Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

(Resolution 1202 (1999) adopted on 4 November 1999) with subsequent modifications of the Rules of Procedure* 

Elections by the Parliamentary Assembly Retour au sommaire Atteindre l'élement suivant Atteindre l'élement précédent

Elections by the Parliamentary Assembly

i. - Procedure

adopted by the Bureau of the Assembly on 5 September 2016 and ratified by the Assembly on 10 October 2016 (see the Progress Report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee, Doc. 14150)

1. All elections shall be held in the Chamber.
2. The agenda of a part-session sets down the schedules for the elections. One election takes place over two successive sittings on the same day.
3. Assembly members (representatives and authorised substitutes) will not be called individually to vote.
4. A voting register and a ballot box shall be placed in the area behind the Chair. A member of the Table Office shall be in attendance.
5. Assembly members (representatives and authorised substitutes) shall present their identity badge to the member of the Table Office before signing the voting register and receiving a ballot paper and an envelope.
6. By signing the register in place of a representative, a substitute shall prevent that representative from voting and from substituting for any other representative. A same Assembly member (representative or authorised substitute) can only vote once during a ballot.
7. A member entitled to vote shall place the ballot paper in the envelope and put it in the ballot box.
8. Any question of eligibility to vote shall be referred, if necessary, to the President, whose decision shall be final; no points of order may be raised.
9. Each political group may appoint an observer whose identity shall be notified to the President of the Assembly in advance.
10. Access to the voting operations zone (around the voting booths and the table on which the ballot box and voting register are placed) shall be restricted to voting Assembly members, members of the Table Office and duly notified political groups’ observers.
11. At the end of the scheduled time the President shall ask whether any other member still has to vote and, when any such vote has been cast, the President shall announce that the voting is closed.
12. Four tellers chosen by lot shall be responsible for checking the voting register, collating and counting the votes, assisted by the secretariat. These operations shall take place outside the Chamber immediately after the ballot is declared closed.
13. The result shall be announced by the President at the beginning of the following sitting, at the latest.
14. The list of members who took part in the vote shall be published as an appendix to the report of debates of the particular sitting.
15. The voting register shall be made available to any Assembly member on request. A copy of the voting register shall be addressed to any candidate for election on request.

ii. - Election of the members of the European Court of Human Rights and of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

A. Extract from the Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms

(signed at Rome on 4 November 1950, as amended by Protocols Nos. 11 and 14)

Articles relating to the election of the judges of the European Court of Human Rights on which action is taken by the Assembly

Article 20

Number of judges

The Court shall consist of a number of judges equal to that of the High Contracting Parties.

Article 21

Criteria for office

1. The judges shall be of high moral character and must either possess the qualifications required for appointment to high judicial office or be jurisconsults of recognised competence.
2. The judges shall sit on the Court in their individual capacity.
3. During their term of office the judges shall not engage in any activity which is incompatible with their independence, impartiality or with the demands of a full-time office; all questions arising from the application of this paragraph shall be decided by the Court.

Article 22

Election of judges

The judges shall be elected by the Parliamentary Assembly with respect to each High Contracting Party by a majority of votes cast from a list of three candidates nominated by the High Contracting Party.

Article 23

Terms of office and dismissal

1. The judges shall be elected for a period of nine years. They may not be re-elected.
2. The terms of office of judges shall expire when they reach the age of 70.
3. The judges shall hold office until replaced. They shall, however, continue to deal with such cases as they already have under consideration.
4. No judge may be dismissed from office unless the other judges decide by a majority of two-thirds that that judge has ceased to fulfil the required conditions.

B. Extract from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Text amended according to the provisions of Protocols No. 1 and No. 2 which entered into force on 1 March 2002

signed at Strasbourg on 26 November 1987

Articles relating to the election of the members of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on which action is taken by the Assembly

Article 4

1. The Committee shall consist of a number of members equal to that of the Parties.
2. The members of the Committee shall be chosen from among persons of high moral character, known for their competence in the field of human rights or having professional experience in the areas covered by this Convention.
3. No two members of the Committee may be nationals of the same state.
4. The members shall serve in their individual capacity, shall be independent and impartial, and shall be available to serve the Committee effectively.

