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Doc. 8424
June 1999
Honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine
Report
Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)
Rapporteurs: Mr Tunne Kelam (Estonia, Group of the European People's Party)
Mrs Hanne Severinsen (Denmark, Liberal, Democratic and Reformers' Group)
Summary
Ukraine joined the Council of Europe on 9 November 1995 and entered into a number of commitments.
In January 1999 the Assembly adopted Resolution 1179 and Recommendation 1395, in which it noted that Ukraine had honoured some of its obligations and commitments as a member state of the Council of Europe. At the same time, it was "deeply concerned by the slow pace at which the state is fulfilling its remaining obligations and commitments".
This is the reason why the Assembly decided on 27 January 1999 that, should substantial progress not be made by 21 June 1999, it shall proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation and recommend to the Committee of Ministers to proceed to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation.
During their exchanges of views with the Ukrainian delegation in April in Strasbourg and during their fact-finding visit to Kyiv on 9 – 12 May 1999, the rapporteurs could not see any substantial progress. However, on 14 May 1999 the President of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine addressed instructions to the relevant parliamentary committees regarding steps to be taken towards the honouring of certain obligations and commitments of Ukraine. It is to be hoped that action will follow.
I. Draft resolution
. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 1179 on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine adopted on 27 January 1999, in which it "considers that the Ukrainian authorities, including the Verkhovna Rada, are responsible to a great extent for the failure to respect the commitments Ukraine entered into when becoming a member of the Council of Europe, in particular those aiming at adopting within a year of accession:
- a framework act on the legal policy of Ukraine for the protection of human rights;
- a framework act on legal and judicial reforms;
- a new criminal code and code of criminal procedure;
- a new civil code and code of civil procedure;
- a new law on political parties, while a new law on elections has already been adopted.
Moreover, Ukraine committed itself to ratify within three years from the time of accession (9 November 1995) Protocol No. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty; the deadline is now over and the protocol has not been ratified. Futhermore, Ukraine has not honoured its commitment to ratify, within one year of accession, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
This is the reason why the Assembly decides that, should substantial progress in honouring these commitments not be made by the opening of its June 1999 part-session, it shall:
i. proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with;
ii. recommend that the Committee of Ministers proceed to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation, in conformity with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe."
2. It concludes from the report submitted by its Monitoring Committee that no substantial progress has been achieved by 20 May 1999 in the above-mentioned areas. However, it takes note of the fact that on 14 May 1999 the President of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine addressed instructions to the relevant parliamentary committees regarding steps to be taken towards the honouring of certain obligations and commitments of Ukraine.
3. In the absence of substantial progress by 21 June 1999, the Assembly decides that the procedure for annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation must be started in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with.
4. Therefore, it proposes that the members of the Ukrainian delegation be deprived of tabling official documents in the sense of Rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure, taking on duties and voting in the Assembly and its bodies, while maintaining those members' rights to attend and to speak at Assembly part-sessions and meetings of its bodies.
5. The Assembly decides to transmit this resolution to the European Parliament, the European Commission, the OSCE, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and the Social Development Fund (as regards the social and economic re-integration of the Crimean Tatars) and invites them to take its provisions into account in their co-operation with Ukraine, in order to help the country overcome the above-mentioned problems.
II. Draft recommendation
. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 1179 on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine adopted on 27 January 1999, in which it "considers that the Ukrainian authorities, including the Verkhovna Rada, are responsible to a great extent for the failure to respect the commitments Ukraine entered into when becoming a member of the Council of Europe, in particular those aiming at adopting within a year of accession:
- a framework act on the legal policy of Ukraine for the protection of human rights;
- a framework act on legal and judicial reforms;
- a new criminal code and code of criminal procedure;
- a new civil code and code of civil procedure;
- a new law on political parties, while a new law on elections has already been adopted.
Moreover, Ukraine committed itself to ratify within three years from the time of accession (9 November 1995) Protocol No. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty; the deadline is now over and the protocol has not been ratified. Furthermore, Ukraine has not honoured its commitment to ratify, within one year of accession, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
This is the reason why the Assembly decides that, should substantial progress in honouring these commitments not be made by the opening of its June 1999 part-session, it shall:
i. proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with;
ii. recommend that the Committee of Ministers proceed to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation, in conformity with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe."
