Committee of Ministers

Comité des Ministres

Strasbourg, 22 April 1999

CM/Inf (99) 20
[Doc. 8362]

2nd PART OF THE 1999 SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY

(26 - 30 April 1999)

Communication on the activities of the
Committee of Ministers

Statutory report

January - April 1999

*       Statutory reports are available on the Committee of Ministers' Website: www.coe.fr/cm

*       The Internet versions include hyperlinks to all related decisions of the Ministers' Deputies.

CONTENTS

1       Political Developments

1.1       Accession of Georgia to membership of the Council of Europe       5

1.2       Compliance with commitments accepted by member States       5

1.3       Kosovo crisis       5

1.4       Relations with Member States and applicant countries

      1.4.1       Albania       6

      1.4.2       Bosnia and Herzegovina       6

1.5       Relations with the Mexico       6

1.6       Relations with other international bodies

      1.6.1       European Union       7

      1.6.2       OSCE       7

1.7       Global Solidarity Campaign       7

2       Protection of Human Rights - the Conventions

      2.1       European Convention on Human Rights        8

      2.2       European Social Charter        8

      2.3       European Convention for the Prevention of Torture

      and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment       10

      2.4       Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities       11

3       Implementation of the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities

      3.1       Democratic cohesion

      3.1.1       Pluralist democracy

      Equality       12

      Media       12

      Local democracy       12

      3.1.2       Human rights       13

      3.1.3       Rule of Law       14

3.2       Social cohesion and quality of life

      3.2.1       Social policies       17

      3.2.2       Health       18

      3.2.3       Environment       19

      3.3       Cultural cohesion and cultural pluralism

      3.3.1       Education, higher education, culture and heritage

      Education       22

      Higher education       24

      Culture       25

      Heritage       26

      3.3.2       Sport       27

      3.3.3       Youth       28

4       Multilateral activities for the consolidation and development of democratic stability

      4.1       Human rights        30

      4.2       Legal co-operation        31

      4.3       Transfrontier co-operation       32

      4.4       Youth       32

5       Partial Agreements

      5.1       Social Development Fund        33

      5.2       Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field        36

      5.3       European Department for the Quality of Medicines        36

      5.4       Pompidou Group       37

      5.5       EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement       37

      5.6       EURIMAGES       38

      5.7       North-South Centre       38

      5.8       European Commission for Democracy through Law        39

      5.9       Partial Agreement on the Youth Card        40

      5.10       European Audiovisual Observatory        40

      5.11       European Centre for Modern Languages        41

6       Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE)        42

Appendix 1       Action taken on texts adopted by the Assembly       45

Appendix 2       Texts adopted by the Committee of Ministers       47

Appendix 3       Signatures and ratifications of European Treaties (21 January - 21 April)       55

1       Political Developments

1.1       Accession of Georgia to membership of the Council of Europe

At their March meeting (665/2.5) the Deputies adopted Resolution (99) 4 inviting Georgia to become a member of the Council of Europe, referring to Opinion No. 209 (1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly. The accession ceremony, during the latter’s Session, will take place in Strasbourg on 27 April 1999.

1.2       Compliance with commitments accepted by member States of the Council of Europe

At their February meeting (661/1.4) the Deputies, in the context of follow-up action on the final report of the Committee of Wise Persons (see item 1.2 above), agreed on the declassification of future Committee of Ministers’ monitoring reports (national contributions), and to forwarding the latter to the Parliamentary Assembly, commencing with the two themes to be discussed in 1999, namely “capital punishment” and “police and security forces”.

At their March (in camera) meeting (663/2.2), in connection with the theme “Functioning and protection of democratic institutions, including matters relating to political parties and free elections, they instructed the Secretariat to define how ADACS (Activities for the Development and Consolidation of Democratic Stability) and other relevant intergovernmental programmes, including confidence-building projects can be adjusted, reviewed or newly conceived.

1.3       Kosovo crisis

At their April meeting (667/2.1a) the Deputies instructed the Secretariat to pursue without delay, in agreement with the most affected countries in the region and in close contact with the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) as well as the most relevant international and regional organisations and institutions, the planning and implementation of urgent measures to assist in the present humanitarian crisis, in particular by contributing to the registration of refugees and the examination of human rights violations, but also in other fields of competence of the Council of Europe, including all civilian victims. They subsequently took note of the measures taken by the Secretariat to implement these decisions, in particular in assisting in drawing up of an identity document for the refugees and in promoting a training programme for those in charge of registering and investigating violations of human rights. Additional action in favour of the most affected group of refugees (children and women) are also under consideration.

The Committee of Ministers also took note and appreciated the decisions adopted by the Social Development Fund for supporting humanitarian action in favour of the Kosovo refugees. Finally, the Committee of Ministers authorised the holding of an extraordinary meeting of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Legal Aspects of Territorial Asylum, Refugees and Stateless Persons (CAHAR) on the situation in Kosovo to take place on 26-27 April.

In addition, on 18 March – i.e. before the humanitarian crisis –, the Deputies held an exchange of views on higher education problems with civil society delegations from Pristina and Belgrade.

1.4       Relations with member States and applicant countries

1.4.1       Albania (see also “Kosovo crisis, above)

At their February/March meeting (661/2.1a) the Deputies authorised the Secretariat to conclude with the Albanian authorities a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Office of the Secretariat in Tirana.

Subsequently, at their March meeting (665/2.4), they took note of a report, covering the period July 1998 to March 1999, presented by Mr Andreas Papaconstantinou, outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary General in Tirana, and welcomed his successor, Mrs Reyhan Akant.

Following the crisis in Kosovo, measures have been taken by the Secretariat to reinforce the capacities (including staff) of the Secretariat Office in Tirana, in order to assist in the implementation of the activities of the Council of Europe in favour of the Kosovo refugees.

1.4.2       Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 29 January, the Deputies held an exchange of views with Mr Carlos Westendorp, High Representative. Subsequently a high-level visit to Sarajevo by the Chairman-in-Office, Mr János Martonyi, Foreign Minister of Hungary, and the Secretary General, was postponed, since it proved impossible to meet with the common institutions of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina on that occasion.

In a press communiqué issued on 12 March, they expressed the hope that they would be able to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as possible, and their continued readiness to do so, as well as the Council of Europe’s firm desire to see Bosnia and Herzegovina making progress in the consolidation of the common State institutions, with the full participation of both Entities and the three main communities.

1.5       Relations with Mexico

At their April meeting (667/2.4) the Deputies decided to seek the opinion of the Parliamentary Assembly on Mexico’s request for observer status in accordance with Statutory Resolution (93) 26 on observer status.