Article 5

1. The members of the Committee shall be elected by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by an absolute majority of votes, from a list of names drawn up by the Bureau of the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly of the Council of Europe; each national delegation of the Parties in the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly shall put forward three candidates, of whom two at least shall be its nationals.
Where a member is to be elected to the Committee in respect of a non-member state of the Council of Europe, the Bureau of the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly shall invite the Parliament of that state to put forward three candidates, of whom two at least shall be its nationals. The election by the Committee of Ministers shall take place after consultation with the Party concerned.
2. The same procedure shall be followed in filling casual vacancies.
3. The members of the Committee shall be elected for a period of four years. They may be re-elected twice. However, among the members elected at the first election, the terms of three members shall expire at the end of two years. The members whose terms are to expire at the end of the initial period of two years shall be chosen by lot by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe immediately after the first election has been completed.
4. In order to ensure that, as far as possible, one half of the membership of the Committee shall be renewed every two years, the Committee of Ministers may decide, before proceeding to any subsequent election, that the term or terms of office of one or more members to be elected shall be for a period other than four years but not more than six and not less than two years.
5. In cases where more than one term of office is involved and the Committee of Ministers applies the preceding paragraph, the allocation of the terms of office shall be effected by drawing of lots by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, immediately after the election.

iii. - Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

in accordance with Articles 9 to 11 of Resolution (99) 50 (adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 7 May 1999 at its 104th Session)

The Committee of Ministers,
Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is the achievement of greater unity between its Members and that one of the methods by which that aim is to be pursued is the maintenance and further realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Having regard to the decisions taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the Council of Europe at their Second Summit (Strasbourg, 10-11 October 1997);
Considering also that the 50th Anniversary of the Council of Europe provides an occasion to enhance further the work undertaken since its creation,
Decides to institute the office of Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (“the Commissioner”) with the following terms of reference:

Article 1

1. The Commissioner shall be a non-judicial institution to promote education in, awareness of and respect for human rights, as embodied in the human rights instruments of the Council of Europe.
2. The Commissioner shall respect the competence of, and perform functions other than those fulfilled by the supervisory bodies set up under the European Convention of Human Rights or under other human rights instruments of the Council of Europe. The Commissioner shall not take up individual complaints.

Article 2

The Commissioner shall function independently and impartially.

Article 3

The Commissioner shall:
a. promote education in and awareness of human rights in the member states;
b. contribute to the promotion of the effective observance and full enjoyment of human rights in the member states;
c. provide advice and information on the protection of human rights and prevention of human rights violations. When dealing with the public, the Commissioner shall, wherever possible, make use of and co-operate with human rights structures in the member states. Where such structures do not exist, the Commissioner will encourage their establishment;
d. facilitate the activities of national ombudsmen or similar institutions in the field of human rights;
e. identify possible shortcomings in the law and practice of member states concerning the compliance with human rights as embodied in the instruments of the Council of Europe, promote the effective implementation of these standards by member states and assist them, with their agreement, in their efforts to remedy such shortcomings;
f. address, whenever the Commissioner deems it appropriate, a report concerning a specific matter to the Committee of Ministers or to the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers;
g. respond, in the manner the Commissioner deems appropriate, to requests made by the Committee of Ministers or the Parliamentary Assembly, in the context of their task of ensuring compliance with the human rights standards of the Council of Europe;
h. submit an annual report to the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly;
i. co-operate with other international institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights while avoiding unnecessary duplication of activities.

Article 4

The Commissioner shall take into account views expressed by the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe concerning the Commissioner’s activities.