2. It concludes from the report submitted by its Monitoring Committee that no substantial progress has been achieved by 20 May 1999 in the above-mentioned areas. However, it takes note of the fact that on 14 May 1999 the President of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine addressed instructions to the relevant parliamentary committees regarding steps to be taken towards the honouring of certain obligations and commitments of Ukraine.
3. In the absence of substantial progress by 21 June 1999, the Assembly decides that the procedure for annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation must be started in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with.
4. Therefore, it proposes that the members of the Ukrainian delegation be deprived of tabling official documents in the sense of Rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure, taking on duties and voting in the Assembly and its bodies, while maintaining those members' rights to attend and to speak at Assembly part-sessions and meetings of its bodies.
5. While inviting the Committee of Ministers to reinforce the programmes of Activities for the Development and Consolidation of Democratic Stability (ADACS) for Ukraine, in order to help the country overcome the problems mentioned above, in particular as regards the training of judges and the social and economic re-integration of the Crimean Tatars, it also recommends that the Committee of Ministers proceed to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation, in conformity with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe.
III. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Kelam and Mrs Severinsen
1. On 27 January 1999, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted unanimously Resolution 1179 and Recommendation 1395 on "honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine".
2. The main provisions of the Resolution were the following:
"The Assembly considers that the Ukrainian authorities, including the Verkhovna Rada, are responsible to a great extent for the failure to respect the commitments Ukraine entered into when becoming a member of the Council of Europe, in particular those aiming at adopting within a year of accession:
- a framework act on the legal policy of Ukraine for the protection of human rights;
- a framework act on legal and judicial reforms;
- a new criminal code and code of criminal procedure;
- a new civil code and code of civil procedure;
- a new law on political parties, while a new law on elections has already been adopted.
Moreover, Ukraine committed itself to ratify within three years from the time of accession (9 November 1995) Protocol No. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty; the deadline is now over and the protocol has not been ratified. Futhermore, Ukraine has not honoured its commitment to ratify, within one year of accession, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
This is the reason why the Assembly decides that, should substantial progress in honouring these commitments not be made by the opening of its June 1999 part-session, it shall:
i. proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with;
ii. recommend that the Committee of Ministers proceed to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation, in conformity with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe."
3. In the above-mentioned Recommendation, the Assembly "strongly recommends to the Committee of Ministers that the Assembly's concerns be reflected in the programmes of Activities for the Development and Consolidation of Democratic Stability (ADACS) for Ukraine, to help the country overcome the problems mentioned above, in particular as regards the training of judges, and that, in due course, it draw all the necessary conclusions from the development of the situation in Ukraine, including measures under Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe."
4. At the exchange of views the rapporteurs had with the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation during the January 1999 part-session of the Assembly, Mr Oliynyk, Chairman of the delegation, gave written information on the state of respect of Ukraine's obligations and commitments.
5. As regards the seven issues underlined in Resolution 1179, the situation was the following:
25 January 1999
State of the implementation of the commitments
envisaged in the Opinion No. 190 (1995) on the application by Ukraine for membership of the
Council of Europe
|
Commitments of Ukraine |
Terms of the implementation |
State of the implementation |
Measures taken by the Ukrainian authorities on the implementation |
- a framework-act on the legal policy of Ukraine for the protection of human rights |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the Ministry of Justice completes the elaboration of the draft Conception on the state policy on protection of human rights for the repeated submission to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
- a framework-act on the legal and judicial reforms |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the relevant Ukrainian bodies complete drafting Conception of judicial and legal reform. - in July 1998 the draft Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
- a new criminal code and code of criminal procedure |
November 1996 |
being done |
|
|
Criminal code Code of Criminal Procedure |
- the draft Criminal Code of Ukraine was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the first reading in September 1998. Now this draft is prepared to the second reading of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. - the draft Code of Criminal Procedure was studied by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. According to the decision of the Cabinet Ministers of Ukraine of 18 July 1998 the elaboration of the final draft of this Code was postponed to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" and Criminal Code. | ||
- a new civil code and code of civil procedure Civil Code Code of Civil Procedure |
November 1996 |
being done |
