Progress report | Doc. 14855 | 06 April 2019
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (25 January-7 April 2019)
1. Introduction
At its meeting on 25 January 2019, 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 2019 (Friday 25 January) to the first Bureau meeting of the second part-session of 2019 (Monday 8 April).
The following chapters include the decisions taken at the Bureau meetings of 25 January in Strasbourg and 28 February in Paris. Chapter 2 presents a list of activities and decisions which do not require ratification. Chapter 3 presents decisions which have already been ratified by the Assembly on 25 January and by the Standing Committee on 1 March.
An addendum to this report will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 8 April, which will also include decisions to be ratified on the same day. Another addendum will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 12 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 Monday 8 April at 8 am and Friday 12 April at 8:30 am, then on Thursday 23 May in Paris. The next meeting of the Standing Committee will be held in Paris on 24 May.
2. Activities of the Bureau since the last part-session and decisions not requiring ratification by the Assembly
2.1. Follow-up to the first part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 21-25 January)
On 25 January, the Bureau held an exchange of views on the first-part session.
2.2. Standing Committee (Paris, 1 March 2019)
On 25 January and 28 February, the Bureau took note of the draft agenda.
2.3. Second part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 8-12 April)
On 25 January, the Bureau drew up the preliminary draft agenda. On 28 February, it drew up the draft agenda.
2.4. Communications
On 28 February, the Bureau took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2.5. Election observation
2.5.1. Meeting of the Chairpersons and members of ad hoc committees for the observation of elections (23 January 2019)
On 28 February, the Bureau took note of the report of the meeting.
2.5.2. Republic of Moldova: parliamentary elections (24 February 2019)
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the updated list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 1).
On 28 February, the Bureau took note of the statement of the election observation mission.
2.5.3. Ukraine: presidential election (31 March 2019)
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe this election and appointed Ms Angela Smith (United Kingdom, SOC) as its Chairperson.
On 28 February, the Bureau approved the final list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe this election (Appendix 2).
2.5.4. North Macedonia: presidential election (21 April 2019)
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe this election and appointed Ms Marie-Christine Dalloz (France, EPP/CD) as its Chairperson.
On 28 February, the Bureau approved the updated list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe this election (Appendix 3).
2.6. Formation of a new political group: New European Democrats/Europe of Nations and Freedom (NED/ENF)
On 25 January, the Bureau decided to postpone the decision to acknowledge the formation of the new political group and to invite its Chairperson for an exchange of views at its next meeting.
On 28 February, the Bureau held an exchange of views with Mr Martin Graf, Chairperson of the NED/ENF Group and took note of the information provided and decided to ask – in the context of the formation of the NED/ENF Group – the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for advice on the procedure defined in Art. 19.1 of the Rules of Procedure.
2.7. Extension and lapse of references
2.7.1. Extension of references
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the following extensions of references:
- Doc. 14042, Motion for a resolution, The role of education in the digital era: from “digital natives” to “digital citizens” (Reference 4216 of 20 June 2016 – validity: 31 January 2019): extension until 30 June 2019
- Doc. 13967, Motion for a resolution, The need to shed light on the background of the murder of Boris Nemtsov (Reference 4276 of 10 March 2017 – validity: 10 March 2019): extension until 30 June 2019
2.7.2. Lapse of references
On 28 February, the Bureau approved the following lapse of references:
- Request from the Committee of Ministers, Granting of participatory status to the international non-governmental organisation ADF International (withdrawal of the request to review the decision not to grant participatory statuts to ADF International, and end of the procedure in the Committee of Ministers – reference 4404 of 12 October 2018);
- Doc. 14301, Human rights situation in the occupied regions of Georgia, in a letter dated 20 February 2019, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights indicated that it had decided to discontinue work on this report (reference 4337 of 13 October 2017).
2.8. Issues raised by committees
2.8.1. Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
On 28 February, the Bureau authorised Ms Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD) to carry out a fact-finding visit to Israel in 2019, in the framework of the preparation of her report on Organ transplant tourism.
2.8.2. Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
On 28 February, the Bureau took note of the memorandum on Relations between the Assembly and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), prepared by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
2.9. 2019 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
On 25 January, the Bureau:
- took note of the press release of the launch of the 2019 edition of the Prize as well as of the memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly;
- re-appointed Ms Bemelmans Videc as member of the Selection Panel, for a second term of two years starting from 1 June 2019;
- invited Bureau members to propose candidatures for the vacant seats in the Selection Panel and to submit the names and CVs of candidates together with justification of fulfilment of required condition (“recognised moral standing in the field of human rights”) to the Secretary General of the Assembly by 15 April 2019, in view of the Bureau taking a decision on the appointments at its meeting in Paris on 23 May 2019.
2.10. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the lists of candidates in respect of Andorra, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Malta and San Marino to be forwarded to the Committee of Ministers.
