Progress report | Doc. 15036 Add. 1 | 27 January 2020
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (27 January 2020)
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 27 January 2020 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. Vice-Presidents of the Assembly in 2020
The Bureau took note of the list of candidates for Vice-Presidents of the Assembly (appendix 1).
1.2. References and transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references:
- Doc. 15011, Motion for a resolution, Discrimination against persons dealing with long-term illness: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report
- Doc. 15014, Motion for a resolution, Legal aspects of the accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report
- Doc. 14945, Motion for a resolution, Emergence of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and their necessary apprehension through European human rights law: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.
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
The Bureau, on the basis of proposals by the political groups, nominated members of these three committees and decided to submit them to the Assembly for ratification (Commissions (2020) 01 Addendum 1).
1.4. Elections observation
1.4.1. North Macedonia: parliamentary elections (12 April 2020)
The Bureau, subject to receiving an invitation, decided to observe these elections and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 6; SOC: 6, ALDE: 4: EC/DA: 3, UEL: 1) as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; and to conduct a pre-electoral mission.
1.4.2. Serbia: parliamentary elections (April 2020)
The Bureau, subject to receiving an invitation, decided to observe these elections and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 6; SOC: 6, ALDE: 4: EC/DA: 3, UEL: 1) as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; and to conduct a pre-electoral mission.
1.5. General Rapporteur for the Protection of Whistleblowers
The Bureau took note of the letter by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and approved the terms of reference of a General Rapporteur for the Protection of Whistleblowers.
1.6. Resolution 1376 (2004) relating to Cyprus
The Bureau took note of the letters from the two Turkish Cypriot political parties informing the President of the Assembly of the names of the "elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community" entitled to sit in the Assembly in 2020, namely Mr Armağan Candan and Mr Özdemir Berova.
1.7. 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 2020 ordinary session and approved the list of the delegation.
Members:
- Ms Arberije Nagavci, Self-Determination Movement, Chairperson of the delegation
- Mr Memli Krasniqi, Democratic Party
- Mr Fikrim Damka, Kosovo Turkish Democratic Party
Substitutes:
- Mr Hykmete Bajrami, Democratic League of Kosovo, substitute for Ms Nagavci
- Ms Albena Reshitaj, Alliance for the future of Kosovo, substitute for Mr Krasniqi
- Ms Emilija Redžepi, Parliamentary Group “Multiethnic”, substitute for Mr Damka
1.8. Modification of the rules of the Europe Prize
The Bureau approved the modification of the Rules of the Europe Prize (appendix 2).
The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.
2. Other decisions by the Bureau
2.1. First part-session of 2020 (Strasbourg, 27-31 January)
2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 25 January 2020 by Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD), on behalf of the EPP/CD Group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on “The implications of Brexit for migration” and took note of the withdrawal of this request.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 26 January 2020 by Mr Frank Schwabe (Germany, SOC), on behalf of the SOC Group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on “International obligations concerning repatriation of children from war and conflict zones” and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate under urgent procedure and to refer the matter to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 26 January 2020 by the EC/DA Group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on “Widespread recurring violence against security, fire and medical services on New Year’s Eve: how to restore trust and the rule of law” and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold this debate.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 26 January 2020 by the EC/DA Group, to hold a debate under urgent procedure on “The Russian Federation and the lack of democracy in the political process” and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold this debate.
2.1.2. Requests for current affairs debate
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 16 January 2020 by Mr Alvise Maniero (Italy, NR), on behalf of the Italian Delegation, to hold a current affairs debate on “Recent developments in Lybia and in the Middle East: what consequences for Europe?” and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this current affairs debate and to appoint Mr Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC) as first speaker in the debate.
The Bureau took note of the request tabled on 20 January 2020 by Mr Tiny Kox (Netherlands, UEL), on behalf of the UEL Group, and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a current affairs debate on “What to do best to help Turkey to get again in line with Council of Europe core values and standards?”.
2.1.3. Draft agenda
The Bureau updated the draft agenda.
