30 June 1995

Doc. 7346

MOTION FOR AN ORDER

on certain provisions governing

the Standing Committee

presented by Mr LAAKSO

and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly notes that the introduction of a fourth annual part-session requires the Standing Committee to meet at least four times a year for the purpose of adopting the agenda and drawing up the draft order of business (Rule 16, paragraphs 4 and 6).

2.       With a view to the increase in the number of part-sessions it is becoming more and more difficult to organise Standing Committee meetings under satisfactory conditions and to comply with the stipulated deadlines for distribution of the reports placed on its agenda (Rule 47, paragraph 8).

3.       In these circumstances, it would appear more rational to review the Standing Committee's working methods and frequency of meetings.

4.       The Assembly nevertheless considers that the Standing Committee should continue to play a major part in trimming the Assembly's agendas. It therefore considers that the Standing Committee should meet at least twice a year. A meeting might take place in spring (May) in a member country at the invitation of a national delegation, and another might be held on the occasion of the autumn ministerial session (November) of the Committee of Ministers to simplify arrangements for the enlarged Joint Committee meeting.

5.       The Assembly further considers that the Bureau of the Assembly might perform the functions assigned to the Standing Committee at present as regards the agenda and order of business of the session.

6.       Therefore the Assembly instructs its Committee on Rules of Procedure to prepare and submit to it a draft amendment of the relevant articles of the Rules of Procedure in order to be able to implement these new provisions at the opening of the January 1996 part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly.

Signed:

Laakso, Finland, UEL

Bokov, Bulgaria, SOC

Schieder, Austria, SOC

Gjellerod, Denmark, SOC

Johnston, United Kingdom, LDR

Baumel, France, EDG

de Puig, Spain, SOC

Seeuws, Belgium, SOC

Fischer, Germany, EPP

La Russa, Italy, EPP

*       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left