Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

(Resolution 1202 (1999) adopted on 4 November 1999) with subsequent modifications of the Rules of Procedure* * Resolutions 1220 (2000), 1234 (2000), 1235 (2000), 1266 (2001), 1275 (2002), 1284 (2002), 1296 (2002), 1325 (2003), 1343 (2003), 1348 (2003), 1356 (2003), 1368 (2004), 1369 (2004), 1379 (2004), 1395 (2004), 1431 (2005), 1432 (2005), 1445 (2005), 1447 (2005), 1448 (2005), 1490 (2006), 1491 (2006), 1503 (2006), 1504 (2006), 1515 (2006), 1529 (2006), 1554 (2007), 1583 (2007), 1584 (2007), 1585 (2007), 1658 (2009), 1698 (2009), 1699 (2009), 1712 (2010), 1780 (2010), 1799 (2011), 1841 (2011), 1842 (2011), 1854 (2011), 1903 (2012), 1911 (2012), 1937 (2013), 1965 (2013), 2002 (2014), 2058 (2015), 2102 (2016), 2169 (2017), 2182 (2017), 2208 (2018), 2278 (2019), 2287 (2019), 2349 (2020), 2350 (2020), 2360 (2021), 2392 (2021), 2405 (2021)<br><br>Wherever used herein, the masculine form refers to both women and men, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The words "President", "Vice-President", "Secretary General", "Representative", "Substitute", "chairperson", etc. refer to persons of both sexes.

Rules of Procedure of the Assembly

Parts: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII.

Complementary texts

Parts: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII.

Index

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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    Exceptional procedures Retour au sommaire Atteindre l'élement suivant Atteindre l'élement précédent

      Exceptional procedures

      Rule 51 - Urgent procedure in the Assembly On 27 June 1994 the Assembly took note of the proposals on urgent procedure made by the Bureau (Doc. 7080, item XXII): “Depending on their presentation, the Bureau shall examine requests for urgent procedure having due regard to the business in hand before the end of the Part-Session. The President (or another Bureau member) shall present the Bureau’s recommendation to the Assembly at its next sitting which will decide on the requests according to Rules 51.3. and 51.4. and fix the date and time of the debate(s). A committee may normally not submit more than one request for urgent procedure at any one Part-Session.” The Bureau also specified that the possibility should not be ruled out completely for a committee to present more than one request if this was justified by the events and if the committee’s request was unanimous. See also Rule 27.4. .

      51.1. At the request of the Committee of Ministers, of the committee concerned, of one or more political groups, or of twenty or more representatives or substitutes, a debate may be held on an item which has not been placed on the draft agenda as approved by the Bureau. A motion to initiate a complementary joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations cannot be the subject of a request for urgent procedure.
      51.2. A request for urgent procedure shall be addressed to the President of the Assembly in time for the last Bureau meeting before the opening of the part-session. The President shall submit it to the Bureau On 28 June 2019 the Bureau approved admissibility and selection criteria of requests for debates under urgent or current affairs procedure (see document 14911, Appendix 3 - These replace the criteria approved in 2007, AS/Bur (2007)73). When proposing to the Assembly to hold a debate under urgent procedure, the selection criteria for the Bureau shall be the following: relative urgency (as opposed to topicality), taking into account the need for time to prepare proper draft text; the political, social or economic context at the particular point in time justifying the urgency, with the subject-matter either being a new one for the Assembly or an ongoing subject which had come to a culminating point; the controversial nature of the subject-matter, which implied higher participation by members and a bigger impact of the text adopted; the number of member States affected; the number and relative priority of all the requests tabled.The Bureau shall have right to transform a request for an urgent procedure debate into a current affairs debate. The Bureau shall have right to change the title of an urgent procedure. For both the transformation of a request and the change of the title by the Bureau, the prior agreement of those who made the original request (or their representatives) shall be required. If such an agreement is not obtained, the Bureau cannot proceed with neither transformation of a request nor change of the title. which shall make a proposal to the Assembly. The Assembly does not have the competence to turn a request for a debate under urgent procedure into a current affairs debate.
      51.3. Only the following may speak on a request for urgent procedure: one speaker for the request, one speaker against, the chairperson of the committee concerned and a representative of the Bureau speaking in its name.
      51.4. The adoption of urgent procedure shall require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. Only affirmative and negative votes shall count in calculating the number of votes cast (Rule 40.4. ) If urgent procedure is adopted, the Assembly shall decide the date for the debate and refer the item to a committee of the Assembly for report and, if appropriate, to one or several committees for opinion.

      Rule 52 - Urgent procedure in the Standing Committee

      52.1. At the request of the Committee of Ministers, of a committee of the Assembly, or of ten or more representatives or substitutes, a debate may be held on an item which has not been placed on the agenda of the Standing Committee. A motion to initiate a complementary joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations cannot be the subject of a request for urgent procedure.
      52.2. A request for urgent procedure shall be addressed to the President of the Assembly, not later than one week before the meeting of the Standing Committee.
      52.3. The request shall be considered by the Bureau in the light of the other items already on the draft agenda of the Standing Committee.
      52.4. If the Bureau approves the request, it shall, subject to confirmation by the Standing Committee:
      - refer the item to a committee of the Assembly for report;
      - place the item on the draft agenda of the Standing Committee.
      52.5. The Standing Committee shall decide upon urgent procedure as the first order of the day. Only the following may speak: one speaker in favour, one speaker against, the chairperson of the committee concerned and a representative of the Bureau speaking in its name.
      52.6. Confirmation of urgent procedure shall require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.

      Rule 53 - Index Current affairs debates

      53.1. The Assembly may hold one or two current affairs debates on a subject matter which is not on the draft agenda of the part-session as approved by the Bureau and for which the Assembly has not decided on urgent procedure.
      53.2. A request for a current affairs debate shall be addressed to the President of the Assembly by at least twenty representatives or substitutes, by one political group, by one national delegation or by one committee. It shall be submitted in writing in time for the last meeting of the Bureau before the opening of the part-session.
      53.3. The Bureau of the Assembly may decide to accept only one request, to accept two requests or to reject all requests. When proposing to the Assembly to hold a current affairs debate, the selection criteria for the Bureau shall be the following: the topicality of the subject-matter (as opposed to the urgency); the interest in the subject-matter by a large number of members of the Assembly and member States of the Council of Europe; the input which a debate could provide for an Assembly committee thereafter to draw up a report; the visibility in the media which a debate could engender.The Bureau shall have right to transform a request for a current affairs debate into an urgent procedure debate. The Bureau shall have right to change the title of a current affairs debate. For both the transformation of a request and the change of the title by the Bureau, the prior agreement of those who made the original request (or their representatives) shall be required. If such an agreement is not obtained, the Bureau cannot proceed with neither transformation of a request nor change of the title. This decision shall be endorsed by the Assembly. If a member of the Assembly objects to the decision of the Bureau to reject a request for a current affairs debate, and if the Assembly endorses the decision of the Bureau, by a majority of the votes cast, the Assembly will not hold such a current affairs debate. If the Assembly rejects the decision of the Bureau, by a majority of the votes cast, the Assembly will hold this current affairs debate.A member of the Assembly who objects to the decision of the Bureau to reject all requests for a current affairs debate shall specify their objection, clarifying which specific current affairs debate they wish to propose to be held by the Assembly. If the Assembly approves the decision of the Bureau, by a majority of the votes cast, the Assembly will hold no current affairs debate. If the Assembly rejects the decision of the Bureau, by a majority of the votes cast, the Assembly will hold the current affairs debate which has been the subject of the contestation.The Assembly does not have the competence to turn a request for a current affairs debate into a debate under urgent procedure. The Assembly does not have the competence to change the title of a current affairs debate.
      53.4. A current affairs debate may not exceed one and a half hours. It shall be opened by one of the members who requested the debate, as chosen by the Bureau. He or she shall be allowed ten minutes.
      53.5. At the end of a current affairs debate, the Assembly shall not vote but the Bureau may subsequently propose that the subject be referred to the appropriate committee for report.
      53.6. Rules 53.1. to 53.5. shall apply mutatis mutandis to a current affairs debate which may be requested to be held at the Standing Committee.