2.11. Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2019
On 25 January, the Bureau approved the designations as set up in Appendix 4.
2.12. Meetings elsewhere than Strasbourg and Paris
On 25 January, the Bureau authorised:
- the ad hoc Sub-Committee to participate in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 63) on 12 March 2019 of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination to meet in New-York, United States;
- the Sub-Committee on Diasporas of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons to meet in Warsaw on 22 March 2019;
- the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons to meet in Zurich (Switzerland) on 28-29 May 2019;
- the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and Sub-Committee on the Rights of Minorities to meet in Belgrade on 5-6 June 2019;
- the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to meet in Berlin on 14-15 November 2019.
On 28 February, the Bureau authorised:
- the ad hoc Sub-Committee (of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy) to participate in the Conference on Countering International Terrorism to be organised by the IPA-CIS, the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe, of the OSCE, of the Mediterranean, the CSTO and the IPU, to meet on 18 April 2019, in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation;
- the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development and the Sub-Committee on Children to meet on 13 and 14 May 2019, in Vienna.
3. Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meetings on 25 January and 28 February, and subsequently ratified by the Assembly or the Standing Committee
3.1. Bureau meeting on 25 January
Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 25 January 2019 which were subsequently ratified by the Assembly on 25 January can be found in Doc 14796 Add. 3 (see Appendix 5).
3.2. Bureau meeting on 28 February
On 28 February, the Bureau approved the following references and transmissions which were subsequently ratified by the Standing Committee:
- Doc. 14802, Motion for a resolution, Should politicians be prosecuted for statements made in the exercise of their mandate?: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;
- Doc. 14806, Motion for a resolution, Giving a voice to every child: promoting child participation as a foundation for democratic societies: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14807, Motion for a resolution, Possibility for remote participation in committee meetings outside Parliamentary Assembly sessions: transmission to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for information;
- Bureau decision: The role and responsibilities of political leaders in combating hate speech and intolerance: reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
- Terms of reference of the committee, Budget and priorities of the Council of Europe for the biennium 2020-2021: reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report;
- Terms of reference of the committee, Expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly for the biennium 2020-2021: reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report.
4. Activities of the Standing Committee (Paris, 1 March 2019)
The Standing Committee:
- ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the delegations of Albania and Spain;
- approved changes in the composition of Assembly committees;
- took note of the draft agenda of the second part-session of the Assembly (8-12 April 2019);
- ratified the references proposed by the Bureau;
- held an exchange of views with Ms Feride Acar, President of GREVIO (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence), and Ms Dubravka Šimonović, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women;
- adopted the following texts on behalf of the Assembly:
- Resolution 2265 (2019), Promoting democracy by developing market economy: does the EBRD model work?;
- Recommendation 2147 (2019), Protecting human rights during transfer of prisoners;
- Resolution 2266 (2019), Protecting human rights during transfer of prisoners;
- Resolution 2267 (2019), Stress at work;
- Resolution 2268 (2019), Development co-operation: a tool for preventing migration crises;
- Recommendation 2148 (2019), Safeguarding and enhancing intangible cultural heritage in Europe;
- Resolution 2269 (2019), Safeguarding and enhancing intangible cultural heritage in Europe;
- Recommendation 2149 (2019), The value of cultural heritage in a democratic society;
- Resolution 2270 (2019), The value of cultural heritage in a democratic society;
- decided to hold its next meeting in Paris on 24 May 2019.