1.6       Relations with other international bodies

1.6.1       Relations with the European Union

The 13th European Union / Council of Europe Quadripartite meeting was held in Strasbourg on 10 February at the invitation of the President of the Council of the European Union and State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Mr Günter Verheugen, with the European Commission represented by Mr Hans van den Broek; the Council of Europe side was represented by Ambassador János Perényi, representing the Chairman-in-Office, and the Secretary General, Mr Daniel Tarschys.

The meeting discussed topical questions including implementation of the Action Plan adopted by the Second Council of Europe Summit in the light of the Report of the Committee of Wise Persons, and the situation in Southeast Europe, including Kosovo.

A press release (ref. 677(99)) was issued after the meeting, follow-up to which was discussed at the Deputies’ February/March meeting (661/2.3).

1.6.2       Relations with the OSCE

At their February meeting (658/2.3) the Deputies took note of follow-up to the high-level “2+2” meeting, held in Strasbourg on 26 January, at the invitation of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebæk, and the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, János Martonyi, as well as the Secretaries General of both Organisations, Mr Giancarlo Aragona and Mr Daniel Tarschys.

Matters discussed included Southeast Europe, and several countries where the two Organisations cooperate, and also the proposal of the Committee of Wise Persons for the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

Subsequently in April, the Deputies (667/2.3) held an exchange of views with Secretary General Aragona. They also approved (662/2.3) the agenda for a joint meeting envisaged in Vienna, with the participation of high officials and experts from capitals, representatives of the Permanent Missions in Vienna and Strasbourg and representatives of the respective secretariats.

This meeting, originally envisaged for 29 March, but postponed at the request of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office because of the Kosovo crisis, will consider procedures for monitoring of commitments as well as wider cooperation between the two Organisations.

1.7       Global Solidarity Campaign

In April (667/1.6) the Ministers' Deputies agreed to extend the duration of the Campaign to mid-2000, subject to adequate funding.

2        Protection of Human Rights - the Conventions

2.1       European Convention on Human Rights

      Signatures and ratifications¹

      Protocol no. 6 to the Convention was signed by the United Kingdom.

      The European Agreement relating to persons participating in proceedings of the Court was ratified by Luxembourg and Romania and signed by Liechtenstein without reservation as to ratification.

      Protocol no. 6 to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities was signed by Liechtenstein and Turkey and ratified by Romania and Spain.

      Applications of articles 32 and 54 of the Convention

      A list of resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers under the application of Articles 32 and 54 of the Convention appears in Appendix 2 of the present report. The texts of the resolutions are published in the Official Gazette of the Council of Europe.

2.2       European Social Charter

      Signatures and ratifications

      On 8 March Croatia signed the European Social Charter, the Additional Protocol to the Charter, the Amending protocol to the Charter and the Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints.

Committee of Ministers

      In March (662/4.2) the Deputies examined the recommendations proposed by the Governmental Committee in its last report (14th cycle – part I) and adopted the following:

- Resolution ChS (99) 2 on the application of the European Social Charter over the period 1994-96

-        Recommendation No. R ChS (99) 1 on the application of the European Social Charter by Austria (reference period 1994 - 96) which is invited to extend to nationals of all Contracting Parties to the Charter the right to be elected to work councils in order to fully comply with Article 5 (right to organise)

-       Recommendation No. R ChS (99) 2 on the application of the European Social Charter by Ireland (reference period 1994 - 96) which is invited to modify the conditions for obtaining a negotiation licence as well as law and practice in relation to the right not to join a trade union in order to fully comply with Article 5 (right to organise) and with Article 6 paragraph 2 (promotion of machinery for collective bargaining)

      Committee of Independent Experts

At the 160th session, 8 - 12 March, the Committee declared admissible complaint No.1/1998 lodged by the International Commission of Jurists against Portugal. It concerns the implementation of Article 7 paragraph 1 of the Charter (prohibition of employment of children aged less than 15 years).

It also adopted the reporting system for the revised Charter.

Governmental Committee

At the 90th session (25-29 January), the Committee adopted its Report to the Committee of Ministers (14th cycle – part I). It commenced its examination of Conclusions XIV-2, which concerns half of the non hard-core provisions of the Charter, i.e.:

-       Article 2 (right to just conditions of work)

-       Article 3 (right to safe and healthy working conditions)

-       Article 4 (right to a fair remuneration)

-       Article 9 (right to vocational guidance)

-       Article 10 (right to vocational training)

-       Article 15 (right of physically or mentally disabled persons to vocational training, rehabilitation and social resettlement)

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

Within the Activities for Developing and Consolidating Democratic Stability (ADACS), several seminars were held in anticipation of the ratification of the Social Charter or the revised Social Charter:

-       in Bucharest, Romania, 23 - 24 February

-       in Sofia, Bulgaria, 24 - 25 February

- in Skopje, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 25 - 26 February

or with a view to preparing the first report on the implementation of the Charter:

-       Warsaw, Poland, 24 - 25 February (first report to be submitted on 30 June)

2.3       European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

http://www.cpt.coe.fr

      Signatures, ratifications and entry into force

      The Convention (1987) - ETS.126

      Entry into force: Lithuania, 1 March

      Protocol No.1 of the Convention (1993) - ETS.151

      Ratification by Italy, 8 March

      Protocol No.2 of the Convention (1993) - ETS.152

      Ratification by Italy, 8 March

Activities

      The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out visits to the following States:

-       Netherlands (Antilles), 25 - 29 January

-       Latvia, 24 January - 3 February

-       Romania, 24 January - 5 February

-       Turkey, 28 February - 3 March

Publications

      Reports of visits and responses from governments:

-       Report on the visit to Iceland in 1998 [CPT/Inf (99) 1 - EN]

-       Report on the visit to Turkey in 1997 [CPT/Inf (99) 2 - EN] and the Turkish Government’s response [CPT/Inf (99) 3 - EN]

-       Report on the visit to Sweden in 1998 and the Swedish Government's response [CPT/Inf (99) 4 - EN]

- Interim response of the Dutch Government to the report on the 1997 visit [CPT/Inf (99) 5 - EN]

- Interim response of the Belgian Government to the report on the 1997 visit
[CPT/Inf (99) 6 - FR]

2.4       Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

      Signatures, ratifications and entry into force of the Convention (1995) - ETS.157

      Ratification by:

-       Norway, 17 March

      Entry into force:

-       Switzerland, 1 February

In March (662/4.3) the Ministers’ Deputies made appointments of ordinary members of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention in respect of Finland (Mrs Elisabeth Tigerstedt-Tähtelä) and Malta (Mr Noël Buttigieg Scicluna). As a result, the maximum number of 18 ordinary members had been appointed to the Advisory Committee. The Deputies also elected an expert in respect of the Russian Federation (Mr Stanislav Tchernitchenko) to the list of experts eligible to serve on the Advisory Committee.

