Appendix to the Resolution
– Modalities relating to the external and interparliamentary relations
of the Assembly
Modalities relating
to the external and interparliamentary relations of the Assembly
I. General goals pursued
by external relations
1. The main objectives pursued
by the external relations of the Assembly are to:
- promote fundamental values which
the Assembly considers to be universal;
- make the work of the Assembly and its positions on key
international issues better known, understood and accepted;
- promote Council of Europe instruments and tools available,
or serving as inspiration, to external players;
- promote signature and ratification of Council of Europe
conventions open to non-member states;
- seek co-operation, synergies and complementarity with
external partners;
- strengthen parliamentarism, parliamentary institutions
in non-member states and parliamentary dimension in international
organisations.
2. The Assembly’s external relations pursue one more goal, which
is specific and limited in scope and has now nearly been achieved:
accession to the Council of Europe.
3. The Assembly should only consider establishing relations with
external partners when these relations can serve to develop and
promote the three core values of the Council of Europe: human rights,
democracy and the rule of law.
II. Scope
4. External relations of the Assembly
comprise relations with:
- Guests
of the Assembly;
- international parliamentary organisations/assemblies;
- inter-governmental international organisations.
5. The following should not be considered as part of “institutional”
external relations as such:
- relations
with national parliaments of Council of Europe member states;
- relations with Council of Europe bodies/entities (such
as the Venice Commission, North-South Centre, etc.);
- relations with international non-governmental organisations.
III. Competencies
6. The President of the Parliamentary
Assembly, in the context of his/her relations with non-member states, can
take initiatives and give political impetus to prepare the establishment
of potential new relations or the development of existing co-operation
with external partners.
7. The Presidential Committee, as a consultative body, provides
advice and guidelines to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly
and to the Bureau in matters of external relations.
8. Rule B.18.3 of the Rules on the Functioning of the Assembly
states that the Bureau “guides the external relations of the Assembly”.
The Bureau is also responsible for relations with the parliamentary
and inter-parliamentary Assemblies of non-member States.
9. The Bureau’s responsibility is complemented by the work of
the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy which, in line
with its terms of reference, shall
inter
alia:
- consider requests
for membership of the Council of Europe; requests for granting observer
status with the Council of Europe and with the Parliamentary Assembly;
requests for special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly;
requests for partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary
Assembly, and its evaluation to review the progress achieved in
fulfilling the undertakings made by the parliaments concerned when
they requested this status;
- consider the situation in states which are not member
states of the Council of Europe in the light of the fundamental
values upheld by the Council of Europe, make proposals and, subject
to the approval by the Bureau, take political action to promote
these values.
10. As concerns relations between the Council of Europe and the
United Nations:
- the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy monitors the work of the United
Nations Security Council and General Assembly; establishes regular
dialogue with the Director General of the United Nations Office
in Geneva and holds a meeting of its relevant Sub-Committee in principle
once every two years in New York on the occasion of the United Nations
General Assembly;
- the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights establishes
regular contacts with the United Nations Human Rights Council, the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
and the related Special Procedures and Human Rights Treaty Bodies.
11. In addition, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
may:
- propose to the Bureau
the conclusion of co-operation agreements, or other ways of stepping
up co-operation, with non-member parliaments and international interparliamentary
institutions;
- set up sub-committees dealing with one or several aspects
of the Assembly’s external relations (for instance, the Sub-Committee
on External Relations, the Sub-Committee on the Middle East and
the Arab world).
12. In accordance with its terms of reference, the Committee on
Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation prepares
reports on the activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD). For the preparation of the reports and the
debates in the Assembly, the committee maintains relations with
the OECD and the EBRD, and with parliaments of non-member States
participating in these debates.
13. Other Assembly committees, as appropriate, can also have a
role to play in external relations, in line with their respective
terms of reference.
14. The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly has regular
contacts with external institutions and other assemblies. In the
framework of these contacts, he/she seeks to reinforce co-operation
and to enhance co-ordination in areas falling within the field of
competencies of the Assembly as well as to make its work better known,
understood and accepted. The Secretary General of the Parliamentary
Assembly is a member of the Association of Secretaries General of
Parliaments (ASGP). He/she regularly participates in joint meetings
with the Secretaries General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
OSCE and of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to ensure better co-ordination
and exchange of information on the work of the three parliamentary
assemblies.