Appendix 1 – List of members of the ad hoc committee to observe the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova (24 February 2019)
(open)Chairperson / Président: Mr / M. Claude Kern, France (ALDE/ADLE)
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
Substitute / suppléant
European Conservatives Group (EC) / Groupe des conservateurs européens (CE)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
Substitutes / suppléants
Free Democrats Group (FDG) / Groupe des démocrates libres (GDL)
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
* Member of the pre-electoral mission / membre de la mission pré-électorale
Appendix 2 – List of members of the ad hoc committee for the observation of the presidential election in Ukraine (31 March 2019)
(open)Chairperson / Présidente: Ms / Mme Angela SMITH, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni (SOC)
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
Substitutes / Suppléants
European Conservatives Group (EC) / Groupe des conservateurs européens (CE)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)
Substitutes / Suppléants
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
Substitutes / Suppléants
Free Democrats Group (FDG) / Groupe des démocrates libres (GDL)
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
* Member of the pre-electoral mission / membre de la mission pré-électorale
Appendix 3 – List of members of the ad hoc committee for the observation of the presidential election in North Macedonia (21 April 2019)
(open)Chairperson / Présidente: Ms / Mme Marie-Christine DALLOZ, France (EPP/CD – PPE/CD)
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
Substitutes / Suppléants
European Conservatives Group (EC) / Groupe des conservateurs européens (CE)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)
Substitutes / Suppléants
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
Substitutes / Suppléants
Free Democrats Group (FDG) / Groupe des démocrates libres (GDL)
Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
Appendix 4 – Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2019
(open)|
Body |
who represents the Assembly |
reference |
2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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 (Res CM (2002) 3) |
Members: Ms Kyriakides, EPP/CD Appointment by the President Mr Vlasenko – EPP/CD (AS/Jur) Substitute: Ms Rojhan Gustafsson – SOC (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: Mr Cozmanciuc – EPP/CD (AS/Pol) Lord Balfe – EC (AS/Jur) Mr Kox – UEL (AS/Mon) Substitutes: ZZ… (AS/Pol) Ms Beselia – SOC (AS/Jur) Mr Pociej – EPP/CD (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 (Res CM (2011) 6) |
Members: Ms Günay – EC (AS/Soc) Mr Leite Ramos – EPP/CD (AS/Cult) Substitutes: Mr Schennach – SOC (AS/Soc) Ms Pallarés – ALDE (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 (Res CM (2002) 8) |
Members: Mr Corlăţean – SOC (AS/Pol) Mr Efstathiou – SOC (AS/Cult) Mr Thiéry – ALDE (AS/Ega) Substitutes: Mr Korodi – EPP/CD (AS/Pol) Mr Davies – EC (AS/Ega) |
|
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 Logvynskyi- EPP/CD (AS/Jur) Substitute: Ms Sotnyk – ALDE (AS/Jur) |
|
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 Goguadze – EC (AS/Cult) |
|
MONEYVAL |
A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau |
Article 4.1 of Resolution CM/Res (2010) 12 |
Member: Mr Corlăţean – SOC (AS/Jur) Substitute: Mr Omtzigt – EPP/CD (AS/Jur) |
|
Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property |
A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau |
STCE n°221 CM(2017)32, Chapter V, Article 23.1 |
|
|
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 |
Mr Gryffroy – NR (AS/Cult) |
Appendix 5 – Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 25 January 2019, and subsequently ratified by the Assembly on 25 January 2019
(open)Doc. 14796 Add. 3
25 January 2019
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (25 January 2019)
Progress report
Bureau of the Assembly
Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER, United Kingdom, European Conservatives Group
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 25 January 2019 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. References and transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following reference:
Doc. 14810, Motion for a resolution, Promoting parliaments free of sexism and sexual harassment: reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report.
1.2. Resolution 2094 (2016) on the situation in Kosovo 
and the role of the Council
of Europe
The Bureau took note of the letter by the President of the Assembly of Kosovo informing the President of the Assembly of the names of the members of the delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo for the ordinary session of 2019:
Members:
- Mr Xhavit Haliti, Democratic Party of Kosovo, Chairperson of the delegation
- Ms Aida Dërguti, Social Democratic Party
- Mr Srdjan Mitrović, Serb List
Substitutes:
- Mr Gani Dreshaj, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, substitute for Mr Haliti
- Mr Ismet Beqiri, Democratic League of Kosovo, substitute for Ms Dërguti
- Ms Müfera Srbica-Şinik, Kosovo Turkish Democratic Party, substitute for Mr Mitrović
1.3. Composition of the Monitoring Committee, the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
1.3.1. Monitoring Committee
The Bureau:
- on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Ms Branka Stamenkovic (Serbia);
- on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Mr Iulian Bulai (Romania) and Mr František Kopriva (Czech Republic).
1.3.2. Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
The Bureau:
- on the basis of proposals by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr José Badia (Monaco) and Mr Volodymyr Ariev (Ukraine);
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed Mr Martin Whitfield (United Kingdom);
- on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Mr Serhii Kiral (Ukraine);
- on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Anne Kalmari (Finland) and Mr Robert Troy (Ireland);
- on the basis of a proposal by the FDG Group, appointed Mr Elshad Hasanov (Azerbaiijan);
- nominated Mr Alvise Maniero (Italy, NR) as a member.
1.3.3. Committee on the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights
The Bureau:
- on the basis of proposals by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Ms Alina Ștefania Gorghiu (Romania) and Mr Sergiy Vlasenko (Ukraine) as members; and Mr Corneliu Mugurel Cozmanciuc (Romania) as an alternate;
- on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed Lord Donald Anderson (United Kingdom) and Mr Titus Corlăţean (Romania) as members; and Mr André Vallini (France) as an alternate;
- on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Sir Christopher Chope (United Kingdom) as a member; Mr Kostiantyn Usov (Ukraine) and Lord David Blencathra (United Kingdom) as alternates;
- on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Mr Olivier Becht (France), Mr Edmon Marukyan (Armenia) and Ms Olena Sotnyk (Ukraine) as members; and Ms Emilie Enger Mehl (Norway) as an alternate.