3       Implementation of the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities

3.1       Democratic cohesion

3.1.1       Pluralist democracy

Equality

      Publications

-       Gender mainstreaming: conceptual framework, methodology and presentation of good practice - ISBN 92-871-3799-4

-       Council of Europe action in the field of equality between women and men, EG (99) 1

-       The Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG), EG (99) 2

-       Summary of the report on gender mainstreaming, EG (99) 3

-       Reproductive choice – a background document, EG (99) 4

Media

      Group of Specialists on the Legal Protection of Services Based on, or Consisting of, Conditional Access (MM-S-CA)

      1st meeting, 27 - 29 January
2nd meeting, 21 - 23 April

      At its first two meetings the Group reached an advanced stage in the preparation of a draft Convention on this subject. This instrument is aimed at securing an equal level of protection throughout Europe to radio and television broadcasters, as well as to providers of new broadcasting-related communications services which are normally provided in return for remuneration, against commercial activities related to the manufacturing and distribution of pirate devices which enable such services to be received free of charge. In the areas which it will cover, this draft Convention should grant a similar protection to that provided for in the European Union’s Directive on the legal protection of services based on, or consisting of, conditional access.

Local democracy

      In February (660/9.1a) the Ministers' Deputies approved the terms of reference of the committees subordinated to the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy:

-       Select Committee of Experts on Transfrontier Co-operation (LR-R-CT)
-       Committee of Experts on Local Social Services (LR-E-SSL)
-       Committee of Experts on the Participation of Citizens in Local Public Life (LR-E-PC)
-       Committee of Experts on Local Finance (LR-E-FL)

      In March (664/9.2) the Deputies adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 8 on the financial liability of local elected representatives for acts or omissions in the course of their duties.

Publications

Series "Structure and operation of local and regional democracy":

-        Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in Croatia

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in Cyprus

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in Germany

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in Ireland

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in Latvia

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

-       Structure and operation of local and regional democracy in the Netherlands

Series "Local and regional authorities in Europe":

-       No. 66: Control and auditing of local authorities' action

-       No. 67: Liability of local elected representatives for acts or omissions in the course of their duties

      European conference on transfrontier co-operation on the occasion of the Hungarian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, Sárospatak, Hungary, 15 - 16 April

Key topics included the role of Euroregions in promoting transfrontier co-operation, and the promotion and protection of cultural and natural heritage in border areas.

The conference, which was opened by the Secretary General Mr. Tarschys and Ibolya Dávid, Minister of Justice of Hungary, produced concrete results in the establishment of two new Euroregions. Proposals were made to establish a new transfrontier cultural route and a new regional information and documentation centre of the Council of Europe.

3.1.2       Human rights

Minorities

Committee of Experts on Issues Relating to the Protection of National Minorities
(DH-MIN), 3rd meeting, 16 - 20 March

At this meeting the Committee

-       held a one-day Joint meeting with the 6^th Meeting of Government Offices for National Minorities on the theme “participation of national minorities in decision-making processes”

-       decided to request that the Committee of Ministers declassify the synthesis of replies to the questionnaire on “Participation of minorities in decision-making processes”

-       decided to commission an expert study on this topic on the basis of the results of the questionnaire

-       established a working group to examine the issue of “dispersed ethnic minorities” pursuant to ad hoc terms of reference given by the Committee of Ministers

Racism and intolerance

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

ECRI’s country-by-country reports concerning Denmark, Estonia, Russian Federation, Spain and the United Kingdom were made public on 26 January, and those concerning Austria, Latvia, Ukraine and Romania on 13 March. These reports are available from the Secretariat of ECRI in English, French and the language of the country concerned.

On 10 February, the European Community and the Council of Europe signed, in Strasbourg an Agreement for the purpose of establishing close co-operation between the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia and the Council of Europe, which provides for a legal basis for co-operation between the Monitoring Centre and ECRI.

In March (665/4.2) the Ministers' Deputies transmitted ECRI's country-by-country reports on Andorra, Sweden and "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" to the governments in question.

On 24 March, the Chair and Vice-Chairs of ECRI presented to the Ministers’ Deputies the 1998 Annual Activity Report of ECRI, which was published following this presentation.

3.1.3       Rule of law

      In February (658/10.1d) the Ministers' Deputies adopted a final reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1159 (1991) on the harmonisation of autopsy rules.

      In February (660/10.2 and 660/10.3) the Ministers' Deputies also:

-        adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 7 on the application of the European Convention on recognition and enforcement of decision concerning custody of children and on restoration of custody

-       adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the improvement of the practical application of the European Agreement on the Transmission of Applications for Legal Aid

-       agreed that this Recommendation No. R (99) 6 would replace Recommendation No. R (97) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States aiming at improving the practical application of the European Agreement on the Transmission of Applications for Legal Aid

      In April (668/10.3) the Deputies adopted a reply to Recommendation 1361 (1998) of the Parliamentary Assembly on the modification of the procedure for adoption of Council of Europe Conventions.

      European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ)

      In February (660/10.1) the Ministers' Deputies:

-       approved the revised terms of reference of the European Committee on legal Co-operation (CDCJ) and its subordinate committees:

-       Committee of Experts on the Efficiency of Justice (CJ-EJ)

-       Project Group on Data Protection (CJ-PD)

-       Committee of Expert on Family Law (CJ-FA)

-       Committee of Experts on Information Technology and Law (CJ-IT)

-       Committee of Experts on Nationality (CJ-NA)

- Project Group on Administrative Law (CJ-DA)

-       adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on principles concerning the legal protection of incapable adults and authorised the publication of its explanatory memorandum

-       adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of privacy on the Internet

-       took note of the conclusions of the Project Group on Data Protection (CJ-PD) on the relevance of Recommendation No. R (87) 15 regulating the use of personal data in the police sector in the light of new developments in this field

Steering Committee on Bioethics (CDBI)

      In February (658/10.1) the Ministers' Deputies:

-       authorised the declassification of the draft Additional Protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine on Transplantation of Organs and Tissues of Human Origin as well as its draft explanatory memorandum with a view to undertaking public consultations

-       adopted Recommendation No. R (99) 3 on the harmonisation of medico-legal autopsy rules

-       authorised publication of the explanatory memorandum thereon

-       instructed the CDBI to review at appropriate intervals, the medico-legal autopsy rules standards, especially those subject to scientific progress

Ad Hoc Committee of Experts on the Legal Aspects of Territorial Asylum, Refugees and Stateless Persons (CAHAR)

47th meeting, 24 - 26 March

Current work of the committee focuses on:

-       the return of rejected asylum seekers: a draft recommendation and its explanatory memorandum were adopted

-       temporary protection of persons who are forced to flee their country: a draft opinion was adopted

-       family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of protection: the CAHAR decided to continue this exercise

-       refugee women

-       comprehensive review of European standards on asylum: the committee set up three informal review groups to study this question

Ad Hoc Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI)
17th meeting, 8 - 9 March

      The CAHDI adopted a draft recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on responses to inadmissible reservations to international treaties including in appendix model response clauses.