IV. Relations with
non-member parliaments
15. The Assembly has established
three distinct categories of institutional relations with national
parliaments of non-member states: special guests, partners for democracy
and observers. There are also specific arrangements with other guests
(who are those individuals or delegations covered by specific arrangements as
set out in Rule B.11 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and paragraphs
52-53 below). Together these four categories are referred to as
“Guests of the Assembly”.
16. Relevant general rules are Rule B.18 of the Assembly’s Rules
of Procedure and these Modalities.
V. Special guest status
17. Special guest status:
- Aim of this status: to facilitate
the process of accession of the European countries which are not
yet members of the Council of Europe.
- Eligibility: national parliaments whose States have applied
for membership to the Council of Europe. Membership of the Council
of Europe is in principle open only to States whose national territory
lies wholly or partly in Europe and whose culture is closely linked
with the European culture.
- Relevant Rule and Procedure: Rule B.8 of the Rules on
the Functioning of the Assembly and the below modalities.
18. Any formal request for special guest status shall be addressed
to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly by the President
(Speaker) of the national parliament of the European non-member
State concerned.
19. If the Bureau, having consulted the Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy, approves such a request, and the Assembly
then ratifies the Bureau’s decision, the President of the Parliamentary
Assembly shall invite the parliament concerned to assume special
guest status.
20. A special guest delegation shall include both representatives
and substitutes. The number of seats shall not exceed eighteen and
shall be the same as the number of seats likely to be appropriate
were the state to become a full member of the Council of Europe.
When granting special guest status, the Assembly shall specify the
number of members of a special guest delegation.
21. A parliament with special guest status shall appoint members
of its delegation so as to ensure a fair representation of the political
parties or groups in that parliament.
22. The delegation shall include both women and men among its
representatives, and strive to ensure equal representation between
women and men, whilst ensuring a minimum of 40% of each sex in its
composition.
23. The credentials of members of special guest delegations shall
be sent to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly not less
than one week before the opening of the session, except in exceptional circumstances.
24. Credentials of members of special guest delegations shall
be accompanied by a signed written statement by each individual
member, as specified in Rule B.1.6 of the Rules of Procedure.
25. These credentials shall be submitted to the Parliamentary
Assembly for ratification at the same time as those of representatives
and substitutes.
26. The provisions of Rule B.6 of the Rules of Procedure concerning
the duration of the term of office apply to members of special guest
delegations.
27. The credentials of members of special guest delegations may
be challenged on stated procedural or substantial grounds, as specified
in Article B.2.1 of the Rules of Procedure and paragraphs 20, 21
or 22 above.
28. Challenged credentials shall be referred without debate to
(i) the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report
and the Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities for opinion, in
the case of a substantive challenge of credentials (a challenge
based on Article A.2.1 of the Rules of Procedure), and (ii) to the
Committee on Rules, Ethics and Immunities, in case of a procedural
challenge to credentials (a challenge based on Rule 20, 21 or 22
above). They may also be referred to other committees for opinion,
if necessary.
29. Unless otherwise specified, the provisions of Rules B.2, B.3,
B.4 and B.5 of the Rules of Procedure concerning a challenge to
credentials apply to members of special guest delegations.
30. Members of special guest delegations may:
14.1 participate in plenary meetings
as provided for in Rule B.8.2 of the Rules on the Functioning of the
Assembly;
14.2 participate in committee meetings as provided for in Rules
C.7.8 and 9 of the Rules on the Functioning of Committees;
14.3 submit to the committee chairperson proposals concerning
the draft agenda of committee meetings and proposals for amendments
to draft texts examined in these meetings. The committee chairperson
shall decide on any further action;
14.4 sign motions for resolutions and recommendations (except
those under Rules B.4. – reconsideration of previously ratified
credentials and B.50. – revision of the Rules of Procedure) and written
declarations. However, they shall not be taken into account for
the number of signatures required;
14.5 participate in the work of political groups according
to the conditions established by the groups.
31. The decision to suspend or withdraw special guest status shall
be taken by a decision of the Bureau by a two-thirds majority, subject
to ratification by the Assembly. The Bureau shall consult the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy before taking its decision.
VI. Partner for democracy
32. Partner for democracy status:
- Aim of this status: to develop
co-operation with national parliaments of non-member States of neighbouring
regions as a means of consolidating democratic transformations and
promoting stability, good governance, respect for human rights and
the rule of law. This advanced co-operation status with the Assembly
is accompanied by a number of rights in the Assembly as well as
by political commitments undertaken by the Partners and followed-up
by the Assembly.
