Progress report | Doc. 14016 | 14 April 2016

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (29 January-17 April 2016)

Author(s): Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur : Ms Ioanneta KAVVADIA, Greece, UEL

1. Introduction

At its meeting on 29 January, the Bureau appointed me as rapporteur for this report, which covers its activities over the period from the last Bureau meeting of the first part-session of 2016 (Friday 29 January) to the first Bureau meeting of the second part-session of 2016 (Monday 18 April).

The following chapters include the decisions taken at the Bureau meetings of 29 January in Strasbourg and 3 March in Paris. Chapter 2 presents a list of decisions, which have either already been ratified by the Standing Committee on 4 March or which do not require ratification.

An addendum to this report will be issued immediately after the Bureau meeting on 18 April, which will also include, in part, decisions to be ratified on the same day. A second addendum will be issued immediately after the Bureau meeting of 22 April. It will include only the decisions to be ratified by the Assembly on the same day, notably the references and transmissions which will have been approved by the Bureau.

The Bureau will hold its next meetings in Strasbourg on Friday 22 April at 8.30 am, then on Thursday 26 May in Tallinn. The next meeting of the Standing Committee will also be held in Tallinn, on 27 May.

2. Activities of the Bureau since the last part-session and decisions not requiring ratification by the Assembly

2.1. Follow-up to Assembly’s Resolutions

2.1.1. Follow-up to the first part-session of 2016 (Strasbourg, 25-29 January)

On 29 January, the Bureau approved the following proposals made by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly:

Resolution 2085 (2016) on inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water (rapporteur of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development: Ms Milica Marković, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC)

8. The Assembly firmly condemns the lack of co-operation of the Armenian parliamentary delegation and the Armenian authorities during the preparation of the report on this issue. The Assembly regards such behaviour as incompatible with the obligations and commitments of a country which is a full member of the Council of Europe. The Assembly will consider what measures to take in this case and in any similar cases which may arise during the terms of office of its parliamentarians.

Follow-up: to ask the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs to consider the matter in the context of the opinion on “Challenges to the co-operation of member States with the Assembly as regards the free movement of Assembly members”, by enlarging its scope.

Resolution 2086 (2016) on the request for partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly submitted by the Parliament of Jordan (rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy: Ms Josette Durrieu, France, SOC)

12. In addition, the Assembly resolves to review, no later than two years from the adoption of this resolution, the state of progress achieved in implementing the political commitments entered into by the Jordanian Parliament, as well as the reforms in the areas mentioned in paragraph 9 above.

Follow-up: to refer the matter to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for the preparation of a report on “Evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of Jordan”.

Resolution 2090 (2016) on combating international terrorism while protecting Council of Europe standards and values (rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy: Mr Tiny Kox, Netherlands, UEL)

21. Finally, with a view to providing law-makers in particular with a sound constitutional basis, the Assembly asks the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) for an opinion on the compatibility of the proposed draft revision of the French Constitution, aimed at incorporating rules governing a state of emergency and on the deprivation of nationality into the constitution, with the European Convention on Human Rights and with Council of Europe standards.

Follow-up: to invite the President of the Assembly to transmit the request to the Venice Commission.

Resolution 2092 (2016) on the challenge on procedural grounds of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Moldova (rapporteur of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs: Mr Egidijus Vareikis, Lithuania, EPP/CD)

4. It invites the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) and the co-rapporteurs concerned to ensure, within the framework of dialogue with the Moldovan authorities, that the Moldovan Parliament is properly informed of the requirements laid down in the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and that it will take due account of them in subsequent changes to the composition of its parliament delegation, particularly when filling the three remaining vacant seats on the delegation.

Follow-up: to invite the Monitoring Committee to ensure the implementation of this recommendation in the context of its work.

Resolution 2093 (2016) “Recent attacks on women: the need for honest reporting and a comprehensive response” (rapporteur of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination: Mr Jonas Gunnarsson, Sweden, SOC)

Follow-up: to ask the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination to prepare a report on “Women in public space: putting an end to sexual violence and street harassment”, and to seize the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for opinion.

Resolution 2094 (2016) on the situation in Kosovo* and the role of the Council of Europe (rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy: Mr Agustín Conde, Spain, EPP/CD)

13. The Assembly resolves to step up dialogue with the Assembly of Kosovo and recommends that its Bureau modify the current format for co-operation with the political forces elected to the Assembly of Kosovo, with a view to inviting the Assembly of Kosovo to designate a delegation which would ensure the representation also of minority communities, in addition to the majority and the opposition.

Follow-up: to ask the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly to draft, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, a memorandum on the “Implementation of paragraph 13 of Resolution 2094 (2016) on the situation in Kosovo and the role of the Council of Europe”, to be discussed by the Bureau at one of its forthcoming meetings.