Article 5

1. The Commissioner may act on any information relevant to the Commissioner’s functions. This will notably include information addressed to the Commissioner by governments, national parliaments, national ombudsmen or similar institutions in the field of human rights, individuals and organisations.
2. The gathering of information relevant to the Commissioner’s functions shall not give rise to any general reporting system for member states.

Article 6

1. Member states shall facilitate the independent and effective performance by the Commissioner of his or her functions. In particular, they shall facilitate the Commissioner’s contacts, including travel, in the context of the mission of the Commissioner and provide in good time information requested by the Commissioner.
2. The Commissioner shall be entitled, during the exercise of his or her functions, to the privileges and immunities provided for in Article 40 of the Statute of the Council of Europe and in the agreements made thereunder.

Article 7

The Commissioner may directly contact governments of member states of the Council of Europe.

Article 8

1. The Commissioner may issue recommendations, opinions and reports.
2. The Committee of Ministers may authorise the publication of any recommendation, opinion or report addressed to it.

Article 9

1. The Commissioner shall be elected by the Parliamentary Assembly by a majority of votes cast from a list of three candidates drawn up by the Committee of Ministers.
2. Member states may submit candidatures by letter addressed to the Secretary General. Candidates must be nationals of a member state of the Council of Europe.

Article 10

The candidates shall be eminent personalities of a high moral character having recognised expertise in the field of human rights, a public record of attachment to the values of the Council of Europe and the personal authority necessary to discharge the mission of the Commissioner effectively. During his or her term of office, the Commissioner shall not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the demands of a full-time office.

Article 11

The Commissioner shall be elected for a non-renewable term of office of six years.

Article 12

1. An Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights shall be established within the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe.
2. The expenditure of the Commissioner and the Office of the Commissioner shall be borne by the Council of Europe.

iv. - Modalities for the election procedure of judges to the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Appendix to Resolution 1432 (2005)

1. In principle, the list of candidates for the election of judges, once submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly, should not be modified. The Assembly shall only exceptionally accept partial or complete modification of the list on the initiative of the government concerned.
2. The Assembly shall interrupt the procedure if one of the three candidates on a list for the post of judge or Commissioner for Human Rights withdraws before the first ballot. It shall ask the government concerned (in respect of judges) or the Committee of Ministers (in respect of the Commissioner) to complete the list of candidates.
3. The Assembly confirms its practice of listing candidates for the post of judge in alphabetical order on the ballot paper. This shall also remain the practice in those cases where the government, disregarding the Assembly’s position as set out in Recommendations 1429 (1999) and 1649 (2004), has expressed a preference for one of the candidates. Any such expressions of governmental preference shall play no role in the deliberations of the Committee on the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights where only the criteria provided for in the European Convention on Human Rights and those established by the Assembly itself shall be relevant.
4. Furthermore, the Assembly confirms that the candidates for the post of Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights shall be listed in alphabetical order on the ballot paper.

v. - Candidates for the European Court of Human Rights

Resolution 1366 (2004) as modified by Resolutions 1426 (2005), 1627 (2008), 1841 (2011), 2002 (2014) and 2278 (2019)

