TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

THE SECRETARIAT OF THE ASSEMBLY

Synopsis No 2000/029

10 March 2000

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Paris on 6 March 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

-         Situation in Chechnya (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): held an exchange of views with a member of the Chechen parliament, Mr Tutakov, was informed of the programme and objectives of the visit to Russia by the ad hoc Committee on the follow-up to Recommendation 1444 (2000) which includes the Rapporteur and Mrs Jäätteenmäki as the Committee's representatives, and instructed the Rapporteur to submit a draft opinion to the Committee for the April 2000 part-session of the Assembly;

-         Application by Azerbaijan for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR): heard a report by the Rapporteur on his visit to the country on 24-25 February 2000, and instructed him to submit a written draft opinion to the Committee at one of its next meetings;

 

-         Application by Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur: Mrs Jäätteenmäki, Finland, LDR): was informed of recent developments;

 

-         Application by Armenia for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Spindelegger, Austria, EPP/CD): authorised the Rapporteur to visit the country (subject to authorisation by the Bureau);

-         Situation of the Muslim minority in Greece, Western Thrace (Rapporteurs: Mr Contestabile, Italy, EPP/CD and Mr Solonari, Moldova, SOC): considered an introductory memorandum submitted by the Rapporteurs, held an exchange of views, and decided to ask the Greek parliamentary delegation to submit its comments on the memorandum within three months;

 

-         Draft additional Protocol to Convention ETS 108 on Supervisory Authorities and Transborder Data Flows (Rapporteur: Mr Bartumeu Cassany, Andorra, SOC): amended and unanimously adopted a draft opinion, and instructed the Rapporteur to present it during the April 2000 part-session of the Assembly;

-         Towards the uniform interpretation of Council of Europe conventions: the creation of a General Judicial Authority (Rapporteur: Mr Svoboda, Czech Republic, EPP/CD): amended and adopted a draft recommendation and instructed the Rapporteur to present it during the April 2000 part-session of the Assembly;

 

-         Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, held an exchange of views and decided to return to the matter at a later meeting;

 

-         Appointment of representatives:

-         Bulgarian minority in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Rapporteur: Mr Bal, Turkey, EDG): heard a statement by the Rapporteur;

 

-         Work programme of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights: agreed to delete a number of items from its work programme;

 

-         Follow-up by the Committee of Ministers to recommendations and opinions emanating from the Committee (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, held an exchange of views and decided to return to the matter at a later meeting;

-         Appointment of rapporteurs:

·   Right to conscientious objection to military service (for report): Mr Marty (Switzerland, LDR)

·   Reform of the institutions in Ukraine (for opinion): Mr Eörsi (Hungary, LDR)   

-         Abolition of the death penalty in Council of Europe observer States (Rapporteur: Mrs Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD): instructed the Chairperson to write a letter to invite the Head of the Observer Office of the United States of America to the Council of Europe to submit comments on the parts of the Rapporteur's memorandum which concern the USA within three months; and asked the Rapporteur (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau of the Assembly) to visit Japan as soon as possible;  

-         Proposal to set up a special Assembly committee on the rights of minorities (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): held an exchange of views, amended the working document submitted by the Rapporteur, and instructed the Chairperson to inform the Bureau of the Committee’s opinion not to set up such a special committee;

 

-         Compensation for Croatian and Bosnian investors in the former Ljubljanska Banka AG, Slovenia (former Rapporteur: Mr Columberg, Switzerland, EPP/CD): decided to send the introductory memorandum to the parliamentary delegations of Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for their comments within a period of three months;

 

-          Execution of judgments of the Court and monitoring of the case-law of the European Court and Commission of Human Rights: Hakkar v. France (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): took note of a memorandum by the Rapporteur on his visit to Mr Hakkar;

-         Next meetings:

 

-  Strasbourg, during the Assembly's April 2000 part-session

-  Limassol (Cyprus), 22-23 May 2000

The Sub-Committee on Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights), meeting in Paris on 7 March 2000 with Mr Jaskiernia in the Chair, as regards:

-           Situation of lesbians and gays in Council of Europe member States (Rapporteur: Mrs Calleja, Spain, SOC): held an exchange of views on the introductory memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur, and approved and declassified the minutes of the hearing held in Paris on 14 October 1999, and asked national delegations which had not yet done so to reply to the questionnaire sent to them;

-           Council of Europe Human Rights Prize (Rapporteur: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC): held an exchange of views on the draft report submitted by the Rapporteur, amended, and approved it for submission to the Plenary Committee;

 

-           Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) (Rapporteur: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur and agreed to propose to the Committee to hold a debate in the Assembly; 

 

-           Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Rapporteur on the rights of minorities: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): decided to inquire about the current situation of the Advisory Committee of the Convention;

-      Next meeting:

       . Strasbourg, during the April 2000 part-session of the Assembly.

 

Allard A. Plate, Danielle Coin, Tanja Kleinsorge, David Cupina