- on 5 June 1997 the draft Civil code was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the first reading. Special ad hoc commission was created by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for preparing the above-mentioned draft for the second reading. - the draft Code of Civil Procedure was prepared by the Supreme Court of Ukraine. According to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the elaboration of the final draft Code of Civil Procedure was postponed to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" and Civil Code. |
- a new law on political parties |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the draft Law of Ukraine "On Political Parties" was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the second reading on January 13, 1998. |
12.II. to sign within one year and ratify within three years from the time of accession Protocol No. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty in time of peace, and with immediate effect from the day of accession to put into place a moratorium on executions |
- November 9, 1995: on introduction of a moratorium on executions - November 1998: on ratification of the Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights |
being done |
- since March 11, 1997 the moratorium is existing "de facto"; - on May 5, 1997 Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights was signed; - on October 9, 1997 the President of Ukraine submitted the draft law on ratification of Protocol No. 6 to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - on October 10, 1997 during the Second Summit of the Council of Europe the President of Ukraine confirmed to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly the existence "de facto" in Ukraine since March 11, 1997 of the moratorium and the strict compliance with it; - on March 11, 1998 according to the Assignment of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine registers on executions of capital punishment – death-penalty was declassified; - in April 1998 Mrs S. STANIK, the Minister of Justice of Ukraine, submitted to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe statistical data on persons sentenced to the capital punishment from the moment of accession of Ukraine to the Council of Europe; - in September 1998 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved in the first reading draft Criminal Code in which the death penalty had been replaced by imprisonment for life; - in December 1998 the President of Ukraine submitted repeatedly the draft law on ratification of the Protocol No. 6 to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - in the first part of February 1999 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will consider the draft law of Ukraine on introduction of moratorium. |
12.VII. to sign and ratify within one year from accession, the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages |
not determined |
being done |
- on May 2, 1996 the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages was signed; - in February 1997 the President of Ukraine submitted the draft Law "On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages" to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - in October 1998 the President of Ukraine submitted repeatedly the draft Law "On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages" to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
6. The rapporteurs had another exchange of views with the Ukrainian delegation during the April 1999 part-session of the Assembly. They were provided with the following written information concerning the seven above-mentioned issues:
26 April 1999
State of the implementation of the commitments
envisaged in the Opinion No. 190 (1995) on the application by Ukraine for membership of the
Council of Europe
|
Commitments of Ukraine |
Terms of the implementation |
State of the implementation |
Measures taken by the Ukrainian authorities on the implementation |
- a framework-act on the legal policy of Ukraine for the protection of human rights |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the Ministry of Justice completes the elaboration of the draft Conception on the state policy on protection of human rights for the repeated submission to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
- a framework-act on the legal and judicial reforms |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the relevant Ukrainian bodies complete drafting Conception of judicial and legal reform. - in July 1998 the draft Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
- a new criminal code and code of criminal procedure |
November 1996 |
being done |
|
|
Criminal code Code of Criminal Procedure |
- the draft Criminal Code of Ukraine was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the first reading in September 1998. Now this draft is prepared to the second reading of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. - the draft Code of Criminal Procedure was studied by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. According to the decision of the Cabinet Ministers of Ukraine of 18 July 1998 the elaboration of the final draft of this Code was postponed to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" and Criminal Code. | ||
- a new civil code and code of civil procedure Civil Code Code of Civil Procedure |
November 1996 |
being done |
- on 5 June 1997 the draft Civil code was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the first reading. Special ad hoc commission was created by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for preparing the above-mentioned draft for the second reading. - the draft Code of Civil Procedure was prepared by the Supreme Court of Ukraine. According to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the elaboration of the final draft Code of Civil Procedure was postponed to the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Judiciary" and Civil Code. |
- a new law on political parties |
November 1996 |
being done |
- the draft Law of Ukraine "On Political Parties" was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the second reading on January 13, 1998. |
12.II. to sign within one year and ratify within three years from the time of accession Protocol No. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty in time of peace, and with immediate effect from the day of accession to put into place a moratorium on executions |