2.1.4. Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of France
The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights following interviews with candidates for the post of a judge in respect of France. This report had been already declassified by the committee and submitted to the attention of all members of the Assembly (Doc. 15036 Add. 2).
2.1.5. Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 30 January 2020, 12.00 noon)
The Bureau prepared the meeting.
2.2. Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (4 October 2019 to 26 January 2020)
The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc. 15036).
2.3. Elections observation
2.3.1. Azerbaijan: early parliamentary elections (9 February 2020)
The Bureau approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (appendix 3).
2.4. Communication
The Bureau took note of the communication by the President of the Assembly.
Appendix 1 – Vice-Presidents of the Assembly in 2020
(open)|
GROUPS / GROUPES |
COUNTRY / PAYS |
CANDIDATURES |
|
GROUP I / GROUPE I |
France |
Ms Nicole TRISSE |
|
Germany / Allemagne |
Mr Andreas NICK |
|
|
Italy / Italie |
Mr Alvise MANIERO |
|
|
Russian Federation / Fédération de Russie |
Mr Piotr TOLSTOY |
|
|
Turkey / Turquie |
Mr Akif Çağatay KILIÇ |
|
|
United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni |
Sir Roger GALE |
|
|
GROUP II / GROUPE II |
Spain / Espagne |
Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ |
|
Ukraine |
Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO |
|
|
GROUP III / GROUPE III |
Belgium / Belgique |
Vacant seat / siège vacant |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bosnie-Herzégovine |
Ms Snježana NOVAKOVIĆ BURSAĆ |
|
|
Bulgaria / Bulgarie |
Ms Dzhema GROZDANOVA |
|
|
Croatia / Croatie |
Mr Tomislav TOLUŠIĆ |
|
|
Czech Republic / République tchèque |
Ms Miroslava NEMCOVA |
|
|
Denmark / Danemark |
Mr Lars Aslan RASMUSSEN |
|
|
Finland / Finlande |
Mr Kimmo KILJUNEN |
|
|
Georgia / Géorgie |
Mr Irakli KOBAKHIDZE |
|
|
GROUP IV / GROUPE IV |
Latvia / Lettonie |
Ms Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE |
|
Liechtenstein |
Ms Susanne EBERLE-STRUB |
|
|
Lithuanie / Lituanie |
Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS |
|
|
Luxembourg |
Mr Gusty GRAAS |
Appendix 2 – Europe Prize Rules (changes indicated in bold and italics)
(open)Article 1
A Europe Prize offered by the Council of Europe shall be awarded each year by the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly to one or more municipalities which have in the Committee’s opinion made outstanding efforts to propagate the idea of European unity.
Article 2
The Europe Prize shall consist of a trophy to be held by the winner for one year, a bronze medal, a parchment and scholarship to be spent on a study visit in Europe for one or more young persons resident in the winning municipality.
Article 3
A Plaque of Honour will be awarded to certain municipalities which have already held the Flag of Honour for several years and whose efforts to propagate the idea of European unity are considered worthy of this distinction, ranking just below the Europe Prize.
Article 4
A Flag of Honour is awarded to certain municipalities which deserve an award in recognition of their work in promoting the European idea. These municipalities will usually be selected from among those already holding the European Diploma.
Article 5
A European Diploma will be presented to municipalities whose European merits have been recognised but whose application is too recent for the award of the Flag of Honour.
Article 6
The Committee shall designate the winning municipalities from among those which have submitted applications.
Article 7
Applications from municipalities shall be submitted by the chief officer, mayor or other representative, and must reach the Secretariat General of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg by 15 January. Each application must be accompanied by an account of the measures taken by the municipality to propagate the idea of European unity. Applications submitted prior to the current year remain valid for succeeding years. Municipalities which remain candidates are however asked to supply additional information each year, by 15 January, about their European activities during the year.
Article 8
Applicant municipalities undertake to respect and apply the provisions of presentation referred to in the regulations. Prize-winning municipalities shall endeavour to establish close contacts amongst themselves (Association of Towns awarded the Europe Prize), notably by meeting together periodically in one of their member municipalities.
