Content of written declarations and motions for recommendations and resolutions

Resolution 1395 (2004)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 7 September 2004 (seeDoc. 10183, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Immunities, rapporteur: Mr Akçam).

Thesaurus

1. The Parliamentary Assembly considers that written declarations by its members (Rule 53 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure) should not contain propaganda for commercial purposes or on behalf of persons or associations whose ideas or activities are incompatible with the principles of the Council of Europe.

2. However, this should not restrict the tabling of written declarations criticising or condemning the ideas or activities of such persons or associations.

3. The Assembly also stresses the need to explicitly declare as inadmissible any written declarations with a racist, xenophobic or intolerant content or with words or expressions whose meaning bears an affront to human dignity.

4. The criteria for the content of written declarations should also be made applicable to motions tabled by members (Rule 23 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure).

5. The Assembly consequently decides:

to replace the second sentence of Rule 53.1 with the following: - “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.”

to insert, after Rule 53.1, a new paragraph 2, worded as follows: - “Written declarations shall not contain propaganda for commercial purposes or on behalf of persons or associations whose ideas or activities are incompatible with the Council of Europe’s principles. They shall also not contain racist, xenophobic or intolerant language or words and expressions whose meaning bears an affront to human dignity.”

to add the following sentence to the end of Rule 23.2: - “Motions shall not contain propaganda for commercial purposes or on behalf of persons or associations whose ideas or activities are incompatible with the Council of Europe’s principles. They shall also not contain racist, xenophobic or intolerant language or words and expressions whose meaning bears an affront to human dignity.”

that these new provisions shall enter into force upon their adoption.