- November 9, 1995: on introduction of a moratorium on executions - November 1998: on ratification of the Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights |
being done |
- since March 11, 1997 the moratorium is existing "de facto"; - on May 5, 1997 Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights was signed; - on October 9, 1997 the President of Ukraine submitted the draft law on ratification of Protocol No. 6 to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - on October 10, 1997 during the Second Summit of the Council of Europe the President of Ukraine confirmed to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly the existence "de facto" in Ukraine since March 11, 1997 of the moratorium and the strict compliance with it; - on March 11, 1998 according to the Assignment of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine registers on executions of capital punishment – death-penalty was declassified; - in April 1998 Mrs S. STANIK, the Minister of Justice of Ukraine, submitted to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe statistical data on persons sentenced to the capital punishment from the moment of accession of Ukraine to the Council of Europe; - in September 1998 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved in the first reading draft Criminal Code in which the death penalty had been replaced by imprisonment for life; - in December 1998 the President of Ukraine submitted repeatedly the draft law on ratification of the Protocol No. 6 to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - a group of people's deputies of Ukraine (parliamentarians) lodged to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine an application concerning the constitutionality of the death penalty in relation to the Constitution of Ukraine. |
12.VII. to sign and ratify within one year from accession, the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages |
November 1996 |
being done |
- on May 2, 1996 the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages was signed; - in February 1997 the President of Ukraine submitted the draft Law "On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages" to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; - in October 1998 the President of Ukraine submitted repeatedly the draft Law "On Ratification of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages" to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. |
7. To the regret of the rapporteurs, it appears clearly that no progress whatsoever has been achieved between January and April 1999, with the exception of the application lodged to the Constitutional Court by a group of parliamentarians concerning the constitutionality of the death penalty in relation to the Constitution of Ukraine. The Court's ruling was expected for May 1999.
8. During their fact-finding visit to Ukraine on 9 – 12 May 1999 (the programme appears in Appendix I), the rapporteurs were not informed of any further substantial progress. However, they take note of the fact that on 14 May 1999 the President of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine addressed instructions to the relevant parliamentary committees regarding steps to be taken towards the honouring of certain obligations and commitments of Ukraine (Appendix II). It is to be hoped that action will follow.
9. This is the reason why they conclude that, if no substantial progress is achieved by 21 June 1999 and if the Parliamentary Assembly is to preserve its credibility, it should decide at its June 1999 part-session to "proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation in accordance with Rule 6 of its Rules of Procedure, until these commitments have been fully complied with".
10. In this case, the Assembly should also "recommend to the Committee of Ministers to suspend Ukraine from its right of representation, in conformity with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe".
Appendix I
Programme of the fact-finding visit to Ukraine
(9 – 12 May 1999)
Delegation: Mr T. KELAM, co-rapporteur
Mrs H. SEVERINSEN, co-rapporteur
Mr G. DUFOUR, secretariat
Sunday 9 May 1999
afternoon: arrival of the delegation
7.00 pm meeting with the Ambassador of Hungary and representatives of the Danish and Estonian Embassies
Monday 10 May 1999
9.00 am Mr I. LUBSHENKO, Chairman of the Association of Journalists of Ukraine
10.00 am Mr I. SHTANKO, Head of the State Department on Penalty Execution
11.30 am Mr O. LYASHKO, editor-in-chief of the weekly "Politika"
12.30 pm Mr O. GOROBETS, former editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Pravda Ukrainy" (in the Lukyanovskyi detention centre)
4.15 pm Mr L. KOSSAKIVSKI, MP
5.30 pm Mr Y.OROBETS, MP
6.30 pm Mr M. DJEMILIOV, MP from Crimea
8.00 pm Working dinner with Mr A. PAVLITCHENKO, Director of the Information and Documentation Centre on the Council of Europe, and representatives of NGOs active in the field of human rights
Tuesday 11 May 1999
8.00 am Working breakfast with the Ambassador of Germany
9.00 am Mr O. TKACHENKO, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
10.00 am Mr Z. VOLODYMYR, deputy minister of Justice
10.30 am Members of the Inter-Agency Commission on issues of introduction of the Council of Europe's regulations and standards into Ukraine's legislation
11.30 am Mr M. BILOBLOTSKI, Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine
12.30 pm Mr O. SHTANKO, deputy minister of the Interior
2.30 pm Mr STEFANIUK, first deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine
3.30 pm Mr M. POTEBENKO, General Prosecutor of Ukraine
4.30 pm Mr B. TARASYUK, Minister of Foreign Affairs
6.00 pm Mr M. TERECHENKO, Head of the Kyiv City Electoral Commission
7.00 pm Working dinner offered by Mr B. OLIYNYK, Chairman of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation
9.00 pm Mr M. BRODSKI, newspaper Kyivskye Vedomosti
Wednesday 12 May 1999
8.00 am Working breakfast with Mr C. MAGEE, Head of the OSCE Mission
9.00 am Ukrainian parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
10.00 am Representatives of factions and groups of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
11.00 am Mrs N. KARPACHOVA, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada's Ombudsman
12.00 noon Mr I. TYMCHENKO, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
afternoon: Departure of the delegation.
