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Progress report | Doc. 15213 Add. 1 | 23 January 2021

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (22 January 2021)

Author(s): Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur : Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER, United Kingdom, EC/DA

1. Decisions of the Bureau of 22 January 2021 requiring ratification by the Assembly

1.1. Vice-Presidents of the Assembly in 2021

The Bureau took note of the list of candidates for Vice-Presidents of the Assembly (appendix).

1.2. References and transmissions to committees

The Bureau considered and approved the following references:

  • Doc. 15191, Motion for a resolution, Securing safe medical supply chains: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
  • Doc. 15193, Motion for a resolution, Finding solutions for marital captivity: reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;
  • Doc. 15194, Motion for a resolution, Health and social protection of undocumented workers: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
  • Doc. 15195, Motion for a resolution, Respect for the rule of law and fight against corruption within the Council of Europe: reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report;
  • Doc. 15206, Motion for a resolution, Polarisation of the political environment as a hidden danger of the displacement of the population: transmission to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for information;
  • Doc. 15207, Motion for a resolution, Gradual cultural erasure and other threats to culture: transmission to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for information.

1.2.1. Modification of a reference

The Bureau considered and approved the following modification of a reference:

  • Doc. 14878, Motion for a resolution, Addressing the issue of Daesh foreign fighters and their families returning from Syria and other countries to the member States of the Council of Europe (reference 4452 of 24 June 2019): reference the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for opinion.

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 (2021) 01 Addendum 1).

1.4. Elections observation

1.4.1. Albania: parliamentary elections (25 April 2021, tbc)

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 (SOC-7;EPP/CD-6;EC/DA-3;ALDE-3;UEL-1), as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee; and to conduct a pre-electoral mission.

1.4.2. Palestine: parliamentary elections (22 May 2021)

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 (SOC-7;EPP/CD-6;EC/DA-3;ALDE-3;UEL-1) and to conduct a pre-electoral mission.

1.5. 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 2021, namely Mr Armağan Candan and Mr Özdemir Berova.

The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.

2. Other decisions by the Bureau

2.1. First part-session of 2021 (Strasbourg, 25-28 January)

The Bureau confirmed its decision of 9 December 2020 to hold this part-session in a hybrid manner.

2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a debate under urgent procedure on The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by Ms Jufereva Skuratovski (Estonia, ALDE) and 20 other members of the Assembly, and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a debate under urgent procedure on The worsening situation in Belarus.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance, and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a debate under urgent procedure on Freedom of Expression” (Article 10 of the ECHR) under threat by “Big Tech” Companies, decided to transform this request into a current affairs debate - with the agreement of Mr Liddell Grainger (United Kingdom), Chairperson of the EC/DA Group -, decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate, and appointed Mr Bob De Brabandere (Belgium, EC/DA) as the first speaker of this debate.

2.1.2. Requests for current affairs debate

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Russian delegation and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a current affairs debate on Prohibition of the Russian and other national minorities languages in Ukraine.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Armenian delegation and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a current affairs debate on Unjustifiable delay in repatriation of the Armenia prisoners of war (Po W) and other captives by Azerbaijani authorities as violations of the European International Human Rights Standards.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Ukrainian delegation and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a current affairs debate on The actual human rights situation in temporary occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol during Covid-19 pandemics.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by both the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group and by the Socialists, Democrats and Green Group, decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a current affairs debate on The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021 and to appoint Mr Jacques Maire (France, ALDE) as first speaker in the debate.

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 judges in respect of Greece and Switzerland (Doc. 15213 Add. 2).

2.2. Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (31 January 2020-21 January 2021) (Rapporteur: Mr Ian Liddell Grainger (United Kingdom, EC/DA)

The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc.15213).

2.3. Elections observation

2.3.1. Georgia: parliamentary elections (31 October 2020)

The Bureau approved the report of the ad hoc committee and took note of the cancellation of the post-electoral mission.

2.3.2. Kyrgyzstan: presidential election (10 January 2021)

The Bureau took note of the cancellation of the post-electoral mission.

2.3.3. Bulgaria: parliamentary elections (28 March 2021)

The Bureau took note of the list of members of the ad hoc committee and appointed Mr Alfred Heer (Switzerland, ALDE) as its Chairperson.

2.3.4. Schedule of elections for 2021

The Bureau took note of the calendar.

2.4. Communications

The Bureau took note of the communication by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

2.5. References and transmissions to committees

2.5.1. Request to extend a reference

The Bureau considered and approved the following requests to extend a reference:

  • The honouring of membership obligations to the Council of Europe by Hungary (reference 4446 of 12 April 2019, valid until 12 October 2021) extension until 12 April 2022;
  • The honouring of membership obligations to the Council of Europe by Malta (reference 4447 of 12 April 2019, valid until 12 October 2021) extension until 12 April 2022;
  • The honouring of membership obligations to the Council of Europe by Romania (reference 4448 of 12 April 2019, valid until 12 October 2021) extension until 12 April 2022.

Appendix – Candidatures Vice-Presidents of the Assembly for 2021

(open)

GROUPS / GROUPES

COUNTRY / PAYS

CANDIDATURES

GROUP I / GROUPE I

France

Ms Nicole TRISSE

Germany / Allemagne

Mr Andreas NICK

Italy / Italie

Vacant seat / siège vacant

Russian Federation / Fédération de Russie

Mr Petr TOLSTOI

Turkey / Turquie

Mr Ahmet YILDIZ

United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni

Mr John HOWELL

GROUP II / GROUPE II

Poland / Pologne

Mr Arkadiusz MULARCZYK

Ukraine

Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO

GROUP III / GROUPE III

Czech Republic / République tchèque

Ms Miroslava NĚMCOVÁ

Denmark / Danemark

Mr Lars Aslan RASMUSSEN

Finland / Finlande

Mr Kimmo KILJUNEN

Georgia / Géorgie

Mr Irakli KOBAKHIDZE

Greece / Grèce

Ms Theodora BAKOYANNIS

Hungary / Hongrie

Mr Zsolt NÉMETH

Republic of Moldova / République de Moldova

Vacant seat / siège vacant

Netherlands / Pays-Bas

Vacant seat / siège vacant

GROUP IV / GROUPE IV

Lithuanie / Lituanie

Ms Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ

Luxembourg

Mr Gusty GRAAS

Malta / Malte

Mr Emanuel MALLIA

Monaco

Mr José BADIA