Recommendation 2072 (2015)

The allocation of seats in the Parliamentary Assembly with respect to Turkey

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 22 May 2015 (see Doc. 13782, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, rapporteur: Mr Andreas Gross).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to Resolution 2058 (2015) on the allocation of seats in the Parliamentary Assembly with respect to Turkey, and noting that Turkey has seen the highest population growth in Europe in recent decades and now has Europe’s third-largest population, believes that an end should be put to the under-representation of the Turkish Parliament in the Assembly and that, given recent population statistics, it is entirely justified and fair to increase the number of seats allocated to the Turkish national delegation in the Assembly.

2. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers amend Article 26 of the Statute of the Council of Europe (ETS No. 1) and set the number of seats allocated to Turkey in the Assembly at 18.

3. The Assembly hopes that the recommended amendment to the Statute will be finalised in time for the opening of its third part-session of 2015.

4. Reiterating the stance it took in Resolution 2046 (2015) on the expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly for the biennium 2016-2017 and in Opinion 288 (2015) on the budget and priorities of the Council of Europe for the biennium 2016-2017, the Assembly welcomes the Turkish Government’s decision to support the strengthening of the Council of Europe’s capacities and resources by offering to become a major contributor to the Organisation’s budgets from 1 January 2016. The Assembly expects the Committee of Ministers to approve the Turkish authorities’ decision to become a major contributor, without any counterbalancing exercise and without any reduction in the level of contributions paid into the Organisation’s budgets by the other member States.

5. The Assembly also supports the request made by the Turkish parliamentary delegation to introduce Turkish as a working language in the Assembly. However, in view of the major implications of this measure for the Assembly’s budget, it believes that it cannot meet the financial cost involved without being allocated corresponding additional appropriations. It therefore makes the introduction of a sixth working language in the Assembly, from the 2016 ordinary session, dependent on a decision by the Committee of Ministers to allocate to it in the biennial budget for 2016-2017 and in subsequent budgets the necessary and adequate financial allocations of €700 000 a year.

6. The Assembly expects the Committee of Ministers to adopt the budgetary decisions reflecting the Assembly’s requests, in particular regarding Turkey’s position as a major contributor, at the earliest opportunity.