Prior to this meeting, the Group of Experts on Reservations to International Treaties (DI-E-RIT) held its first meeting in Vienna, 5 March.

Working Party on Xenotransplantation (CDBI/CDSP-XENO)
1st meeting, 19 - 21 April

      The Working Party considered the legal texts on xenotransplantation already adopted by the Council of Europe and the developments in xenotransplantation in the member States and other States, examining the implications of xenotransplantation (as regards respect for ethical and legal principles, safety, efficiency and economy, and animal protection), the preparation of recommendations on informing the public, and the preparation of guidelines in the matters of xenotransplantation.

      Conferences, seminars, meetings and workshops

5th European Conference on family law: “Civil law aspects of emerging forms of registered partnerships (Legally regulated forms of non-marital cohabitation and registered partnerships)”, The Hague, Netherlands, 15 - 16 March

The 5th Conference was organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of the Netherlands in co-operation with the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the International Commission on Civil Status (CIEC).

The main aim of this Conference was to examine the legal situation and the case law in Europe concerning legally regulated forms of cohabitation other than marriage.

3.2       Social cohesion and quality of life

3.2.1       Social policies

Social cohesion

In January (657/6.1) the Ministers’ Deputies instructed the Secretary General to set up within the Secretariat as quickly as possible a Specialised Unit for the monitoring, comparison and handling of issues linked to social cohesion. This will be an operational structure of the European Committee for Social Cohesion, and will facilitate co-operation with the Social Development Fund and outside partners. In this connection, the Ministers’ Deputies also welcomed the decision by the Social Development Fund to allocate an exceptional subsidy of 1.5 M ECU for project preparation and project support in the framework of the Council of Europe’s activities in the field of social cohesion.

European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS)
Second meeting, 24 - 26 March

The Committee devoted a substantial part of its meeting to an exchange of views on the main legal instruments of the Council of Europe and the ILO in the field of social cohesion.

It finalised plans for the work of the following new subordinate bodies:

-       Group of Specialists on improving the quality of life of dependent people (CS-QV)
-       Committee of Experts on promoting access to employment (CS-EM)

The CDCS gave further consideration to the work to be undertaken by the newly established Specialised Unit on Social Cohesion, which will act as the Committee’s operational arm, responsible for research and analytical work and project and policy development in member States.

The CDCS has set up an Ad Hoc Group of Experts whose task is to prepare a European contribution to the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit for Social Development. The Ad Hoc Group held its first meeting on 22 and 23 March.

Social Security

Committee for Co-ordination in the Social Security Field (CS-CR)
1st meeting, 13 - 15 April

The Committee made arrangements for carrying out the following work:

-       to promote the ratification of the European Interim Agreements on Social Security (by finalising the updating of the explanatory report on the EIA)

-       to organise a seminar and a training course to allow participants a better understanding of Council of Europe instruments in the co-ordination field

-       to follow-up the activities on taxation at source of exported benefits and special social security schemes

Publications

-       Explanatory report on the European Code of social security (revised)

Roma/Gypsies

Specialist Group on Roma /Gypsies (MG-S-ROM)      
7th meeting, Strasbourg, 29 - 30 March

The Group continued work on ways of improving the economic and employment situation of Roma/Gypsies, and asked the Secretariat to organise a seminar on this subject.

On the basis of a report by a consultant, the Group continued its examination of problems arising in the area of housing and town planning.

It decided to start work on the following topics:

- the situation of Roma women

-        role of different national and international bodies in protecting the human rights of Roma/Gypsies

      Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

      The following activities took place as part of the Project on Roma/Gypsies in Europe:

-        Meeting of officials responsible for Roma questions, Strasbourg, France, 25-26 January

-        Series of Training seminars on police-Roma relations, Veliko Tunovo, Bulgaria

-       European Workshop on Roma-police relations, Turvey, England, 4 - 6 March

3.2.2       Health

      In February (660/6.2) the Ministers’ Deputies approved the specific terms of reference for the following committees:

-       Committee of Experts on the adaptation of health care services to the needs of people in marginal situations (SP-SCM)

-       Committee of Experts on developing a methodology for drawing up guidelines on the best medical practices (SP-MPR)

- Research Group on the viral inactivation of labile blood products

- Committee of Specialists on quality assurance for organs, tissues and cells (SP-S-QA)

      In March (662/10.2b) the Ministers’ Deputies adopted the terms of reference of the CDSP/CDBI joint working group on xenotransplantation.

      Bureau of the European Health Committee, 17 - 18 March

The dates of the Bureau were chosen to coincide with the Conference on Health and Human Rights, organised by the Nordic School of Public Health in Strasbourg on 15-16 March under the patronage of the Secretary General. The Health and Social Policy Division has collaborated in the preparation and organisation of this Conference.

      Publications

-       Meeting the organ shortage - a European consensus document.

3.2.3       Environment

Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (STRA-CO)

http://www.strategyguide.org

Council for the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
(STRA-CO), 20 - 21 April

Points examined included :

-        progress made in the implementation of the Pan-European Strategy

- the progress reports of the coordinators of the twelve Action Themes

- the Guidelines for the development of the Pan-European Ecological Network

-       where to go next : future of the Pan-European Strategy process (follow-up to the decisions taken at the Ministerial Conference “An Environment for Europe”, Aarhus, 23 - 25 June 1998

-       co-operation with other organisations and financial institutions (including the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992)

Action themes under the responsibility of the Council of Europe

Action theme 1: The development of the Pan-European Ecological Network (REP)

Bureau of the Committee of Experts for the Development of the Pan-European Ecological Network, 5th meeting, Strasbourg, 25 - 26 February

The Bureau examined the ongoing projects, which are targeted towards development of an information policy and of concept and criteria for the Pan-European Ecological Network.

