Progress report | Doc. 13945 Addendum III | 29 January 2016
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (29 January 2016)
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 29 January 2016 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Azerbaijan
The Bureau took note of the letter by the Committee on the election of judges which had considered the list of the three candidates to the post of judge to the Court in respect of Azerbaijan. The Committee recommended unanimously that the list be rejected. This position requires endorsement by the Assembly (Appendix 1).
1.2. Election observation
1.2.1. Serbia: early parliamentary elections (date to be confirmed)
The Bureau decided, subject to confirmation of the date and receipt of an invitation, to observe these early parliamentary elections. It constituted for this purpose an ad hoc committee composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 8; SOC: 7, ALDE: 2, EC: 2, UEL: 1 – in accordance with the d’Hondt system) and the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee. It also authorised a pre-electoral mission.
1.3. References and transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references to committees:
1.3.1. References to committees
- Doc. 13935, motion for a resolution, Brutal violations of human rights in Russia: new challenges, 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 report on the honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation;
- Doc. 13938, motion for a resolution, Protecting victims of natural disasters, transmission to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced persons for information;
- Bureau Decision, Resolution 2086 (2016) on Request for partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly submitted by the Parliament of Jordan, reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, for a report on Evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Jordan;
- Bureau Decision, Resolution 2093 (2016) on Recent attacks against women: the need for honest reporting and a comprehensive response, reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, for a report on Women in public space: putting an end to sexual violence and street harassment, and to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, for opinion.
1.3.2. Replies after consultation
- Doc. 13893, motion for a resolution, How to encourage the migration of international students across Europe, reference to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced persons for report;
- Doc. 13905, motion for a resolution, Jurisdictional immunity of international organisations and rights of their staff, reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.
1.4. General Rapporteurs
The Bureau approved the terms of reference of the General Rapporteur on media freedom and safety of journalists (Appendix 2).
1.5. Composition of committees
1.5.1. Composition of the Monitoring Committee
On the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, the Bureau appointed Ms Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (Latvia), Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland), Mr Alja Šircelj (Slovenia) and Ms Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter (Switzerland).
1.5.2. Composition of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
On the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, the Bureau appointed Mr Vladyslav Golub (Ukraine) to replace Mr Volodymyr Ariev (Ukraine).
On the basis of a proposal by the UEL Group, the Bureau appointed Ms Anastasia Christodoulopoulou (Greece) to replace Mr Ögmondur Jónasson (Iceland).
1.5.3. Composition of the Committee on the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights
On the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, the Bureau appointed Mr Konstantinos Tzavaras (Greece), Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland) and Mr Alja Šircelj (Slovenia) as alternates to vacant seats.
On the basis of a proposal by the UEL Group, the Bureau appointed Mr Konstantinos Douzinas (Greece) as alternate to replace Mr Tiny Kox (Netherlands).
The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.
Appendix 1 – Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Azerbaijan
(open)Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
The Chairperson
Strasbourg, 27 January 2016
Dear President,
Re: list of three candidates submitted to the Assembly by the Government of Azerbaijan (Doc. 13948)
At its meeting today, the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights assessed the qualifications of the persons on the said list.
In conformity with the provisions of Resolution 1366 (2004), as modified by Resolutions 1426 (2005), 1627 (2008), 1841 (2011) and 2002 (2014) the Committee recommends, unanimously, that the list be rejected by the Assembly and that the Government of Azerbaijan be requested to submit a new list of candidates. In so recommending it notes, in particular, that one of the candidates on the list had already been considered, by the Assembly, as not sufficiently well-qualified in the previous list submitted to it by the Government of Azerbaijan (see Doc. 13813 Addendum II; list rejected by the Assembly on 22 June 2015).
I would be grateful if this recommendation were brought to the attention of the Assembly in the Bureau’s forthcoming Progress Report.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Cilevičs
Mr Pedro Agramunt
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Appendix 2 – Terms of reference of the General Rapporteur on media freedom and safety of journalists
(open)Denomination: General Rapporteur on Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists
Term of office: one year renewable, subject to a maximum of two years.
Subject: the General Rapporteur should deal with serious violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Europe.
The General Rapporteur should:
- follow-up the alerts posted on the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, and report periodically on those cases to the Committee, keeping it informed on action taken, or to be taken, to deal with them;
- represent the Committee on behalf of the Assembly vis-à-vis other Council of Europe bodies and relevant external stakeholders, and cooperate with them as appropriate
- follow activities of other Assembly committees and liaise with rapporteurs dealing with related matters;
- follow-up and promote relevant Assembly resolutions and recommendations.