1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Recommendation 1649 (2004), continues to support the procedure by which candidates are asked to complete a standard curriculum vitae; it believes that the model to be used should be reviewed by the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights and that proposals for modification should be reported to the committee for adoption by the Assembly.
2. The Assembly remains convinced that the twelve-month timetable it has adopted provides a practical model for all participants, but resolves nevertheless to keep its targets under review.
3. The Assembly decides not to consider lists of candidates where:
i. the areas of competence of the candidates appear to be unduly restricted;
ii. not all of the candidates fulfil each of the conditions laid down by Article 21, paragraph 1, of the European Convention on Human Rights;
iii. one of the candidates does not appear to have an active knowledge of one of the official languages of the Council of Europe and a passive knowledge of the other;
iv. the national selection procedure did not satisfy the minimum requirements of fairness and transparency;
v. the Advisory Panel was not duly consulted.
In such cases, the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights shall decide on a proposal to reject a list of candidates by a majority of the votes cast. This proposal shall be endorsed by the Assembly in the Progress Report of the Bureau of the Assembly and the Standing Committee. The Assembly’s endorsement of the proposal to reject a list entails its definitive rejection; the State concerned is invited to submit a new list. Rejection by the Assembly of the committee’s proposal to reject a list shall entail the referral of the list back to the committee.
4. Moreover, the Assembly decides to consider single-sex lists of candidates when the candidates belong to the sex which is under-represented in the Court (i.e. the sex to which under 40% of the total number of judges belong), or in exceptional circumstances where a contracting party has taken all the necessary and appropriate steps to ensure that the list contains candidates of both sexes meeting the requirements of paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Such exceptional circumstances must be duly so considered by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by members of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights. If the required majority has not been achieved, the committee shall recommend that the Assembly reject the list concerned. This position shall be endorsed by the Assembly in the Progress Report of the Bureau of the Assembly and the Standing Committee.
5. The Assembly continues to believe that the process of interview provides additional insight into the qualities of the candidates and decides:

i. that nominated candidates should be informed as far as possible of the purpose of the interview and procedures for its conduct;

ii. that alternative locations for interviews should be considered if there is a valid reason for holding interviews outside Strasbourg and Paris;

iii. that further staggering or additional sessions of the committee might permit an extension of the time available for each interview;

iv. that the political groups, when nominating their representatives to the committee, should aim to include at least 40% women, which is the parity threshold deemed necessary by the Council of Europe to exclude possible gender bias in decision-making processes;

v. that candidates should be made aware of the criteria employed by the committee in reaching its decision;

vi. that one of the criteria used by the committee should be that, in the case of equal merit, preference should be given to a candidate of the sex under-represented at the Court;

vii. that a fair and efficient interview process requires a continuous process of training and re-assessment of the members and staff involved in selection panels;

viii. that the obligation to promote an open and transparent process might require the committee to give reasons for its recommendations and ranking of candidates and in particular to give positive reasons for its recommendation in favour of a particular candidate;

ix. that it would be desirable to provide timely feedback to both the individual candidate and the nominating state.

6. The Chairperson or a representative of the Advisory Panel shall be invited by the Chairperson of the Committee on the Election of Judges to explain the reasons for the panel’s views on candidates, during the briefing sessions scheduled before each set of interviews.

vi. - Regulations relating to the appointment of the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Secretary General of the Assembly

1. Submission of candidatures

a. When a vacancy occurs in any of the three senior posts of the Secretariat General, appointments to which are made by the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly on the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers, or in the case provided for in clause 8.b below, candidates may be proposed to the Committee of Ministers:

i. by one or more Member Governments;

ii. by the Secretary General, in respect of the posts of Deputy Secretary General and Secretary General of the Assembly.

Furthermore, when the post of Secretary General of the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly falls vacant, or in the case provided for in clause 8.b, proposals may be submitted to the Committee of Ministers by one or more groups of representatives to the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly; they should bear not less than five and not more than ten signatures.

The Secretary General may only propose candidates who are already permanent or temporary members of the Secretariat General.

Candidates from the Secretariat General may also be sponsored by one or more Member Governments, provided that in the case of the Deputy Secretary General or Secretary General of the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly the Secretary General has been previously consulted and has given his assent.

b. Member Governments and Assembly representatives shall send their proposals to the Secretary General, who will forward them, together with his own, to the Committee of Ministers.

2. Criteria determining the choice of candidates

The following criteria shall determine the choice of candidates:

a. The recruitment of persons of the highest ability and integrity and suitability for the post to be filled.

b. The qualifications and experience of persons already employed by the Council of Europe shall be taken into consideration, so that members of the Secretariat may have reasonable prospects of promotion.

c. The desirability of ensuring an equitable geographical allocation of appointments among nationals of the member states subject to the overriding interests of efficiency. No office in the Secretariat shall be considered to be the prerogative of any particular member state.