Publications

-       Nature conservation sites designated in application of international instruments at Pan-European level, “Nature Conservation” Series, No. 95

Action theme 11: Action for threatened species

The following activities related to the European Action Programme for Threatened Species (“Eurospecies”) are being carried out:

-       check lists of European species

-       elaboration of Red Data books and Red lists

-       implementation and follow-up of action plans in favour of threatened species

-       habitat conservation initiatives

-       legal instruments

-       public awareness

Committee for the activities of the Council of Europe in the field of biological and landscape diversity (CO-DBP), Geneva, Switzerland, 19 April

The following points were examined:

-       the programme of the Council of Europe’s activities contributing to the implementation of the Action Themes of the Pan-European Strategy:

-       implementation of Action theme 1: Establishing the Pan-European Ecological Network by the Council of Europe (STRA-REP)

-       the contribution of the Council of Europe to Action theme 2: Integration of biological and landscape diversity considerations into sectors (activities of the Group of Specialists on Transport and Environment (PE-S-TE) and of the Group of Specialists on Tourism and Environment (PE-S-TO)

-       the implementation of Action theme 3: Raising awareness and support with policy makers and the public, by the Council of Europe (Centre Naturopa): activities of the Centre Naturopa

-       the contribution to Action theme 5: Coastal and marine ecosystems, by the Council of Europe (examination of the drafts of Model Law on Sustainable Management of Coastal Zones and of the Code of Conduct for Coastal Zones

-       the implementation of Action theme 11: Action for threatened species, by the Council of Europe (Bern Convention): contribution of the Bern Convention to Action theme 11

-       the implementation of the activities entrusted to the CO-DBP by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe:

-       preparation of the Campaign “Europe : a common heritage”

-       the Draft European Landscape Convention and necessary procedures

- the update of the Council of Europe’s Soil and Water Charters

-       the European Diploma of protected areas:

- information on the Resolution (98) 29 on the regulations for the European Diploma on Protected Areas, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 18 September 1998

- renewal, award and new applications of the European Diploma

- follow-up of the European Network of Biogenetic Reserves

European Diploma of Protected Areas

Group of Specialists on the European Diploma of protected areas
Strasbourg, 29 - 30 March

The Group examined :

-       50 annual reports of the European Diploma sites

-       expertise reports concerning the award of the European Diploma to two areas :

-       Protected Landscape of White Carpathians, Slovak Republic

- Natural Reserve ‘De Oostvaadersplassen’, Netherlands

-       the report of the extraordinary expertise carried out after the catastrophe around the Doñana National Park, Spain

-       expertise reports concerning the renewal of the European Diploma to eight sites :

-       Minsmere Nature Reserve, United Kingdom

-       Purbeck Heritage Coast, United Kingdom

-       Wurzacher Ried Nature Reserve, Germany

-       Wachau Protected Landscape, Austria

-       Oka National Reserve, Russian Federation

-       Teberda National Reserve, Russian Federation

-       White Mountains National Park, Crete, Samaria, Greece

-       Teide National Park, Spain

-       application files to the European Diploma:

-       Natural Reserve of Karlštejn, Czech Republic

-       National Park of Podyji/Thaya, Czech Republic

-       Protected Landscape of White Carpathians, Czech Republic

-       Biosphere Reserve for the Danube Delta, Romania

Centre Naturopa

Publications

-       Strategy bulletin, No. 13

-       Library bulletin No. 1-99

3.3       Cultural cohesion and cultural pluralism

3.3.1       Education, higher education, culture and cultural heritage

Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC), 67th plenary meeting, 19 - 21 January

The list of decisions appears in document CDCC (99) LD1 final.

Education

In January (656/7.1a) the Ministers’ Deputies decided to declare 2001 as the “European Year of Languages”.

In February (660/7.3) the Ministers’ Deputies “adopted a reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1379 (1998) on basic education in science and technology.”

Education Committee (CC-ED)
20th session, 30 March - 1 April

The Committee:

-        adopted a Draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on the Education of Roma Children and an opinion on the Recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly on Linguistic Diversity

-        discussed the challenges of science education

Modern languages

-       Presentation of the European Language Portfolio to representatives of the German Länder, 18 February, Bonn, Germany

-       Expert consultation with Lithuanian Vantage Level team, 22 - 23 February, Vilnius, Lithuania

-       Meeting with European testing and certification bodies on Common scales of proficiency, 15 - 16 March, Cambridge, United Kingdom

-       4th seminar on the European Language Portfolio, 2 1 - 24 April, Enschede, Netherlands

      Publications

-       Waystage 1990, Cambridge University Press. - ISBN 0 521 56707 6

-       European Language Portfolio - Progress Report (Document DECS/EDU/LANG (99) 3)

-       Towards a Framework for Language Education Policies in Europe (Document DECS/EDU/LANG (99) 6)

-       Trends in the provision of language learning opportunities for "non-specialists" within the European university sector (Document DECS/EDU/LANG (99) 7)

-       Consolidated report on activities during 1998 (Document DECS/EDU/LANG (99) 8)

Education for democratic citizenship

-       In-Service Teacher Training Seminar "Democracy in, for and through schools",
Malta, 7 - 12 March

-       Training seminar "Education for Democracy and European Studies in Croatia",
Opatija, Croatia, 25 - 28 March

-       Training seminar "Education for Democracy and European Studies in Romania",
Timisoara, Romania, 15 - 18 April

Learning and Teaching about the History of Europe in the 20^th Century

-       Symposium on "The challenges of the information and communication technologies facing history teaching"
Andorra La Vella, Principality of Andorra, 25 - 27 March

This was the first event hosted by Andorra since its accession to the Council of Europe. The new information technologies and history research, the use of Information and Communication Technologies in history class and sources – relevant issues and reliability were among the main themes addressed, as well as numerous case studies on different sources of Information and Communication Technologies used in classrooms.

The European dimension of education

In-service Training Programme for Educational Staff

-        Effective methods in the teaching of modern languages, Donaueschingen, Germany,
3 – 5 February

-        Intercultural education in the lower secondary school, Dillingen, Germany,
17 – 20 February

-        Civic education on the threshold of a Century, Bansko, Bulgaria, 24 – 28 February

-        Teacher's profile in the XXI century, Madrid, Spain, 1 – 5 March

-        Byzantine History: a means of understanding European Cultural Identity, Thessaloniki, Greece, 7 – 14 March

-        Democracy in, for and through school, Malta, 8 – 12 March

-        Heritage and National Identity. Key concepts in History Education, Edinburgh, Scotland,
10 – 13 March

-        Research in Teacher training, Basel, Switzerland, 11 – 13 March

-        International on-line school projects and new technology, Bled, Ljubljana, Slovenia,
13 – 19 March

-       Initial Education – Working life: International Symposium, Salzburg, Austria,
17 – 19 March

-        Teaching Shakespeare: making classical literature relevant in the late twentieth Century, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, 23 - 28 March

-       The quality of Education in the secondary school, Riga, Latvia, 31 March – 3 April

Network for School Links and Exchanges

- Experts meeting to monitor the progress of the long-term training course on "Pupils’ rights, teachers’ rights" and to prepare the second residential part of this activity,
25 - 28 February, Überholtz, Switzerland

European Secondary School Student Exchanges - ESSSE

-       Evaluation meeting for former exchanges, Strasbourg, 5 - 7 February

Europe at School

-       European Committee meeting with representatives of the 32 national committees, the European Parliament, the European Commission, Brussels, Belgium, 7 - 9 February

Higher Education and Research

      http://culture.coe.fr

Higher Education and Research Committee (CC-HER)
Plenary session, 16 – 18 March

Among the issues considered by the CC-HER were the new project on “Lifelong Learning for Equity and Social Cohesion: a new Challenge to Universities”, a draft recommendation on the research role of the university, a first draft of a recommendation on social sciences and the challenge of transition and a proposal for a new project on the role and functions of teachers in the information society.