- Eligibility: national parliaments of all southern Mediterranean
and Middle Eastern countries participating in the Union for the
Mediterranean-Barcelona Process (including the Palestinian Legislative
Council) and of central Asian countries participating in the OSCE
(Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)
are eligible to request partner for democracy status with the Assembly.
This geographical scope of eligibility is defined in Resolution 1680 (2009), however “requests from parliaments of other States
may also be considered if the Bureau of the Assembly so decides”.
- Relevant Rule: Rule B.10. of the Rules on the Functioning
of the Assembly and the below modalities.
33. Any formal request for partner for democracy status shall
be addressed to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly by the
President (Speaker) of the national parliament of the non-member
State concerned. This request shall contain the following elements:
- an explicit reference to the
aspiration of the said parliament to embrace the values of the Council
of Europe, which are pluralist and gender parity-based democracy,
the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
- a commitment to act to abolish the death penalty and to
encourage the competent authorities to introduce a moratorium on
executions;
- a statement on the intention of the parliament to make
use of the Assembly’s experience, as well as the expertise of the
European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission),
in its institutional and legislative work;
- a commitment to organise free and fair elections in compliance
with relevant international standards;
- a commitment to encourage balanced participation of women
and men in public and political life;
- a commitment to encourage the competent authorities to
become party to the relevant Council of Europe conventions and partial
agreements which are open for signature and ratification by non-member
States, in particular those dealing with human rights, rule of law
and democracy issues;
- an obligation to inform the Assembly regularly on the
state of progress in implementing Council of Europe principles.
34. The Assembly shall specify the number of members of a partner
for democracy delegation when granting the status. The Assembly’s
partner for democracy delegations have the following number of members:
- Morocco: 6 representatives and
6 substitutes;
- Palestine: 3 representatives and 3 substitutes;
- Kyrgyzstan: 3 representatives and 3 substitutes;
- Jordan: 3 representatives and 3 substitutes.
35. A parliament with partner for democracy status is not required
to submit credentials to the President of the Assembly, but shall
transmit to the President not less than one week before the opening
of the session the list of the delegation members appointed for
the duration of the entire session.
36. The list shall be accompanied by a signed written statement
by each individual member, as follows:
“I, the undersigned, …., hereby
affirm and state that I will conduct my activities linked to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe in a manner consistent with the
values and ethical standards of the Council of Europe. I declare
that I have read and understood the Code of conduct for members
of the Parliamentary Assembly and I undertake to abide by its provisions”’.
37. The delegation shall be composed to ensure a fair representation
of the political parties or groups within their parliaments, and
in the representation of both chambers, where applicable.
38. The delegation shall include both women and men among its
representatives, and strive to ensure equal representation between
women and men.
39. Members of delegations with partner for democracy status may:
8.1 participate in plenary meetings
as provided for in Rule B.10.3 of the Rules on the Functioning of the
Assembly.
8.2 participate in committee meetings as provided for in Rules
C.7.8 and 9 of the Rules on the Functioning of Committees.
8.3 submit to the committee chairperson proposals concerning
the draft agenda of committee meetings and proposals for amendments
to draft texts examined in these meetings. The committee chairperson
shall decide on any further action.
8.4 sign motions for resolutions and recommendations (except
those under Rules B.4. (reconsideration of previously ratified credentials
on substantive grounds) and Rule B.50. (revision of the Rules of
Procedure)) and written declarations. However, they shall not be
taken into account for the number of signatures required.
8.5 participate in the work of political groups according
to the conditions established by the groups.
40. On a proposal by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy,
the Bureau may decide to grant some additional rights to partner
for democracy delegations which have shown outstanding results in
achieving the goals of the partnership and participate fully in
the work of the Assembly. The decision of the Bureau shall be ratified
by the Assembly at the beginning of a new session (in January) and
shall be valid for the duration of the session (one year), with
the possibility or not of extension at each following session depending
on the results and according to the same procedure. Such additional
rights for the delegations and their members may include:
9.1 the right to table motions for
recommendations and resolutions (except those under Rules B.4. (reconsideration
of previously ratified credentials on substantive grounds) and Rule
B.50. (revision of the Rules of Procedure), subject to co-signature
by a member of the Assembly, with both names appearing as authors
of the motion;
9.2 the right to table amendments, subject to co-signature
by a member of the Assembly, with both names appearing as authors
of the amendment;
9.3 the right to request current affairs debates and to be
chosen to open such debates. If such a request is made by a member
of a partner for democracy delegation, it should be subject to co-signature by
a member of the Assembly, with both names appearing as authors of
the request, and to having the support of 19 more members of the
Assembly. If a request is made by a partner for democracy delegation,
it should be supported by a political group, a national delegation
or a committee, as provided by Rule B.42.2 (current affairs debates);
9.4 the right to table written declarations, subject to co-signature
by a member of the Assembly, with both names appearing as authors
of the written declaration;
9.5 the right to be appointed as rapporteur for information
reports which do not contain a draft resolution and/or recommendation.
