Progress report | Doc. 14968 Add. 1 | 30 September 2019
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (30 September 2019)
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 30 September 2019 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. References and transmissions to committees
1.1.1. References and transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references:
- Doc. 14930, Motion for a resolution, Ukraine failed to live up to its commitments regarding the language rights of national minorities: reference to the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) to be taken into account in the framework of the report on the “Honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine”;
- Doc. 14931, Motion for a resolution, Initiating Assembly contacts with the Somaliland Parliament, with a view to its possible eventual Partnership for Democracy with the Assembly: no further action;
- Doc. 14932, Motion for a resolution, Support for the independent civil society of Azerbaijan: reference to the Monitoring Committee to be taken into account in the framework of the report on the “Honouring of obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan”;
- Doc. 14941, Motion for a resolution, Adopting new tools in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe: transmission to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for information;
- Doc. 14942, Motion for a resolution, Assessing the functioning of the partnership for democracy: reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;
- Doc. 14943, Motion for a resolution, Ways and means to respond to the migratory challenge at all institutional levels: transmission to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for information;
- Doc. 14944, Motion for a resolution, Acting for the health of all through healthy and sustainable food and agriculture: transmission to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for information;
- Doc. 14945, Motion for a resolution, Emergence of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and their necessary apprehension through European human rights law: consultation of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights on possible follow-up;
- Doc. 14946, Motion for a resolution, Best interests of the child and policies to ensure a work-life balance: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14947, Motion for a resolution, Inaction on climate change – a violation of children's rights: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14948, Motion for a recommendation, Artificial intelligence in health care: medical, legal and ethical challenges ahead: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report.
1.1.2. Modification of a reference
The Bureau considered and approved the following modification of a reference:
- Doc. 14925, Motion for a resolution, Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Geneva conventions: the contribution of the Council of Europe to the increasing synergy between International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for opinion.
1.2. 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
1.2.1. Monitoring Committee
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the SOC Group, appointed Mr Antonio Gutiérrez (Spain) and Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland), and on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Alexandra Louis (France).
1.2.2. Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Mr Markus Wiechel (Sweden), on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Nicole Trisse (France) and on the basis of a proposal by the UEL Group, appointed Mr George Loucaides (Cyprus).
1.2.3. Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EC Group, appointed Mr Morten Messerschmidt (Denmark).
1.3. Elections observation
1.3.1. Early parliamentary elections in Belarus (17 November 2019)
The Bureau took note of the invitation letter, decided to observe these elections, and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 7; SOC: 6, EC: 3, ALDE: 3, UEL: 1 - in accordance with the D’Hondt system).
The Assembly is invited to ratify these proposals.
2. Other decisions by the Bureau
2.1. Fourth part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 30 September – 4 October)
2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on Democratic rights violations and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation on the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and took note of the withdrawal of this request by the Group.
The Bureau took note the request tabled by the SOC Group to hold an urgent debate on Saving people in the Mediterranean Sea: the need for an urgent answer and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and to refer the matter to the Committee on migration, refugees and displaced persons.
2.1.2. Requests for current affairs debates
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Mr Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE) on behalf of the ALDE group, to hold a current affairs debate on Democratic rights violations and suppression of peaceful protests in the Russian Federation against the background of elections to the Moscow City Council and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate with Mr Martin Poliačik (Slovak Republic, ALDE) as first speaker.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the SOC Group to hold a current affairs debate on Recent challenges for local democracy in Russian and in Turkey and took note of the withdrawal of this request.
2.1.3. Draft agenda
The Bureau updated the draft agenda.
2.1.4. Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights
The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the election of judges following interviews with candidates for the post of judge in respect of Portugal. This report had been already declassified by the Committee and submitted to the attention of all members of the Assembly (Doc. 14968 Add. 2).
2.1.5. Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 3 October 2019 at 12 noon)
The Bureau took note of the draft agenda and prepared the meeting.
2.2. Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (28 June – 29 September 2019) (Rapporteur: Ms Nicole Trisse (France, ALDE))
The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc. 14968).
2.3. Communications
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.
2.4. Meetings of the Bureau and Standing Committee in Tbilisi (28-29 November 2019)
The Bureau took note of the draft programme and practical information.
2.5. Meetings of the Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2020
The Bureau approved the proposals contained in the Appendix.
Appendix - Meetings of the Standing Committee and the Bureau in 2020
(open)Preliminary proposals for dates
Monday 27 January, 8.00 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 31 January, 8.30 am Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 5 March, 3.00 pm, Paris: Bureau
Friday 6 March, 9.30 am, Paris: Standing Committee
Monday 20 April, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 24 April, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 28 May,3.00 pm, Athens: Bureau
Friday 29 May, 9.00 am, Athens: Standing Committee (CM Chairmanship)
Monday 22 June, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 26 June, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Tuesday 7 September, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau
Monday 12 October, 8.00 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Friday 16 October, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session): Bureau
Thursday 19 November, 3.00 pm, Berlin: Bureau
Friday 20 November, 9.00 am, Berlin: Standing Committee (CM Chairmanship)
Friday 11 December, 9.00 am, Paris: Bureau