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

-       Bureau of the ENIC Network, joint meeting with the Advisory Board of the NARIC Network of the European Commission. Brussels, 24 February

-       Legislative Reform Programme

Under the ongoing Legislative Reform Programme for Higher Education and Research (LRP), a joint working party of Russian and other European experts finalised and submitted several draft amendments to the Russian Laws on Education and Higher Education as well as a suggestion for an amendment to the Constitution. These amendments were aimed notably to assure fair and affordable access to higher education. Ongoing projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in co-operation with the World Bank and UNESCO, led to the finalisation of a draft statute for an all-Bosnia Higher Education Council.

Culture

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

-       First meeting of the Print-on-Demand network, Paris, 1 February

Meeting to set up a print-on-demand network which would respond to the opportunities offered by print-on-demand for the development and preservation of cultural diversity. The network of countries in western Europe would transfer its know-how to the countries of central and eastern Europe.

-       Baltic Book Fair, Workshop on the “Baltic publishing market and copyright” and Seminar on “Books in Print catalogues: an essential and practical information tool for the book community”; Vilnius, Lithuania, 18 - 19 February

The Lithuanian and Latvian Books-in-print catalogues were presented to the public and press. It was agreed with the Minister of Culture of Lithuania that a national book policy review will be undertaken during 1999

-       Hearing on the draft Romanian Law on publishing and a Romanian Books in Print catalogue, Bucharest, 25 - 26 February

The meeting provided a follow-up to the proposals and recommendations made in the Romanian national book policy review which was carried out in 1998. The Hearing reviewed the current proposals for new legislation on the book in Romania, in particular changes to fiscal policy and a proposed Book Law.

-       Study visit to carry out a national book policy review, Albania, 12 - 16 March

The book policy review will undertake a diagnosis of the current situation in Albania for the book and make proposals for change at legislative, fiscal and practical levels.

-       New Information Technologies: New media and creativity - 1st meeting of the Group of Experts, Strasbourg, 25 March

The objective of this meeting was to determine the programme of activity for-2000-2001 and, in particular, the expected results in terms of guidelines and of recommendations.

-       New information technologies: Training qualifications and new professional profiles - 1st meeting of the Group of Experts, Rome, 29 March

The objective of this meeting was the finalisation of the programme of the International Conference on cultural work in the information society, which will be held in Rome in October

-       Study visit to carry out a review of cultural policy, Albania, 8 - 9 April

As part of the Cultural Policy Reviews, the purpose of this study was to review the current situation in Albania and make proposals for change.

-       Exhibition "Nature in ten chapters", Karlsruhe, 7 March - 18 April

A selection of forty works by 10 Czech artists reflected their relationship and preoccupations with their natural environment. The exhibition was organised by the French Apollonia Association within the framework of the Artistic Exchanges programme and with the support of the Czech Republic, Germany and Greece. The exhibition will further travel to Rethymnon on Crete and Koblenz in Germany.

Publications

-       Culture, creativity and the young: developing public policy (Policy note no. 2)

-       Culture – a way forward. Culture and neighbourhood: an action-research project in urban Europe (Policy note no. 3)

-       Balancing act: 21 strategic dilemmas in cultural policy (Policy note no. 4)

Cultural heritage

In February (660/7.2) the Deputies adopted a reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1375 (1998) on protection of "incidental collections" against dispersal.

Cultural Heritage Committee (CC-PAT)
14th plenary session, 15 - 17 February

The Committee:

-       stressed the importance of cultural heritage as fourth pillar in the building of Europe and declared its willingness to participate actively in the restructuring process,

-       approved the general orientation of the Campaign "Europe, a common heritage" and the setting up of work structures, and

-       recommended to the Committee of Ministers the adoption, with some modifications, of the draft European Landscape Convention.

Campaign "Europe, a common heritage"

International Guiding and Co-ordinating Group of the Campaign (GIOC)
2nd meeting, 4 - 5 February

The Group:

-       held discussions on the message, the communication strategy and the calendar of Campaign activities

-       set up a Management Group comprising 3 people to ensure the active management of Campaign preparations

Heritage Information Network (HEREIN)

A presentation folder of the Network has been produced.

Awareness-raising and communication

Group of specialists on European Heritage Classes and Education
Strasbourg, 28 - 29 January

After making an assessment of the present situation in this field of activity, the Group gave some guidance for its development in the future and proposed heritage education activities for the Campaign "Europe, a common heritage". The strengthening of the co-operation with the European Union in this field was also considered.

European Foundation for Heritage Skills (FEMP)

A detailed activity report of FEMP was submitted to the Cultural Heritage Committee in February. The main topics in the programme were the first meetings with a view to setting up the "European Heritage network on heritage policies" (HEREIN project); the beginning of the SALAMBO project on the architectural heritage skills and crafts training (supported by the European Union Euromed Heritage programme) and the preparations for the new project on "Cultural Heritages of tourism and travels" which will be a contribution of FEMP to the campaign "Europe, a common heritage".

3.3.2       Sport

In January (657/7.1) the Ministers’ Deputies, “underlining the long-standing nature and importance of the Council of Europe’s work against doping in sport and recalling that its Anti-Doping Convention, the only international legal instrument in this field, gives the Organisation a special responsibility,

-       took note of the report of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Monitoring Group and in particular the proposals for a common position at a forthcoming World Conference on Doping in Sport (Lausanne, 2-4 February);

-       invited the Secretary General to stress in his speech to this Conference the need for the sports movement to adopt radical new policies to combat this scourge and to systematically seek close co-operation with the public authorities who have clear responsibilities in this area.

Statutory meetings

Committee for the Development of Sport (CDDS)
22nd meeting, Strasbourg, 3 - 4 March

Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention (T-DO)
Extraordinary meeting, Strasbourg, 25 March

This extraordinary meeting of the Monitoring Group followed the World Conference on Doping of Lausanne, organised by the International Olympic Committee, 2 - 4 February.

The Group evaluated the conclusions of the Lausanne Conference and prepared its proposals to submit to the International Olympic Committee on the structure and tasks of the future independent anti-doping agency.

