Doc. 8159

3 July 1998

International criminal court

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Mark Eyskens and others

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

      The Assembly,

      Considering that the negotiations concerning the establishment of an international criminal court have entered their final stage;

      Considering that the establishment of an effective and universal international court with wide legal and moral authority is a matter of urgency and essential;

      Considering the experience and responsibilities of the Council of Europe and its bodies for protecting human rights and for the supervisory machinery in cases where these are not respected,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers does everything to ensure that the maximum possible benefit is reaped from 50 years of achievement in the human rights field by the Council of Europe and its bodies;

This should be accomplished by establishing an institutional synergy between the Council of Europe and the European Court on the one hand and the new international criminal court on the other;

The Council of Europe and/or its bodies should be able to refer to the international criminal court cases which concern human rights violations and crimes against humanity.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed¹:

Eyskens, Belgium, EPP/CD

Beaufays, Belgium, EPP/CD

Blaauw, Netherlands, LDR

Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR

Diaz de Mera, Spain, EPP/CD

Guirado, Spain, SOC

Kollwelter, Luxembourg, SOC

Maximus, Belgium, SOC

Moeller, Denmark, EDG

Nothomb, Belgium, EPP/CD

Puche, Spain, EPP/CD

Regenwetter, Luxembourg, SOC

Soendergaard, Denmark, UEL

Staes, Belgium, EPP/CD

Theis, Luxembourg, EPP/CD

Van der Maelen, Belgium, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic and Reformers Group

LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group