3. Preliminary examination of candidatures by the Committee of Ministers
The Committee of Ministers shall examine the list of candidates. The latter may be summoned to an interview by the Committee itself or by a Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose.
4. Consultation of the Assembly by the Committee of Ministers
Before transmitting to the Consultative (Parliamentary) Assembly a recommendation for the appointment of any one of the three senior officials of the Secretariat General, the Committee of Ministers shall consult the Assembly on the subject through the medium of the Joint Committee.
This consultation shall take place, unless otherwise agreed to by the Joint Committee, not less than thirty days before the date of the opening of the Session during which the Assembly will be called upon to make the appointment.
5. Nomination of candidates

a. Unless it has been otherwise agreed after discussion in the Joint Committee, the Committee of Ministers shall draw up a list containing at least two names, which shall be submitted to the Assembly.

b. In the case of candidates for the posts of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers shall be free to list the names in order of preference, should it so desire.

6. Procedure in the Bureau
The proposals submitted to the Assembly by the Committee of Ministers shall be examined by the Bureau, which may summon candidates to an interview. The Bureau shall then transmit the proposals to the Assembly, indicating, if it thinks fit and where appropriate, its own order of preference and the order of preference of the Committee of Ministers with regard to the candidates.
7. Procedure in the Assembly

a. The Assembly shall proceed to make the appointment.

b. Voting shall be by secret ballot.

c. An absolute majority of the votes cast shall be required at the first ballot and a relative majority at the second.

8. Term of office and possible re-appointment

a. The three senior officials shall henceforth be appointed for a period of five years.

b. Not less than six months before the expiry of the term of any such official, the procedure laid down in the preceding clauses shall be set in motion; the official may be put forward again as a candidate in accordance with clause 1, and his term may always be renewed for a period specified in advance by agreement between the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers in the Joint Committee.

vii. - Rules and procedures for the future elections of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe - Joint interpretative statement

(adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on 12 March 2010 and by the Committee of Ministers on 24 March 2010)

Having regard to the Statute of the Council of Europe (ETS No. 1), in particular Article 36.b;
Having regard to the Regulations relating to the appointment of the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Secretary General of the Assembly having the rank of Deputy Secretary General which were adopted by the Committee of Ministers in 1956 with the agreement of the Assembly;
Having regard to the proposals for enhanced dialogue and co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers, as they appear in document CM(2009)142 and the appendix to Parliamentary Assembly Doc. 12028 Part II;
1. The Committee of Ministers and the Assembly agree that the rules for future elections of the Secretary General need to be clarified in respect of the consultation process between the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers and that the gender equality aspects need to be reinforced.
2. In accordance with Article 36.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe, the election of the Secretary General is a shared responsibility. It is the responsibility of the Committee of Ministers to draw up a list of candidates to be transmitted to the Assembly. It is the responsibility of the Assembly to elect the Secretary General from the candidates included in that list.
3. The criteria for determining the choice of candidates is set out in Article 2 of the Regulations relating to the appointment of the Secretary General. These are:
The recruitment of persons of the highest ability and integrity and suitability for the post to be filled.
The qualifications and experience of persons already employed by the Council of Europe shall be taken into consideration, so that members of the Secretariat may have reasonable prospects of promotion.
The desirability of ensuring an equitable geographical allocation of appointments among nationals of the member states subject to the overriding interests of efficiency. No office in the Secretariat shall be considered to be the prerogative of any particular member state.
In this connection, the Committee of Ministers will interpret the criteria of "highest ability and suitability" in particular by reference to the decision taken at the 117th Ministerial Session (Strasbourg, 10-11 May 2007) whereby the Committee of Ministers agreed to present to the Parliamentary Assembly candidates who enjoy a high level of recognition, are well-known among their peers and the people of Europe, and have previously served as Heads of State or Government, or held senior ministerial office or similar status relevant to the post". When assessing candidates against these criteria, the Committee of Ministers will have a merit-based approach and use the appended competence framework it has prepared to that effect (see Appendix 2).
4. With a view to strengthening gender equality aspects, both organs will, taking into account their different responsibilities in the election process, strive to make gender equality a reality, in line with the declaration adopted by the Committee of Ministers at its 119th session in Madrid in May 2009. The Chair of the Committee of Ministers, when calling for candidatures, will strongly encourage member states to put forward candidatures of both sexes. Furthermore, and bearing in mind paragraph 3 above, when the Committee of Ministers draws up its recommendation to be transmitted to the Parliamentary Assembly, it will pay due regard to the desirability of ensuring an equitable gender balance of appointments.
5. In accordance with Article 4 of the Regulations relating to the appointment of the Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers shall consult the Assembly through the medium of the Joint Committee before transmitting the recommendation to the Assembly.
6. The Committee of Ministers shall seek the Assembly's views before drawing up its recommendation. Therefore, consultation of the Assembly by the Committee of Ministers will take place at an early stage of the election procedure through the Joint Committee. It shall include a discussion on all the candidatures proposed by governments. The revised timeframe, which is part of this statement, to accommodate this early consultation, is set out in Appendix 1.
7. After the consultation of the Assembly within the Joint Committee, the Committee of Ministers will decide on the list of candidates to be included in the recommendation to the Assembly, in accordance with its own procedures. This may include voting when drawing up the list of candidates. In this context, it is recalled that Article 20.d of the Statute of the Council of Europe applies to the adoption of the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly in the absence of a consensus.