2.2. Standing Committee (Paris, 4 March 2016)

On 29 January and 3 March, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda.

2.3. Second part-session of 2016 (18-22 April)

2.3.1. Draft agenda

On 29 January and 3 March, the Bureau drew up the draft agenda.

2.4. Election observation

2.4.1. Meeting of the Chairpersons of ad hoc committees for the observation of elections (27 January 2016)

On 3 March, the Bureau took note of the conclusions of the meeting.

2.4.2. Kazakhstan: early parliamentary elections (20 March 2016)

On 29 January, the Bureau approved the composition of the ad hoc committee and appointed Mr Jordi Xuclà (Spain, ALDE) as its Chairperson. On 3 March, it approved the final list of members of the ad hoc committee (Appendix 1).

2.4.3. Serbia: early parliamentary elections (24 April 2016)

On 3 March, the Bureau approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections and appointed Mr Volodymyr Ariev (Ukraine, EPP/CD) as its Chairperson (Appendix 2).

2.4.4. “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: early parliamentary elections (5 June 2016, subject to receiving an invitation)

On 29 January, the Bureau approved the revised list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 3).

2.5. References and transmissions to committees

2.5.1. References and transmissions to committees

On 3 March, the Bureau considered and approved the following references and transmissions to committees, which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee on the following day:

Doc. 13956, motion for a resolution, Private and family life: achieving equality regardless of sexual orientation: consultation of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination on possible follow-up;

Doc. 13963, motion for a resolution, The legitimacy crisis in international sports governance: reference to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;

Doc. 13964, motion for a resolution, The protection of editorial integrity: reference to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report;

Doc. 13965, motion for a resolution, Compatibility of Sharia law with the European Convention on Human Rights: can States Parties to the Convention be signatories of the “Cairo Declaration”?: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.

2.5.2. Extension of references

During the reference period, the Bureau considered and approved the following extensions of references:

Bureau decision, The situation in Belarus (Ref. 3841 of 9 March 2012 – validity: 30 April 2016): extension until 31 January 2017;

Bureau decision, Political transition in Tunisia (Ref. 3889 of 29 June 2012 – validity: 29 June 2016): extension until 31 January 2017;

Bureau decision, Evaluation of the Partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic (Ref. 4045 of 11 April 2014 – validity: 11 April 2016): extension until 31 January 2017;

Doc. 13424, motion for a resolution, The need for a citizenship income (Ref. 4034 of 7 April 2014 – validity: 7 April 2016): extension until 7 April 2017.

2.6. Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

On 29 January, the Bureau took note of the launch of the 2016 edition of the Prize.

2.7. Issues raised by committees

2.7.1. Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy

On 29 January, the Bureau authorised:

Mr George Loukaides (Cyprus, UEL), rapporteur on The political transition in Tunisia, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Tunisia during the first semester of 2016, in the framework of the preparation of his report;

Mr Alain Destexhe (Belgium, ALDE), rapporteur on the Evaluation of the partnership for democracy in respect of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Kyrgyzstan during the first semester of 2016, in the framework of the preparation of his report;

Mr Tobias Zech (Germany, EPP/CD), rapporteur on the Situation in Lebanon and challenges for regional stability and European security, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Lebanon during the first semester of 2016, in the framework of the preparation of his report;

Mr Atilla Korodi (Romania, EPP/CD), rapporteur on Libya’s future between the threats of terrorism and a democratic prospect, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Tunisia, during the first semester of 2016, in the framework of the preparation of his report.

On 3 March, the Bureau authorised Mr Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), in his capacity as rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, to attend an international conference on “Death penalty: transcending the divide”, organised by the United Nations Development Programme in Belarus, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and with support from the British Embassy in Minsk (Minsk, 10 March 2016).

2.7.2. Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons

On 29 January, the Bureau authorised Ms Annette Groth (Germany, UEL), rapporteur on A stronger European response to the Syrian refugees crisis to conduct a fact-finding visit to Lebanon and Jordan, to take place in February 2016, in the framework of the preparation of her report.

2.7.3. Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

On 29 January, the Bureau authorised Ms Sahiba Gafarova (Azerbaijan, EC), General Rapporteur on violence against women, to participate in the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, to be held in New York (United States) on 15 and 16 March 2016.

2.8. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

On 29 January, the Bureau drew up the lists of candidates for the CPT in respect of Malta and Romania, which it forwarded to the Committee of Ministers. The Bureau also approved the recommendation of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to invite the delegation of Azerbaijan to submit a new list of candidates.

2.9. Meetings elsewhere than Strasbourg and Paris

On 29 January, the Bureau authorised the following meetings:

the Sub-Committee on Media and Information Society (Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media) to meet in London on 11 April 2016;

the Sub-Committee on Gender Equality (Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination) and the Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence to meet in Berlin on 12 May 2016;

the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance to meet in Stockholm on 17 and 18 May 2016.