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

Meeting on sports legislation, Bucharest, 16 March

CDDS Bureau members and members of the Parliamentary Assembly Commission on Culture and Education met with Romanian parliamentarians and other sports people to discuss sports legislation. This meeting was held within the framework of the SPRINT programme, which is concerned with sports reform, innovation and training.

Publications

-       Report of the Multilateral Sprint Seminar on Evaluating Progress in Sports Development since 1989 (Budapest, 1 - 2 April 1998)

3.3.3       Youth

In February (660/8.2 and 660/8.4) the Ministers’ Deputies:

- designated the thirty members of the Advisory Council of the EYC and EYF for a period of two years

- adopted a reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1364 (1998) on "European Youth Co-operation and recent proposals for structural change."

Advisory Council and Joint Council on Youth Questions
1st meeting, Strasbourg, 16 - 18 March

The new organs of the youth sector held their first meeting to develop a joint position on the priorities, objectives and budgetary envelopes of the youth sector.

The Joint Council on Youth Questions agreed to propose the following as work priorities for the youth sector in the year 2000:

-       to encourage new forms of youth participation and to promote non-formal education ;

-       to encourage the development of youth policies and structures at a national level in the member States

-       to promote cooperation between the youth sector and other sectors of the Council of Europe

-       to reinforce the co-management between the governmental sector and civil society in the elaboration and the implementation of youth policies

-       to further associate the participation of disadvantaged young people to the work of the Council of Europe in the field of youth

Study sessions conducted at the European Youth Centre (Strasbourg)

-       European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO)

“Public opinion, peace education, conflict prevention”, 21 - 28 February

-       National Unions of Students in Europe (ESIB)

“Train the trainer against sexual harassment in Higher Education Institutions”
28 February - 7 March

-       European Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (YMCA)

“Train the trainers”, 21 - 28 March

-       International Young Nature Friends (IYNF)

“Nationalism, extremism”, 21 - 28 March

-       International Gay & Lesbian Youth Organisation (IGLYO)

“Continuity within gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth organisations”, 18 - 25 April

-       European Good Templar Youth Federation (EGTYF)

“Music and theatre”, 18 - 25 April

Study sessions conducted at the European Youth Centre (Budapest)

-       European Committee for Young Farmers' and 4H Clubs (ECYF4HClubs)

"Facing change – European rural youth leaders of the next millennium",
7 - 14 February

-       International Young Catholic Student - International Movement of Catholics Students

(IYCS-IMCS)

“Information technologies and media as new educational actors”, 7 - 14 February

-       Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU)

“Study session on building school student structures in Europe”, 14 - 21 February

-       European Youth Exchange – EYE Network

“Minorities, local projects and European Youth Exchanges”, 14 - 21 February

-       European Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA Europe)

“Young women in a democratic society”, 28 February - 7 March

-       European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS)

“Breaking down the Berlin Wall (East/West dialogue)”, 7 – 14 March

-       Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe (EYCE)

"Training ecumenical trainers in Europe II (TETE II)", 21 - 28 March

-       Youth Action for Peace (YAP)

"Working for peace and tolerance with multicultural groups/Project evaluation: an essential dimension of international youth work”, 5 - 12 April

Training Courses for Youth Leaders

-       Training course for Roma Youth Leaders, 2 - 14 March

-       Training course on Project Management and Trans-National Voluntary Service,      
7 - 14 March

Activities in the framework of the Partnership Agreement with the European Union

-       Long-term Training Course "Participation and citizenship for minority youth leaders": First phase, Introduction Seminar, 14 - 27 March

European Youth Foundation (EYF)

During the period in question, the European Youth Foundation financially supported 20 European youth projects for a total amount of 1 610 000 FF. Implementation has begun of the new orientations set by the reform of the youth structures, such as financially supporting projects from new youth organisations and networks (11 projects).

4        Multilateral activities for the consolidation and development of democratic stability

      A comprehensive report of these activities are presented by the Directorate of Political Affairs in the document:

Assistance with the development and consolidation of democratic security: Synopses of activities

4.1 Human rights

9 February, St. Petersburg

Conference for investigators in the Procuracy of the Russian Federation, organised in co-operation with the St Petersburg Judicial Institute of the Russian Federation Procuracy General. It took the form of a training workshop and comprised presentations on Articles 5, 6 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as being particularly relevant for investigators. The conference benefited from the presence of participants from the Eastern parts of the Russian Federation.

10 - 11 February, Tbilisi

Seminar on the European Convention on Human Rights. The seminar was organised in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was aimed at practising lawyers and state officials and sought to provide information about the protection of human rights under Georgian domestic legislation, as well as introducing the European Convention on Human Rights, the Strasbourg system, and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

15 - 16 February, Zagreb

Workshop on “Introducing local non-governmental organisations to European mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights and co-operation with the Council of Europe”. The workshop was organised in co-operation with the Centre for Direct Protection of Human Rights. It dealt with the main human rights standards of the Council of Europe, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights, and how to bring a complaint under the Strasbourg system. It also addressed the issue of how non-governmental organisations could co-operate with the Council of Europe in the field of human rights.

20 February, Minsk

Seminar on international human rights standards and their application in Belarus. The seminar was organised in co-operation with the Belarusian non-governmental organisation the Human Rights Center and was the first in a planned series of six seminars on various human rights issues. It brought together representatives of non-governmental organisations, youth movements and practising lawyers.

8 - 10 March, Tirana

Conference on “Police combating violence against women”. The conference took place within the framework of the “Police and Human Rights – 1997-2000” programme. It was organised in co-operation with the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Public Order and the Albanian Women’s Center. It was aimed at initiating a dialogue on how to combat the phenomenon of violence against women in Albanian society. It also sought to address how to develop a longer term programme to assist the Albanian police in developing the capacity to assist women who were victims of violence.

18 - 19 March, Chisinau

Seminar on the European Convention on Human Rights organised in co-operation with the Chisinau Information and Documentation Centre on the Council of Europe for lawyers and students as part of the on-going effort to familiarise legal practitioners with the standards and mechanisms of the European Convention on Human Rights.

4.2       Legal co-operation

Multilateral meeting on the European Charter on the statute for judges
Lisbon, 8-10 April

      The purpose of the meeting, proposed as part of the work to monitor compliance with member States’ commitments with regard to the functioning of the judicial system, was to present the Charter and to heighten awareness in the milieu concerned by its provisions.

The European Charter on the statute for judges is the result of the work carried out by the Council of Europe for many years now, on the organisation of Justice in a democratic State governed by the rule of law. These meetings over the past years have been devoted to the recruitment, training, career and responsibilities of judges, as well as the disciplinary system governing them. The pace of these meetings have greatly increased since the end of the eighties, due to the profound changes that have taken place in Eastern Europe.