A. Appendix 1: Calendar for the election of the Secretary General

For a mandate beginning on 1 October of year n:

— September n-1: after informal discussions between the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Chair of the Committee of Ministers (CM), PACE, through its Bureau, confirms the date of the election (June of year n);

— October n-1: the CM fixes the timetable and calls for candidatures to be received before 10 January n. The Chair of the CM writes to his/her colleagues asking for suitable candidates and drawing attention to the "Juncker criteria" and to the gender equality aspects;

— 10 January n: deadline for member states to propose candidates;

— January n: consultation with PACE through the Joint Committee on all proposed candidates;

— March n: interviews of candidates by CM, drawing up of the recommendation and subsequent transmission to PACE;

— Before June n: interviews by the Assembly of the candidates included in the recommendation;

— June n: election by PACE;

— 1 October n: start of the mandate of the new Secretary General.1

If only one candidate appears in the recommendation:

— a discussion during the April n PACE part-session to seek agreement in the Joint Committee on the submission of only one candidate in the CM recommendation;

— if agreement is reached in the Joint Committee, subsequent transmission of recommendation to PACE;

— June n: interviews and election by PACE;

— 1 October n: start of the mandate of the new Secretary General.

If the CM considers that no candidates are suitable to appear in the recommendation or if no agreement is reached in the Joint Committee on the submission of only one candidature in the recommendation:

— April n: renewed call for candidates within a deadline of maximum six weeks;

— June n: new consultation in Joint Committee on candidatures proposed by member states;

— July n: interview of candidatures by CM, drawing up of the recommendation and subsequent transmission to PACE;

— End September/October n: interviews and election by PACE;

— 1 October or not later than three weeks after the day of election by PACE: start of the mandate of the new Secretary General.1

B. Appendix 2: Competence framework

The Secretary General is responsible to the Committee of Ministers for the work of the Secretariat and provides secretariat and other assistance to the Parliamentary Assembly. She/he represents the values of the Council of Europe to the outside at the highest levels and provides leadership to a culturally diverse Secretariat. The budgets of the Council of Europe amount to approximately € 300 million in 2010.
a) To assess the "suitability for the post" (Regulations):

— "high level of recognition", "well-known among their peers", "has previously served as head of state or government, or held senior ministerial office or similar status relevant to the post" (decisions at 117th Session);

— strong and effective relations with governments of member states; ability to work with the Committee of Ministers at all levels;