If appointed rapporteur, the member of the partner for democracy delegation
must, within 30 days, complete a written declaration of interest,
in accordance with Rule D.4 of the Code of Conduct for members of
the Parliamentary Assembly.
41. The decision to grant, suspend or withdraw partner for democracy
status shall be taken by a resolution of the Assembly following
a report by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, with
an opinion by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and
an opinion by the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and,
where appropriate, an opinion by any other relevant Assembly committee.
These committees, in the fields within their specific terms of reference,
review the progress achieved in fulfilling the undertakings made
by the parliaments concerned when they requested this status.
VII. Observer
42. Observer status:
- Aim of this status: to bring
to the observers’ attention the Assembly’s work and to provide the
Assembly with information on action taken in national parliaments
on issues related to the Council of Europe.
- Eligibility: for national parliaments of non-member States
which are considered to be established democracies which are willing
to contribute (including financially) to democratic transformations
in Europe.
- Relevant Rule: Rule B.9. of the Rules on the Functioning
of the Assembly and the below modalities.
43. Any formal request for observer status shall be addressed
to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly by the President
(Speaker) of the national parliament of the non-member State concerned.
44. Any request for observer status shall be referred by the Bureau
to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report and
to other relevant committees for opinion.
45. When granting observer status, the Assembly shall specify
the number of members of an observer delegation. The Assembly’s
observer delegations have the following number of members:
- Canada: 6 representatives and
6 substitutes;
- Israel: 3 representatives and 3 substitutes;
- Mexico: 6 representatives and 6 substitutes.
46. The national parliament concerned is not required to submit
credentials to the President of the Assembly, but it shall submit
to the President of the Assembly not less than one week before the
opening of the ordinary session a list of members appointed for
the whole duration of the session.
47. The list shall be accompanied by a signed written statement
by each individual member, as follows:
“I, the undersigned, …., hereby
affirm and state that I will conduct my activities linked to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe in a manner consistent with the
values and ethical standards of the Council of Europe. I declare
that I have read and understood the Code of conduct for members
of the Parliamentary Assembly and I undertake to abide by its provisions”’.
48. The delegation shall be composed to ensure a fair representation
of the political parties or groups within their parliament, and
in the representation of both chambers, where applicable.
49. The delegation shall include both women and men among its
representatives, and strive to ensure equal representation between
men and women.
50. Members of observer delegations may:
9.1 participate in plenary meetings as provided for in Rule
B.9.2 of the Rules on the Functioning of the Assembly.
9.2 participate in committee meetings as provided in Rules
C.7.8 and 9 of the Rules on the Functioning of Committees.
9.3 submit to the committee chairperson proposals concerning
the draft agenda of committee meetings and proposals for amendments
to draft texts examined in these meetings. The committee chairperson
shall decide on any further action.
9.4 sign motions for resolutions and recommendations (except
those under Rules B.4. (reconsideration of previously ratified credentials
on substantive grounds) and Rule B.50. (revision of the Rules of
Procedure)) and written declarations. However, they shall not be
taken into account for the number of signatures required.
9.5 participate in the work of political groups according
to the conditions established by the groups.
51. The decision to grant, suspend or withdraw observer status
shall be taken by a resolution of the Assembly, following a report
by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, and, where
appropriate, an opinion by any other relevant Assembly committee.
VIII. Other guests
52. The participation, in the work
of the Assembly and its committees, of other elected representatives without
special guest, observer or partner for democracy status, is set
out in specific arrangements, ratified by the Assembly in accordance
with Rule B.11.2, pursuant to an Assembly resolution adopted on
the basis of a report prepared by the Committee on Political Affairs
and Democracy. These provisions currently apply to:
- members of the delegation of
the Assembly of Kosovo*Note (three
representatives and three substitutes) (pursuant to Resolution 2094 (2016));
- two elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community
(pursuant to Resolutions
1113 (1997) and 1376 (2004));
- members of the representative delegation of Belarusian
democratic forces (pursuant to Resolution 2530 (2024) (three members and three substitutes));
53. The names of the above guests shall be transmitted to the
President not less than one week before the opening of the session.