Article 9
2. For the selection of the winning municipality of the Europe Prize:
2.1 The Sub-Committee shall
vote, by secret ballot, for the
three nominees to be shortlisted from the list of maximum six candidate
municipalities preselected by the Secretariat upon the instructions of
the Sub-Committee’s Bureau. The decision shall be taken by a relative
majority. After the counting of the votes cast, the Chairperson
of the Sub-Committee shall present the shortlist of the three nominated
municipalities for the Prize. In case of a tie resulting in more
than three candidate municipalities, a subsequent vote shall be
held according to the same modalities.
2.2 The Sub-Committee shall then designate the Prize-winning municipality from the shortlist of the three municipalities. The vote shall be taken by secret ballot and the decision shall be taken by an absolute majority of the votes cast. If the absolute majority is not reached, a second round of voting shall be organised, in which a simple majority shall be sufficient.
2.3 For the other awards (European Diploma, Flag of Honour, Plaque of Honour), the vote shall be taken by show of hands.
Appendix 3 – List of members of the ad hoc committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan (9 February 2020)
(open)Chairperson / Président: Mr / M. Frank SCHWABE, Germany / Allemagne (SOC)
Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)
- Mr / M. Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania / Roumanie
- Ms / Mme Alina Ștefania GORGHIU, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. Raivo TAMM, Estonia / Estonie*
- Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne
- Mr / Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne**
- Mr / M. Evripidis STYLIANIDIS, Greece / Grèce***
Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)
- Mr / M. Frank SCHWABE, Germany / Allemagne
- Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse
- Ms / Mme Petra BAYR, Austria / Autriche
- Ms / Mme Edite ESTRELA, Portugal
- Ms / Mme Thorhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR, Iceland / Islande
- Mr / M. Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland / Finlande
- Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie
- Mr / M. Christophe LACROIX, Belgium / Belgique
- Ms / Mme Maryvonne BLONDIN, France
Substitutes / suppléants
- Mr / M. Yunus EMRE, Turkey / Turquie
- Ms / Mme Susana SUMELZO, Spain / Espagne
- Mr / M. Gheorghe-Dinu SOCOTAR, Romania / Roumanie
- Mr / M. André VALLINI, France
- Mr / M. Etienne GRECH, Malta / Malte
- Mr / M. Valeriu Andrei STERIU, Romania / Roumanie
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)
- Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse*
- Mr / M. Bernard CAZEAU, France
- Mr / M. Eerik-Niiles KROSS, Estonia / Estonie
- Mr / M. Zeki Hakan SIDALI, Turkey / Turquie
European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance démocratique (CE/AD)
- Mr / M. Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
- Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie
- Lord Simon RUSSELL, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
- Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne
Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)
- Mr / M. Georgios KATROUGKALOS, Greece / Grèce*
- Mr / M. Sokratis FAMELLOS, Greece / Grèce
Substitutes / suppléants
- Mr / M. Tiny KOX, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
- Ms / Mme Violeta TOMIĆ, Slovenia / Slovénie
Co-Rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)
- Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche*
- Mr / M. Roger GALE, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni
Venice Commission / Commission de Venise
- Mr / M. Oliver KASK, member / membre
- Mr Gaël MARTIN-MICALLEF, Legal advisor, Venice Commission / Conseiller juridique, Commission de Venise
Secretariat / Secrétariat
- Mr Bogdan TORCĂTORIU, Administrative Officer, Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division/ Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération interparlementaire
- Ms Danièle GASTL, Assistant, Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division / Assistante, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération interparlementaire
- Ms Anne GODFREY, Assistant, Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division / Assistante, Division de l’observation des élections et de la coopération interparlementaire
*Member of the pre-electoral mission / membre de la mission pré-électorale
**In anticipation of:
Validation of the credentials of the Polish delegation
Receipt of PACE declaration
Receipt of non-conflict of interest elections declaration
*** In anticipation of:
Receipt of non-conflict of interest elections declaration