Appendix II
SUPREME RADA OF UKRAINE
Chairman
14 May 1999
INSTRUCTIONS
To implement Resolution 1179 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the honouring of obligations and commitments entered into by Ukraine upon accession to the Council of Europe and with a view not to proceed to the annulment of the credentials of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation at June 1999 part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe:
1. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Legal Reform – to submit the Draft Resolution of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine "On the Basis for Legal and Judicial Reforms in Ukraine" for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine.
(V. Sirenko; till June 1, 1999)
2. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations – to submit the Draft Resolution of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine "On the Basis for the State Policy of Ukraine in Human Rights Field" for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine.
(G.Udovenko; till June 1, 1999)
3. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations – to submit the Revised Draft Law "On Ratification of the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages" for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine.
(G. Udovenko; till May 24, 1999)
4. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Legal Reform – to submit the Draft Law of Ukraine "On Judicial Structure" for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for the repeated first reading.
(V. Sirenko; till June 1, 1999)
5. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Legal Reform – to submit the Draft Law of Ukraine "On Political Parties" for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for the repeated third reading.
(V. Sirenko; till June 1, 1999)
6. For the Ad Hoc Commission of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Preparation and Preliminary Consideration of the Draft New Wording of the Civil Code of Ukraine in cooperation with the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Legal Reform – to submit the Draft Civil Code of Ukraine for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for the 2nd reading.
(V. Sirenko; till June 1, 1999)
7. For the Committee of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for Legislative Provision of Law Enforcement and Fight against Organised Crime and Corruption – to submit the General and Special Parts of the Draft Criminal Code of Ukraine for consideration to the Supreme Rada of Ukraine for the 2nd reading.
(Y. Karmazin, till June 2, 1999)
8. Mr V. Medvedchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine shall control the execution of the instructions.
O.M. TKACHENKO
Reporting committee: Committee on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Member States.
Reference to committee: Resolution 1115 (1997) of 27 January 1997.
Draft resolution and recommendation adopted by the committee on 20 May 1999.
Members of the committee: MM. Mota Amaral (Chair), Sole Tura (Vice-Chair), Mrs Gelderblom-Lankhout (Vice-Chair), MM. Sinka (Vice-Chair), Akselsen, Atkinson, Averchev, Mrs Aytaman, MM. Bársony, Baumel, Bindig, Brunetti, Columberg, Dagys, Davis, Diana, Dinçer, Domljan, Dumitrescu, Mrs Durrieu, MM. Eltz, Enright, Eörsi, Eversdijk, Frunda, Gjellerod, Glotov, Gross, Gusenbauer, Hornhues, Irmer, Jansson, Jaskiernia, Jurgens, Mrs Kautto, MM. Kelam, Kiratlioglu, Korakas, Kostysky, Koulouris, Kuzmickas, Magnusson, Marmazov, Moeller, Muehlemann, Myrvoll, Nedelciuc, Mrs Nemcova, Mr Pahor, Mrs Poptodorova, Mr Ramirez Pery, Mrs Ringstad, MM. Ruffy, Schwimmer, Mrs Sehnalova, Mrs Severinsen, MM. Shishlov, Smorawinski, Steolea, Mrs Stoyanova, MM. Surjan, Urbain, Valkeniers, Vella, Weyts, Mrs Wohlwend, Mr Xhaferi.
N.B. The names of those members who took part in the meeting are printed in italics.
Secretaries to the committee: Mr Ausems, Mr Dufour and Mrs Chatzivassiliou.