute
may add his or her signature to a written declaration up to the
close of the next part-session, after which no further signatures
may be added. The declaration shall be issued with the names of
all members who have signed it. No signature may be withdrawn.
