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Progress report | Doc. 14968 Add. 1 | 30 September 2019

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (30 September 2019)

Author(s): Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur : Ms Nicole TRISSE, France, ALDE

1. Decisions of the Bureau of 30 September 2019 requiring ratification by the Assembly

1.1. References and transmissions to committees

1.1.1. References and transmissions to committees

The Bureau considered and approved the following references:

  • Doc. 14930, Motion for a resolution, Ukraine failed to live up to its commitments regarding the language rights of national minorities: reference to the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) to be taken into account in the framework of the report on the “Honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine”;
  • Doc. 14931, Motion for a resolution, Initiating Assembly contacts with the Somaliland Parliament, with a view to its possible eventual Partnership for Democracy with the Assembly: no further action;
  • Doc. 14932, Motion for a resolution, Support for the independent civil society of Azerbaijan: reference to the Monitoring Committee to be taken into account in the framework of the report on the “Honouring of obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan”;
  • Doc. 14941, Motion for a resolution, Adopting new tools in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe: transmission to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for information;
  • Doc. 14942, Motion for a resolution, Assessing the functioning of the partnership for democracy: reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
  • Doc. 14943, Motion for a resolution, Ways and means to respond to the migratory challenge at all institutional levels: transmission to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for information;
  • Doc. 14944, Motion for a resolution, Acting for the health of all through healthy and sustainable food and agriculture: transmission to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for information;
  • Doc. 14945, Motion for a resolution, Emergence of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and their necessary apprehension through European human rights law: consultation of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights on possible follow-up;
  • Doc. 14946, Motion for a resolution, Best interests of the child and policies to ensure a work-life balance: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
  • Doc. 14947, Motion for a resolution, Inaction on climate change – a violation of children's rights: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
  • Doc. 14948, Motion for a recommendation, Artificial intelligence in health care: medical, legal and ethical challenges ahead: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report. (1) It is proposed to hold a joint debate on artificial intelligence in 2020. Several motions on this issue have been/will be referred to different committees: AS/Pol, AS/Jur, AS/Soc and AS/Ega.

1.1.2. Modification of a reference

The Bureau considered and approved the following modification of a reference:

  • Doc. 14925, Motion for a resolution, Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Geneva conventions: the contribution of the Council of Europe to the increasing synergy between International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for opinion.

1.2. Composition of the Monitoring Committee, the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, and the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

1.2.1. Monitoring Committee

The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed Mr Antonio Gutiérrez (Spain) and Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland), and on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Alexandra Louis (France).

1.2.2. Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs

The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Mr Markus Wiechel (Sweden), on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Nicole Trisse (France) and on the basis of a proposal by the UEL Group, appointed Mr George Loucaides (Cyprus).

1.2.3. Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Mr Morten Messerschmidt (Denmark).

1.3. Elections observation

1.3.1. Early parliamentary elections in Belarus (17 November 2019)

The Bureau took note of the invitation letter, decided to observe these elections, and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 7; SOC: 6, EC: 3, ALDE: 3, UEL: 1 - in accordance with the D’Hondt system).

The Assembly is invited to ratify these proposals.

2. Other decisions by the Bureau

2.1. Fourth part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 30 September – 4 October)

2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on Democratic rights violations and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation on the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and took note of the withdrawal of this request by the Group.

The Bureau took note the request tabled by the SOC Group to hold an urgent debate on Saving people in the Mediterranean Sea: the need for an urgent answer and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and to refer the matter to the Committee on migration, refugees and displaced persons.

2.1.2. Requests for current affairs debates

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a current affairs debate on Democratic rights violations and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation against the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate with Mr Martin Poliačik (Slovak Republic, ALDE) as first speaker.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the SOC Group to hold a current affairs debate on Recent challenges for local democracy in Russian and in Turkey and took note of the withdrawal of this request.

2.1.3. Draft agenda

The Bureau updated the draft agenda.

2.1.4. Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights

The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the election of judges following interviews with candidates for the post of judge in respect of Portugal. This report had been already declassified by the Committee and submitted to the attention of all members of the Assembly (Doc. 14968 Add. 2).

2.1.5. Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 3 October 2019 at 12 noon)

The Bureau took note of the draft agenda and prepared the meeting.

2.2. Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (28 June – 29 September 2019) (Rapporteur: Ms Nicole Trisse (France, ALDE))

The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc. 14968).

2.3. Communications

The Bureau took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

2.4. Meetings of the Bureau and Standing Committee in Tbilisi (28-29 November 2019)

The Bureau took note of the draft programme and practical information.

2.5. Meetings of the Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2020

The Bureau approved the proposals contained in the Appendix.

Appendix - Meetings of the Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2020

(open)

Preliminary proposals for dates (2) Dates of meetings due to be held elsewhere than in Strasbourg and Paris are subject to the agreement of the Parliament of the country concerned.

Monday 27 January, 8.00 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Friday 31 January, 8.30 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Thursday 5 March, 3.00 pm, Paris: Bureau

Friday 6 March, 9.30 am, Paris: Standing Committee

Monday 20 April, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Friday 24 April, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Thursday 28 May,3.00 pm, Athens: Bureau

Friday 29 May, 9.00 am, Athens: Standing Committee (CM Chairmanship)

Monday 22 June, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Friday 26 June, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Tuesday 7 September, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau

Monday 12 October, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Friday 16 October, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau

Thursday 19 November, 3.00 pm, Berlin: Bureau

Friday 20 November, 9.00 am, Berlin: Standing Committee (CM Chairmanship)

Friday 11 December, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau