Doc. 10471

8 March 2005

Improving CPT selection procedures

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Pourgourides and others

1.       The Assembly stresses the importance of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). This body is the key European instrument capable of intervening in the field to help prevent and eradicate violations of human rights throughout our continent.

2.       It recalls its Resolution 1248 (2001) and Recommendation 1323 (1997) on the composition of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.

3.       It considers that the composition of the CPT must be such that the important tasks of the Committee can be fulfilled as effectively as possible. However, the Assembly finds that the CPT’s current composition is not balanced, neither from the point of view of the representation of women, nor from that of the different professional backgrounds required of its members.

4.       The Bureau of the Assembly, charged with forwarding candidatures submitted by the national parliamentary delegations to the Committee of Ministers for the election of the CPT members, has delegated the task of examining candidatures in order to ensure their conformity with the criteria set by the Assembly to its Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.

5.       The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has in turn entrusted this task to its Sub-Committee on Human Rights, which examines the candidatures on the basis of a curriculum vitae provided by national delegations.

6.       Despite efforts to improve the written information on candidates provided to Committee and Sub-Committee members, in particular through more harmonised presentations following a model curriculum vitae, the Sub-Committee, supported by the Committee, has repeatedly expressed its frustration about the impossibility to make an informed choice without being able to interview the candidates.

7.       The Assembly decides to consider setting up a procedure allowing its Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and its Sub-Committee on Human Rights to proceed with interviewing candidates submitted by the national delegations, taking fully account of the budgetary consequences of such a procedure.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

POURGOURIDES, Christos, Cyprus, EPP/CD

AGUIAR, Manuela, Portugal, EPP/CD

ARABADJIEV, Alexander, Bulgaria, SOC

AZEVEDO, Maria Eduarda, Portugal, EPP/CD

BINDIG, Rudolf, Germany, SOC

CEBECİ, Erol Aslan, Turkey, EPP/CD

CILEVIČS, Boriss, Latvia, SOC

DENDIAS, Nikolaos, Greece, EPP/CD

EXNER, Václav, Czech Republic, UEL

GARDETTO, Jean-Charles, Monaco, EPP/CD

HAJIYEVA, Gultakin, Azerbaijan, EPP/CD

MANZELLA, Andrea, Italy, SOC

MARTY, Dick, Switzerland, LDR

McNAMARA, Kevin, United Kingdom, SOC

RAPSON, Syd, United Kingdom, SOC

VAREIKIS, Egidijus, Lithuania, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group