2.10. Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2016

On 29 January, the Bureau approved the appointments as set out in Appendix 4.

2.11. Participation of members in Parliamentary Assembly plenary sessions and committee meetings

On 3 March, the Bureau took note of the information memorandum prepared by the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, and asked the President of the Assembly to transmit it to the chairpersons of national delegations.

2.12. General Rapporteurs

On 29 January, the Bureau took note of the appointment by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of Ms Meritxell Mateu (Andorra, ALDE) as General Rapporteur on abolition of death penalty.

3. Activities of the Standing Committee (Paris, 4 March 2016)

The Standing Committee ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the delegations of Bulgaria, Croatia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees and took note of the draft agenda of the second part-session of the Assembly (18‑22 April).

It also ratified the references proposed by the Bureau which are contained in chapter 2.5.

The Standing Committee held an exchange of views with Mr Gianni Buquicchio, President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission);

Finally, it adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:

Opinion 291 (2016) on the draft Protocol amending the European Landscape Convention;

Opinion 292 (2016) on the draft Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production (revised);

Resolution 2099 (2016) on the need to eradicate statelessness of children;

Resolution 2100 (2016) on the libraries and museums of Europe in times of change;

Resolution 2101 (2016) on systematic collection of data on violence against women;

Resolution 2102 (2016) on modifications to the Assembly's Rules of Procedure.

Appendix 1 – Kazakhstan: early parliamentary elections (20 March 2016)

(open)

Final list of members of the ad hoc committee

Chairperson: Jordi XUCLÁ (Spain, ALDE)

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)

Marie-Christine DALLOZ, France

Karin STRENZ, Germany

Substitutes

Ben-Oni ARDELEAN, Romania

Deborah BERGAMINI, Italy

Elena CENTEMERO, Italy

Şaban DİŞLİ, Turkey

Yves POZZO DI BORGO, France

Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania

Attila TILKI, Hungary

Socialist Group (SOC)

Denis BAYKAL, Turkey

Paolo CORSINI, Italy

Marianne MIKKO, Estonia

Substitutes

Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan

Florin IORDACHE, Romania

Predrag SEKULIĆ, Montenegro

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

Jordi XUCLÁ, Spain

Karl GARÐARSSON, Iceland

Substitutes

Gedeminas JAKAVONIS, Lithuania

Anne KALMARI, Finland

Adele GAMBARO, Italy

European Conservatives Group (EC)

Ingebjørg GODSKESEN, Norway

Erkan KANDEMIR, Turkey

Substitutes

Lord Richard BALFE, United Kingdom

Burhanettin UYSAL, Turkey

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)

...

Substitute(s)

...

Rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy on the relations of the Council of Europe with Kazakhstan

Axel FISCHER, Germany

Secretariat

Chemavon CHAHBAZIAN, Head of Secretariat, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Franck DAESCHLER, Principal Administrative Assistant, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Danièle GASTL, Assistant, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Appendix 2 – Serbia: early parliamentary elections (24 April 2016)

(open)

List of members of the ad hoc committee

Chairperson: Volodymyr ARIEV (Ukraine, EPP/CD)

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)

Nicole DURANTON, France

Samvel FARMANYAN, Armenia

Yves POZZO di BORGO, France

Volodymyr ARIEV, Ukraine

Aleksandar NIKOLOSKI, “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia“

Zsolt NÉMETH, Hungary

Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania

Substitute(s)

...

Socialist Group (SOC)

Paolo CORSINI, Italy

Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria

René ROUQUET, France*

Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland

Josette DURRIEU, France

Snežana JONICA, Montenegro

Marit MAIJ, Netherlands

Substitutes

Predrag SEKULIĆ, Montenegro

George FOULKES, United Kingdom

Saša MAGAZINOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jan ŠKOBERNE, Slovenia

Idália SERRÃO, Portugal

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

Carles JORDANA, Andorra

Andrea RIGONI, Italy*

Substitutes

Alfred HEER, Switzerland

Vusal HUSEYNOV, Azerbaijan

European Conservatives Group (EC)

Hermine NAGHDALYAN, Armenia*

Nigel EVANS, United Kingdom

Substitutes

Tom PACKALÉN, Finland

Jaroslaw OBREMSKI, Poland

Ingebjørg GODSKESEN, Norway

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)

Matjaž HANŽEK, Slovenia

Substitute

Tiny KOX, Netherlands

Co-rapporteur on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Serbia

Maria GUZENINA, Finland

Secretariat

Chemavon CHAHBAZIAN, Head of Secretariat, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Franck DAESCHLER, Principal Administrative Assistant, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Danièle GASTL, Assistant, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

