Progress report | Doc. 15263 Add. 1 | 17 April 2021

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (16 April 2021)

Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur : Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD

1. Decisions of the Bureau of 16 April 2021 requiring ratification by the Assembly

1.1. References and transmissions to committees

The Bureau considered and approved the following references:

• Doc. 15232, Motion for a resolution, 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention: what would Europe be like without the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees?: reference to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report
• Doc. 15239, Motion for a resolution, Tax justice for families with children to prevent intergenerational poverty: no further action
• Doc. 15257, Motion for a resolution, Covid passes or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report and to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for opinion

1.2. Composition of the Monitoring Committee and of 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 EC/DA group, appointed Mr. Markus WIECHEL (Sweden) as a member.

1.2.2. Committee on the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights

The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the SOC group, appointed Ms Marietta KARAMANLI (France) as a substitute.

1.3. Election observation

1.3.1. Armenia: early parliamentary elections (20 June 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.

1.4. Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Belgium and Poland

The Bureau took note of an exchange of letters between the President of the Assembly and the Chairperson of the Polish delegation.

It also took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the election of judges concerning the list of candidates for the posts of judges to the Court in respect of these countries, including its decision to reject the list in respect of Poland, subject to ratification by the Assembly in the Progress report (Doc. 15263 Addendum 2).

The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.

2. Other decisions by the Bureau

2.1. Second part-session of 2021 (Strasbourg, 19-22 April)

2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure

The Bureau took note of the requests tabled by the five political groups to hold debates under urgent procedure on:

• The arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny in January 2021 and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and to refer the matter to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights;
• The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and to refer the matter to the Monitoring Committee.

2.1.2. Requests for current affairs debate

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the ALDE Group to hold a current affairs debate on Covid passes or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and appointed Mr Damien Cottier (ALDE, Switzerland) as the first speaker.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the EPP/CD Group to hold a current affairs debate on Armenian prisoners of war, other captives and displaced persons and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold this debate and appointed Mr Alain Milon (EPP/CD, France) as the first speaker.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development to hold a current affairs debate on Covid-19 vaccination certificates: how to protect public health and human rights? and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold this debate.

The Bureau took note of the request tabled by the Ukrainian delegation to hold a current affairs debate on Russian threat to the pursuit of peace in Europe and decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold this debate.

2.1.3. Draft agenda

The Bureau updated the draft agenda, and taking into account the agenda of the second part-session as well as the high number of registered speakers, invited the rapporteurs of the Assembly to shorten the presentation of their reports in the Plenary to a total of 10 minutes.

2.1.4. Joint Committee (videoconference, 26 April, from 9.30 to 10.30 am)

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 (29 January 2021 – 15 April 2021) (Rapporteur: Mr Aleksander Pociej, Poland, EPP/CD)

The Bureau approved the Progress report (Doc. 15263).

2.3. Election observation

2.3.1. Bulgaria: parliamentary elections (4 April 2021)

The Bureau took note of the statement by the observation mission.

2.3.2. Albania: parliamentary elections (25 April 2021)

The Bureau approved the revised final list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 1).

2.3.3. Palestine: parliamentary elections (22 May 2021)

The Bureau approved the final list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 2).

2.3.4. Palestine: Presidential election (31 July 2021)

The Bureau decided to postpone its consideration to its next meeting.

2.4. Communications

The Bureau took note of the written communications by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and held an exchange of views with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

2.5. Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2021

The Bureau considered the nominations proposals stemming from the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights as set up in Appendix 3 and decided to approve them.

2.6. Issues raised by committees

2.6.1. Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons

The Bureau took note of the request by the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons about draft terms of reference of a General Rapporteur on Missing refugee and migrant children in Europe, asked the Secretariat to prepare an information memorandum on the terms of references of General Rapporteurs and agreed to consider this matter at one of its forthcoming meetings.

2.7. Other business

2.7.1. Standing Committee, 28 May 2021

The Bureau took note that the Standing Committee meeting would be held by videoconference.

2.7.2. Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

The Bureau took note of the prolongation of the deadline to submit candidatures to the 2021 edition of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, until 30 June 2021.