      Rule 54 - Procedure for dismissing the President and Vice-Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly

      54.1. The Assembly may terminate the functions of the President of the Parliamentary Assembly or a Vice-President of the Assembly on the ground that he or she no longer enjoys the confidence of the Assembly, be it that he or she no longer fulfils the conditions required for the exercise of that office or is guilty of serious misconduct by seriously or repeatedly violating the provisions of the Code of conduct for members of the Parliamentary Assembly.
      A motion for dismissal concerning the same person and based on the same grounds may be tabled only once in the course of an ordinary session of the Assembly.
      54.2. A motion for dismissal shall be presented in both official languages and signed by at least one tenth of the component members (representatives and substitutes) of the Assembly belonging to at least three political groups and ten national delegations.
      The motion for dismissal shall be published as an official document within twenty-four working hours, forwarded to the member concerned and referred to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, which shall give an opinion on its admissibility. The committee hears the member concerned; the absence of the duly invited member at the meeting is not a valid ground for postponing the committee’s decision. The committee’s opinion shall be approved within twenty-four hours following the reference, if it is decided in the course of a part-session of the Assembly, or otherwise at the meeting which immediately follows the reference. The motion for dismissal shall be put to the vote of the Assembly within twenty-four hours after the approval of the committee’s opinion if it is issued in the course of a part-session of the Assembly, or otherwise at the opening of the part-session which immediately follows the approval of the committee’s opinion.
      54.3. A motion for dismissal, presented in both official languages, may also be signed by at least one fifth of the component members (representatives and substitutes) of the Assembly belonging to a least three political groups and fifteen national delegations.
      The motion for dismissal shall be published as an official document within twenty-four working hours and forwarded to the member concerned. It shall be put to the vote of the Assembly within twenty-four hours after its publication, if it is issued in the course of a part-session of the Assembly, or otherwise at the opening of the part-session which immediately follows its publication.
      54.4. After the publication of the motion for dismissal and until the final decision on the motion is taken, the President or Vice-President ceases to chair the meetings of the Assembly.
      54.5. The provisions of Rules 27.5. (alteration of the agenda), 33 (discussion and consideration of texts), 34 (amendments and sub-amendments) and 37 (procedural motions) shall not apply.
      54.6. Only the first signatory of the motion, the chairperson of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs or a representative appointed by the committee, the chairperson of each political group or a representative appointed by the group, and the member to whom the procedure relates may be heard in the debate.
      54.7. The Assembly shall decide by using the electronic voting system, in accordance with the quorum conditions laid down in Rule 42.3. and by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
      54.8. The voluntary resignation of the member concerned from his or her office shall terminate the procedure.
      54.9. The dismissal of the President or Vice-President of the Assembly shall take effect immediately after the announcement that the motion has been carried.
      54.10. A President of the Parliamentary Assembly who has been dismissed may not rely on the provisions of Rule 20.3. . He or she shall not be eligible for re-election to the office of President or for election to the offices of Vice-President of the Assembly, or of chairperson or vice-chairperson of a committee. He or she shall not be granted the title of Honorary President of the Parliamentary Assembly. A President or Vice-President of the Assembly who has been dismissed from office may not be granted the title of honorary associate of the Parliamentary Assembly.

      Rule 55 - Procedure for dismissing chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of committees

      55.1. A committee may terminate the office of its chairperson or a vice-chairperson at the request of one third of the full members of the committee belonging to at least three political groups and five national delegations on the ground that he or she no longer enjoys the confidence of the committee, be it that he or she no longer fulfils the conditions required for the exercise of that office or is guilty of serious misconduct by seriously or repeatedly violating the provisions of the Code of conduct for members of the Parliamentary Assembly.
      A motion for dismissal concerning the same person and based on the same grounds may be presented only once in the course of an ordinary session of the Assembly.
      55.2. The motion for dismissal shall be sent to the members of the committee at least one week before the date of the meeting for which its signatories have requested it be placed on the agenda.
      55.3. After the motion for dismissal has been released and until the final decision on the motion is taken, the chairperson or vice-chairperson ceases to chair the meetings of the committee.
      55.4. The dismissal shall be pronounced by the committee under the quorum conditions laid down in Rule 47.3. , and by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. It shall have immediate effect. Rule 47.2. on secret ballot shall not apply.
      55.5. The voluntary resignation of the chairperson or vice-chairperson concerned from his or her office shall terminate the procedure.
      55.6. A committee chairperson or vice-chairperson who has been dismissed shall not be eligible for election or re-election to the position of chairperson of vice-chairperson of a committee. He or she may not be granted the title of honorary associate of the Parliamentary Assembly.