* members of the pre-election delegation

Appendix 3 – “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: early parliamentary elections (5 June 2016)

(open)

Revised list of members of the ad hoc committee

Chairperson: Stefan SCHENNACH (Austria, SOC)

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD)

David BAKRADZE, Georgia

Samvel FARMANYAN, Armenia

Frank J. JENSSEN, Norway*

Giorgi KANDELAKI, Georgia

Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE, Latvia

Joe O’REILLY, Ireland

Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania

Elisabeth SCHNEIDER-SCHNEITER, Switzerland

Substitutes

Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania

Elena CENTEMERO, Italy

Şaban DIŞLI, Turkey

Nicole DURANTON, France

Iryna GERASHCHENKO, Ukraine

Denis JACQUAT, France

Yves POZZO di BORGO, France

Attila TILKI, Hungary

Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania

Socialist Group (SOC)

Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria*

Marit MAJ, Netherlands

Josette DURRIEU, France

Predrag SEKULIĆ, Montenegro

Maryvonne BLONDIN, France

Mogens JENSEN, Denmark

Saša MAGAZINOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Substitute(s)

...

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

Doris FIALA, Switzerland*

Eerik-Niiles KROSS, Estonia

Substitutes

Carles JORDANA, Andorra

Hendrik DAEMS, Belgium

Andrea RIGONI, Italy

European Conservatives Group (EC)

Tom PACKALÉN, Finland*

Dominik TARCZYNSKI, Poland

Substitutes

Mark PRITCHARD, United Kingdom

Ingebjørg GODSKESEN, Norway

Daniel MILEWSKI, Poland

Iwona ARENT, Poland

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)

Andrej HUNKO, Germany*

Substitute

Ioanneta KAVVADIA, Greece

Rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)

Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway*

Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova*

Secretariat

Bogdan TORCĂTORIU, Administrative Officer, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

Anne GODFREY, Assistant, Election observation and Interparliamentary co-operation Division

* members of the pre-election delegation

Appendix 4 – Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2016

(open)

Body	who represents the Assembly	reference	2016 nominations
I. Council of Europe bodies
European Commission for Democracy through Law Venice Commission	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau to attend the sessions of the Commission	Article 2.4 of the Venice Commission Statute (CM Res(2002)3)	Members: Ms Brasseur, ALDE appointment by the President Mr Mahoux – SOC (AS/Jur) Substitute: Mr Fabritius – EPP/CD (AS/Jur)
Council on Democratic Elections of the Venice Commission	Representatives of AS/Pol, AS/Jur and AS/Mon approved by the Bureau of the Assembly	Bureau decision of 10 March 2003	Members: Ms Durrieu – SOC (AS/Pol) Lord Balfe – EC (AS/Jur) Mr Xuclà – ALDE (AS/Mon) Substitutes: Mr Frécon – SOC (AS/Pol) Ms Beselia – SOC (AS/Jur) Mr Kox – UEL (AS/Mon)
European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity North-South Centre	Two members of the Executive Council – appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly	Article 4.2 (b) of the North-South Centre revised Statute (CM/Res(2011)6)	Members: Ms Günay – EC (AS/Soc) … (AS/Cult) Substitutes: Mr Schennach – SOC (AS/Soc) Mr Luís Leite Ramos – EPP/CD (AS/Cult)
European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance ECRI	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau (representatives of the following three committees: AS/Pol, AS/Ega and AS/Cult)	Article 5 of the ECRI Statute (CM Res(2002)8)	Members: Mr Corlatean – SOC (AS/Pol) Mr Cilevičs – SOC (AS/Ega) Mr Önal – EC (AS/Cult) Substitutes: Mr Korodi – EPP/CD (AS/Pol) … (AS/Ega) … (AS/Cult)
Group of States against Corruption GRECO	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau	CM decision of 717th meeting in 2000 in accordance with Article 7.2 of the Statute of the GRECO	Member: Mr Vlasenko – EPP/CD (AS/Jur) Substitute: Mr Sharma – SOC (AS/Jur)
Council of Europe Committee for Works of Art	Two members appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly (at present AS/Cult Committee member and Museum Prize rapporteur)	CM decision of 482nd meeting in 1992	Members: Lady Eccles – EC (AS/Cult) Ms Marjanović – SOC (AS/Cult)
MONEYVAL	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau	Article 4.1 of Resolution CM/Res(2010)12	Member: Mr Omtzigt – EPP/CD (AS/Jur) Substitute: Ms Mateu – ALDE (AS/Jur)
II. Other
EUROPA NOSTRA Pan-European Federation for Heritage	One member (and substitute) to be nominated by the Assembly – to attend the Federation Council meetings as observer	Article 21.4 of the Statute of Europa Nostra	Lady Eccles – EC (AS/Cult) Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Culture, Diversity and Heritage