The Parliamentary Assembly has been closely involved in the process which led to the preparation of the draft Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs, having initially adopted Recommendation 2009 (2013) “Towards a Council of Europe convention to combat trafficking in organs, tissues and cells of human origin” on 23 January 2013. At its meeting on 12 September 2013, the Committee of Ministers Rapporteur Group on legal co-operation (GR-J) examined a draft reply to the same recommendation and decided to resume consideration of this item at its next meeting.
In the meantime, at their 1176th meeting on 10 July 2013, the Ministers’ Deputies decided to transmit the draft Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs to the Parliamentary Assembly for opinion.
On 15 October 2013, the GR-J agreed to resume consideration of the draft reply to Recommendation 2009 (2013) once the Parliamentary Assembly’s opinion on the draft convention had been received and in the context of its examination of the draft convention.
On 22 November 2013, the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, adopted Opinion 286 (2013) “Draft Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs”.
On 12 December 2013, following a request from three delegations, the GR-J agreed to postpone consideration of the draft Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs and its explanatory report until its next meeting. On 11 February 2014, the item was postponed a second time.
On 1 April 2014, the GR-J made an initial examination of the draft Convention and its explanatory report in the light of the Assembly’s opinion. No decision was taken at this stage regarding the draft convention’s adoption and opening for signature. Consideration of the draft reply to Recommendation 2009 (2013) was postponed, pending the outcome of the examination of the item concerning the draft convention.
Ms Maury Pasquier,
To ask the Committee of Ministers,
When does the Committee of Ministers intend to complete, taking into account the Assembly’s recommendation and opinion, the examination of the draft Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs, so that it can be adopted and opened for signature and ratification by States?