— demonstrated commitment to human rights, democracy, rule of law;

— very good knowledge of at least one of the official languages of the Council of Europe;

— at least a passive knowledge of the second official language, or a declared readiness to follow appropriate training during the first six months of the mandate.

b) To assess "highest ability" (Regulations):

— political vision and insight on international affairs, including the role of the Council of Europe; strategic thinking;

— leadership skills; trust-building; inspires and motivates a culturally diverse staff of 2000 from 47 countries;

— skills to manage a large organisation; delegates authority and empowers staff while remaining accountable; innovative thinking; promotes and accompanies change;

— pro-active planning ability and priority setting, both in his/her responsibility and in making proposals to the Committee of Ministers;

— delivers results, with efficiency and transparency;

— communication skills, both oral and written;

— negotiating skills; ability to tackle sensitive issues while promoting Council of Europe values;

— advocacy skills; proven ability to establish, maintain and use strong and effective networks; capacity to interact effectively with diverse interlocutors (political and cultural figures, officials, NGOs, media, etc); highly developed ability to explain and to persuade.

c) To assess "highest integrity" (Regulations):

— proven personal commitment to the ethical values of the Council of Europe;

— respect for diversity;

— openness to scrutiny.

viii. - Procedure for election of the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe - Competence framework

(adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on 23 January 2012 and by the Committee of Ministers on 1 February 2012)

A. Mission

Within the framework of the Statute of the Council of Europe and under the authority of the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General supports the Secretary General in the effective, strategic management of the Secretariat, in line with decisions and priorities of the Committee of Ministers.
The above mission shall be carried out in accordance with Committee of Ministers’ Resolution Res(55)29, on the functions of the Deputy Secretary General whereby the Deputy Secretary General shall act as the permanent assistant of the Secretary General in all matters, in supervision of all departments of the Secretariat, except the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as replace the Secretary General and undertake all his/her duties and responsibilities when he/she is absent or otherwise unavailable.
The Deputy Secretary General carries out additional tasks and leads on priority initiatives as delegated by the Secretary General.

B. Criteria

Article 2 of the Regulations relating to the appointment of the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Secretary General of the Assembly having the rank of Deputy Secretary General sets the following criteria for the choice of candidates:
a. The recruitment of persons of the highest ability and integrity and suitability for the post to be filled.
b. The qualifications and experience of persons already employed by the Council of Europe shall be taken into consideration, so that members of the Secretariat may have reasonable prospects of promotion.
c. The desirability of ensuring an equitable geographical allocation of appointments among nationals of the member States subject to the overriding interests of efficiency. No office in the Secretariat shall be considered to be the prerogative of any particular member State.
As regards the equitable gender balance of appointments, reference is made to the joint interpretative statement on the rules and procedures for the future elections of the Secretary General.

C. Competence

a) To assess suitability for the post (experience):

— extensive experience in senior management in international organisations;

— proven experience of leading senior managers in a culturally diverse environment;

— proven experience of dealing with programme, administrative, budgetary and personnel questions as well as change management;

b) To assess highest ability (skills):

— insight on international affairs; strategic thinking;

— leadership skills; capacity for dialogue; trust-building; inspires and motivates a culturally diverse staff;

— skills to manage a large Organisation; delegates authority and empowers staff while remaining accountable; innovative thinking;

— ability to translate strategy into actions; ability to plan pro-actively; delivers results, with efficiency and transparency;

— team player;

— ability to co-ordinate functioning of the support services of the organisation, with a concern for innovation and effectiveness;

— good communication skills; negotiating and advocacy skills; proven ability to establish, maintain and use strong and effective networks; capacity to interact effectively with diverse interlocutors; highly developed ability to explain and to persuade; ability to tackle sensitive issues while promoting Council of Europe values;

— very good knowledge of at least one of the official languages of the Council of Europe (English and French) and practical knowledge of the second official language;

c) To assess highest integrity (values):

— commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law;

— respect for diversity;

— openness to scrutiny.