Appendix 1 – Albania: parliamentary elections (25 April 2021) – List of members of the ad hoc committee

Chairperson / Président: Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne

Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)

• Ms / Mme Marina BERLINGHIERI, Italy / Italie
• Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche**
• Mr / M. Krzystof ŚMISZEK, Poland / Pologne
• Ms / Mme Margreet De BOER, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
• Mr / M. Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain / Espagne**
• Ms / Mme Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland / Suisse
• Mr / M. Givi MIKANADZE, Georgia / Géorgie

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)

• Ms / Mme Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ, Lithuania / Lituanie
• Mr / M. Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania / Roumanie**
• Ms / Mme Marie-Christine DALLOZ, France**
• Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne** (P)
• Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)

• Mr / M. Frédéric PETIT, France (P)
• Mr / M. Jean-Pierre GRIN, Switzerland / Suisse
• Ms / Mme Lesia ZABURANNA, Ukraine

European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance démocratique (CE/AD)

• Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie ** (P)
• Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne**

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)

• Mr / M. Andrej HUNKO, Germany / Allemagne** (P)

Venice Commission / Commission de Venise

• Ms / Mme Renata TARDIOLI, Member / membre

** has participated in at least 2 missions / a participé à au moins 2 missions

(P) pre-electoral mission / mission préélectorale

Appendix 2 – Palestine: parliamentary elections (22 May 2021) – List of members of the ad hoc committee

Chairperson / Président: Mr / M. Claude KERN, France

Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)

• Mr / M. Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania / Roumanie **
• Ms / Mme Jette CHRISTENSEN, Norway / Norvège
• Mr / M. Thomas HAMMARBERG, Sweden / Suède
• Ms / Mme Róisín GARVEY, Ireland / Irlande
• Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse **
• Mr / M. Lars Aslan RASMUSSEN, Denmark / Danemark
• ...

Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s

• Mr / M. Roberto RAMPI, Italy / Italie **
• Mr / M. André VALLINI, France **
• Ms / Mme Marina BERLINGHIERI, Italy / Italie
• Mr / M. Fourat BEN CHIKHA, Belgium / Belgique
• Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche **
• Mr / M. Krzysztof ŚMISZEK, Poland / Pologne
• Mr / M. Didier MARIE, France
• Ms / Mme Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland / Suisse
• Ms / M. Bela BACH, Germany / Allemagne
• Mr / M. Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino / Saint-Marin

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)

• Ms / Mme Deborah BERGAMINI, Italy / Italie
• Ms / Mme Kamila GASIUK-PIHOWICZ, Poland / Pologne
• Ms / Mme Marianne MARET, Switzerland / Suisse
• Mr / M. Birgir THÓRARINSSON, Iceland / Islande **
• Mr / M. Attila TILKI, Hungary / Hongrie **
• Mr / M. Frank HEINRICH, Germany / Allemagne

Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s

• Mr / M. Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania / Roumanie **
• Mr / M. Zsolt CSENGER-ZALÁN, Hungary / Hongrie
• Mr / M. Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria / Autriche **
• Mr / M. Killion MUNYAMA, Poland / Pologne
• Mr / M. Joseph O’REILLY, Ireland / Irlande **
• Mr / M. Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland / Pologne
• Mr / M. Francesco SCOMA, Italy / Italie
• Mr / M. Aleksander STOKKEBØ, Norway / Norvège
• Mr / M. Raivo TAMM, Estonia / Estonie *
• Mr / M. Krzysztof TRUSKOLASKI, Poland / Pologne

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)

• Ms / Mme Petra STIENEN, Netherlands / Pays-Bas
• Mr / M. Jacques MAIRE, France
• Mr / M. Claude KERN, France **

Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s

• Ms / Mme Emilie Enger MEHL, Norway / Norvège **
• Ms / Mme Fiona O'LOUGHLIN, Ireland / Irlande
• Ms / Mme Nicole DURANTON, France **
• Mr / M. Dara CALLEARY, Ireland / Irlande
• Ms / Mme Alexandra LOUIS, France **
• Mr / M. Hovannes IGITYAN, Armenia / Arménie
• Mr / M. Damien COTTIER, Switzerland / Suisse
• Mr / M. Fabien GOUTTEFARDE, France

European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des conservateurs européens et Alliance démocratique (CE/AD)

• Mr / M. Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy / Italie **
• Mr / M. Ulrich OEHME, Germany / Allemagne **
• Mr / M. Axel KASSEGGER, Austria / Autriche

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)

• Mr / M. Georgios KATROUGKALOS, Greece / Grèce **

Substitutes / Suppléant·e·s

• Mr / M. Momodou Malcolm JALLOW, Sweden / Suède
• Ms / Mme Nina KASIMATI, Greece / Grèce