The list of names shall be accompanied by a signed written statement
by each individual, as follows:
“I, the undersigned, …., hereby affirm and
state that I will conduct my activities linked to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe in a manner consistent with the
values and ethical standards of the Council of Europe. I declare
that I have read and understood the Code of conduct for members
of the Parliamentary Assembly and I undertake to abide by its provisions”’.
IX. Co-operation agreements
54. Co-operation agreements with
parliaments other than those of the member States:
- Aim: exceptionally, the Assembly
may, upon the proposal of the Bureau, decide to enter into co-operation
agreements with non-member parliaments to establish a political
dialogue with a view to promoting, in the country concerned, the
principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect
for human rights as well as fundamental freedoms.
- Eligibility: such agreements should only be formalised
if they have a measurable added value for the work of the Assembly.
- Relevant Rules: Rule B.11 and B.18 of the Rules on the
Functioning of the Assembly; terms of reference of the Committee
on Political Affairs and Democracy.
X. Relations with
parliamentary organisations/assemblies
55. With regard to co-operation with
international parliamentary organisations/assemblies:
- Aim: to develop parliamentary
diplomacy and to promote the parliamentary dimension of international organisations.
- Relevant Rules: Rule B.18 of the Rules on the Functioning
of the Assembly; terms of reference of the Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy; Rule B.11 of the Rules on the Functioning
of the Assembly which states that the arrangements for co-operation
with the European Parliament are decided by the Bureau.
- Eligibility: in the exercise of its competencies, the
Bureau should limit the conclusion of written co-operation agreements
to cases where such an agreement presents a measurable added value
for the work of the Assembly.
- The absence of a written co-operation agreement between
the Assembly and another parliamentary organisation/assembly should
not per se impede their potential co-operation, to be decided by
the Bureau.
56. The Bureau of the Assembly shall be responsible for relations
with the parliamentary and inter-parliamentary assemblies:
- Without encroaching upon the
competence and prerogatives assigned to the Assembly and the Standing Committee
in the Rules of Procedure, the Bureau shall organise any meetings
with the above-mentioned assemblies, in particular by fixing dates,
procedure and subjects for discussion.
- When the Assembly receives an invitation from a parliamentary
or inter-parliamentary assembly, the Bureau shall be required, on
the basis of the appropriations available, to advise whether or
not to accept the invitation and appoint, whenever necessary, the
members, leader and spokesmen of the Assembly delegation. The Bureau
shall also decide what travel arrangements are appropriate.
- The Bureau may co-opt other members of the Assembly in
the light of their special qualifications, to assist it in carrying
out the tasks described above. It may also instruct a general or
an ad hoc committee to undertake any necessary preparatory work.
- The Bureau shall inform the Assembly of every development
in the field of relations with the parliamentary or inter-parliamentary
assemblies when presenting the progress report on the activities
of the Bureau. It may refer all or part of the report of a meeting
arranged between the Assembly, or one of its delegations, and any
other parliamentary or inter-parliamentary assembly or delegation,
to one or more of the committees of the Council of Europe Assembly
with instructions that these committees report to the Assembly.
XI. Relations with
international organisations
57. The Assembly establishes relations
with several international organisations who “are actively involved in
promoting their values through outside activities, especially in
areas bordering the territories of Council of Europe member states”
(
Resolution 1506 (2006)).
- Aim: to reinforce
co-ordination and to avoid duplications of efforts with the Council
of Europe’s main institutional partners, in particular the European
Union, the OSCE and the UN and its specialised agencies, whose activities
are often amongst the field of expertise of the Council of Europe.
- The Assembly may, on the proposal of the Bureau, invite
national or international organisations to present reports or communications.
XII. The European
Conference of Presidents of Parliaments
58. The European Conference of Presidents
of Parliaments is organised under the auspices of the Parliamentary
Assembly. The Conference normally meets every two years. The Conference
takes place in principle alternately between Strasbourg and a capital
of a Council of Europe member state.
59. The Conference is composed of the Speakers and Presidents
of parliaments of the member states of the Council of Europe as
well as of the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe and the European Parliament. The Speakers and Presidents
of parliaments having special guests, observer or partner for democracy
status with the Parliamentary Assembly are invited as observers.
Other parliamentary assemblies may be invited by the host country
or Assembly to attend as observers. The Parliamentary Assembly systematically
invites Presidents of international parliamentary bodies with whom
the Assembly has signed co-operation agreements to attend the Conference
as observers.
Relevant Rules: Rules
of the Conference.
