Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

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

Ruling on meetings of Committees and Sub-Committees of the Assembly elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris Retour au sommaire Atteindre l'élement suivant Atteindre l'élement précédent

Ruling on meetings of Committees and Sub-Committees of the Assembly elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris
1. In principle, a Committee may meet elsewhere than in Paris or Strasbourg once a year. Similarly, it may hold one meeting of one of its Sub-Committees elsewhere than in Paris or Strasbourg during the same year.
2. A Committee or Sub-Committee may also meet:

a. in the same place as the Standing Committee, elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris, if the number or importance of the reports which it is presenting to the Standing Committee warrant this;

b. elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris, in order to permit attendance, through a Sub-Committee, at conferences or hearings organised within the Council of Europe context, but by a body other than the Sub-Committee itself or its parent Committee;

c. in Brussels for joint meetings with Committees, Sub-Committees or Committee delegations of the European Parliament, on condition that this does not cost more than the holding of meetings in Paris.

3. In permanent derogation from the provisions of paragraph 1 above:

a. the Sub-Committee on International Economic Relations (of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development) may hold an additional annual meeting in Geneva (no longer applicable);

b. the Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize (of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development) may meet in the town which has received the Prize.

4. The programme of any meeting held elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris shall not exceed three days. It shall be organised to ensure that working sessions requiring interpretation are restricted to a maximum of two consecutive days. The Committees concerned are asked to consider the possibility of holding co-ordinated meetings in the same location, thus reducing expenses.
5. In the case of particularly costly meetings held elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris, the Secretariat may, after consulting the Chairman of the Committee concerned, provide only limited assistance particularly in respect of technical services.
6. Interpretation in additional working languages will be provided only to the extent that the members concerned have indicated their intention of attending the meeting.
7. At Sub-Committee meetings held in isolation, interpretation will be provided in only two languages.
8. Committees wishing to meet or to hold Sub-Committee meetings elsewhere than in Strasbourg or Paris shall apply for authorisation to the Bureau of the Assembly, enclosing the relevant information, and particularly a letter of invitation from the host authority and a draft programme.
9. The Bureau shall authorise these meetings only within the limits of the funds available.
10. In the case of meetings held in non-member countries, the committee concerned shall respect the Special Rules governing relations between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the parliamentary and interparliamentary assemblies of non-member states (of 2 July 1970 ) and, in particular, shall not commit itself vis-à-vis the host authority before the Bureau has given its approval or, if appropriate, its agreement in principle, if a final invitation has not yet been extended.