Venice Commission / Commission de Venise

Secretariat / Secrétariat

* declaration missing / déclaration manquante

** has participated in at least 2 missions / a participé à au moins 2 missions

Appendix 3 – Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2021

Body / Organe	who represents the Assembly / qui représente l'Assemblée	reference	2021
I. Council of Europe bodies / Organes du Conseil de l'Europe
European Commission for Democracy through Law Venice Commission Commission européenne pour la démocratie par le droit – Commission de Venise	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau to attend the sessions of the Commission Représentants de l'Assemblée désignés par le Bureau pour assister aux sessions de la Commission	Article 2.4 of the Venice Commission Statute (Res CM (2002) 3) Article 2.4 du statut de la Commission de Venise (Rés CM (2002) 3)	Members: Mr Boriss Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC) Appointment by the President Ms Alexandra Louis (France, ALDE) (AS/Jur) Substitute: Mr Constantinos Efstathiou (Cyprus, SOC) (AS/Jur)
Council for Democratic Elections of the Venice Commission Conseil des élections démocratiques de la Commission de Venise	Representatives of AS/Pol, AS/Jur and AS/Mon approved by the Bureau of the Assembly Représentants de l’AS/Pol, l’AS/Jur et l’AS/Mon approuvés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée	Bureau decision of 10 March 2003 Décision du Bureau du 10 mars 2003	Members: Ms María Valentina Martínez Ferro (Spain, EPP/CD) (AS/Pol) Mr Antonio Gutiérrez (Spain, SOC) (AS/Jur) Mr Aleksander Pociej (Poland, EPP/CD) (AS/Mon) Substitutes: Mr Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC) (AS/Pol) Mr Givi Mikanadze (Georgia, SOC) (AS/Jur) Ms Jette Christensen (Norway, SOC) (AS/Mon)
European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity North-South Centre Centre européen pour l’interdépendance et la solidarité mondiales – Centre Nord-Sud	Two members of the Executive Council – appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly Deux membres du Conseil exécutif – désignés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée	Article 4.2 (b) of the North-South Centre revised Statute (Res CM (2011) 6) Article 4.2 (b) du statut révisé du Centre Nord-Sud (Rés CM (2011) 6)	Members: Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) (AS/Soc) Mr Luís Leite Ramos (Portugal, EPP/CD) (AS/Cult) Substitutes: Ms Emine Nur Günay (Turkey, EC) (AS/Soc) Lord Alexander Dundee (United Kingdom, EC/DA) (AS/Cult)
European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance ECRI Commission européenne contre le racisme et l’intolérance – ECRI	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau (representatives of the following three committees: AS/Pol, AS/Ega and AS/Cult) Représentants de l’Assemblée désignés par le Bureau (représentants des trois commissions suivantes: AS/Pol, AS/Ega et AS/Cult)	Article 5 of the ECRI Statute (Res CM (2002) 8) Article 5 du statut de l’ECRI (Rés CM (2002) 8)	Members: Ms Yelyzaveta Yasko (Ukraine, EPP/CD) (AS/Pol) Mr Sos Avetisyan (Armenia, SOC) (AS/Cult) Mr Momodou Malcolm Jallow (Sweden, UEL) (AS/Ega) Substitutes: Mr Mehmet Mehdi Eker (Turkey, NR) (AS/Pol) Mr Fourat Ben Chikha (Belgium, SOC) (AS/Ega) Ms Marta González Vázquez (Spain, EPP/CD) (AS/Cult)
Group of States against Corruption GRECO Groupe d'états contre la corruption – GRECO	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau Un représentant de l'Assemblée désigné par le Bureau	CM decision of 717th meeting in 2000 in accordance with Article 7.2 of the Statute of the GRECO Décision du CM lors de la 717ème réunion en 2000 selon l'Article 7.2. du Statut du GRECO	Member: Ms Marta González (Spain, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur) Substitute: Ms Gökay Akhbulut (Germany, UEL) (AS/Jur)
Committee for Works of Art Comité des œuvres d'art	Two members appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly (at present AS/Cult Committee member and Museum Prize rapporteur) Deux membres désignés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée (actuellement un membre de l'AS/Cult et le rapporteur du Prix du musée)	CM decision of 482nd meeting in 1992 Décision du CM lors de la 482ème réunion en 1992	Members: Lady Eccles (United Kingdom, EC/DA) (AS/Cult) Ms Yuliia Ovchynnykova (Ukraine, ALDE), (AS/Cult)
MONEYVAL	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par le Bureau	Article 4.1 of Resolution CM/Res (2010) 12 Article 4.1 de la Résolution CM/Res (2010) 12	Member: Mr Titus Corlățean (Romania, SOC) (AS/Jur) Substitute: Sir Edward Leigh (United Kingdom, EC/DA) (AS/Jur)
Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property Convention du Conseil de l’Europe sur les infractions visant des biens culturels	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par le Bureau	STCE n°221 CM(2017)32, Chapter V, Article 23.1
II. Other
EUROPA NOSTRA Pan-European Federation for Heritage EUROPA NOSTRA – Fédération paneuropéenne du patrimoine	One member (and substitute) to be nominated by the Assembly – to attend the Federation Council meetings as observer Un membre (et son/sa suppléant/e) qui seront désignés par l'Assemblée pour assister aux réunions du Conseil de la Fédération en tant qu'observateurs	Article 21.4 of the Statute of Europa Nostra	Ms Foteini Pipili (Greece, EPP/CD) (AS/Cult)