In 1997, the idea developed to maximise the results of the work and discussions in order to give this work better "visibility" and above all to give a new impulse to the continuing effort to improve legal institutions as an essential element of the rule of law. The Charter was drafted during one year and resulted in the text being unanimously adopted by the participants at the second multilateral meeting on the Status of judges in Europe, held in Strasbourg on 8-10 July 1998. In October 1998, at their fourth annual meeting, the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of Central and Eastern Europe fully adhered to the principles laid out in the Charter.

4.3       Transfrontier Co-operation

Conference on transfrontier co-operation in the Baltic region at the turn of the century: issues and prospects, Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad, Russian Federation, 24 - 25 March

      The main theme of the conference was the experience, concerns and future outlook of transfrontier co-operation in the Baltic region. A special emphasis was given on the impact of the enlargement of the European Union on transfrontier co-operation as well as the transfrontier links, problems and experience of the Kaliningrad region in this domain.

      A number of high-ranking officials, including deputy Ministers, participated in the conference, which was opened by the Secretary General Mr. Tarschys. A recommendation was adopted at the end of the conference with a view to strengthening transfrontier co-operation in the Baltic region.

4.4 Youth

-       Training course for youth leaders and civil servants in charge of youth affairs
Durrës, Albania, 28 February - 7 March

-       Long-term training course for national minorities in Romania, in co-operation with the Romanian department for protection of national minorities, First phase, Introduction seminar, Romania, 16-25 April

-       Long-term training course 1999 - 2000: The role and reality of children and young people in today's Russia, 1st Training Seminar, Tyumen, Russian Federation, 7 - 13 April

      This activity is organised jointly by the Directorate of Social and Economic Affairs and the Youth Directorate in partnership with the Russian Federation State Committee on Youth Affairs in Moscow and the Committee of Youth and Tourism of Tyumen Region Administration. The programme begins by a Training seminar followed by the elaboration of projects and implementation of them and will be further developed during 1999 and 2000 .

5        Partial agreements

5.1       Social Development Fund²

      In April (667/1.7) the Ministers’ Deputies adopted a reply to the Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on the Council of Europe Social Development Fund: activities and outlook.

      Accessions

      -       Czech Republic, 12 February

      The Fund Bodies met as follows:

      Administrative Council

-       198th meeting, 28 - 29 January

-       199th meeting, 25 - 26 March

      Governing Board

-       157th meeting, 12 April

      Executive Committee

-       33rd meeting, 28 January

-       34th meeting, 25 March

Administrative Council, 198th meeting, 28 - 29 January

      New loan requests

      The Administrative Council approved 11 new loan requests totalling EUR 625 884 800

Romania       Loan request by the Romanian Government for a loan of USD 1 670 000 (EUR 1 450 000) to part-finance the renovation of Gura Ocnitei Rural Hospital.

Spain        Loan request by LA CAIXA (Caja de Ahorros y pensiones de Barcelona) concerning partial financing of a programme consisting of the construction of social housing throughout Spain (ESP 30 000 000 000 = EUR 180 303 631).

      Loan request by Caja Madrid, Madrid, Spain, concerning partial financing of a programme consisting of the construction of social housing throughout Spain. (ESP 20 000 000 000 = EUR 120 202 420).

      Loan request by BANCO SABADELL, S.A., Barcelona, Spain, concerning a global disbursement loan to support job creation / maintenance projects in small and medium sized enterprises throughout Spain. (ESP 10 000 000 000 = EUR 60 101 210).

Hungary       Short form loan application by the Republic of Hungary concerning partial financing of reconstruction and development of flood control systems in the middle and upper Tisza region (EUR 40 million). The Administrative Council approved the project in principle, on the understanding that the Hungarian authorities would in due course present a detailed final loan application in accordance with the usual procedures.

"The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

      Loan application of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", for a global disbursement loan facility of DEM 10 000 000 (EUR 5 112 919). Partial financing of individual sub-projects in private sector small- and medium-sized enterprises to stimulate job creation.

Germany        Loan application of Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), for partial financing of a housing-loan programme in favour of Bosnian refugees and displaced persons voluntarily returning to Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Federal State of Lower Saxony. (DEM 3 750 000 = EUR 1 917 350).

      Loan application of InvestitionsBank of the Land Brandenburg, Potsdam, concerning partial financing of the new construction of the University for Cinema and Television in Potsdam, (DEM 34 950 000 = EUR 17 869 650).

Poland       Loan application of the Government of Poland for the amount of PLN 387 225 000 (EUR 96 600 000). Partial financing of flood preventive and social infrastructure investments in Poland after the floods in July 1997 and in July 1998.

France       Loan application by Crédit Commercial de France (Paris), for a global disbursement loan of EUR 100 000 000. Partial funding of projects in the fields of SME/SMI, environment, health and education throughout France.

Lithuania       Loan application by the Republic of Lithuania for a loan to part-finance the rehabilitation of centres for handicapped people, elderly people, and abandoned or abused children (LTL 10 841 330 = EUR 2 327 624).

      The Administrative Council also approved the Fund’s Pension Scheme Rules, held preliminary exchanges of views on the possible new accession conditions and on a possible capital increase, discussed the report by the working party on the future appointment of the Executive Committee and interpretation of its Terms of Reference.

Administrative Council, 199th meeting, 25 - 26 March

      New loan requests

      The Administrative Council approved Resolution 14433 by which it recommends to the Governing Board to approve the 1998 accounts, discharges the Governor and allocates the net result of EUR 81 388 422 as follows:

      EUR 76 388 422 to the general reserve

      EUR 5 million to the Selective Trust Account (STA)

      The Administrative Council approved 4 new loan requests totalling EUR 258 049 700. This brings the total amount of loans approved by the Administrative Council from January – March 1999 to a level of about EUR 884 million.

Bulgaria       Request by the Republic of Bulgaria for a loan of EUR 15 000 000 to part-finance a project of rehabilitation and strengthening of river and coastal banks on the Black Sea and the Danube, with an interest rate subsidy from the Selective Trust Account.

Cyprus       Loan request by the Government of Cyprus (Sewerage Board of Paphos) to part-finance the construction of a sewerage, drainage and irrigation system, and a sewerage treatment plant in the area of Paphos (CYP 19 000 000 = EUR 32 695 485)

Spain       Loan request by Banco Central Hispanoamericano, Madrid, - partial financing of a programme concerning the construction in Spain of infrastructures related to rural modernisation, disadvantaged urban areas, health and education, and environmental protection and rehabilitation of the historic heritage (ESP 20 billion = EUR 120 202 420).

      Loan request by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, Bilbao, - partial financing of a programme concerning the construction of infrastructures related to health, education, rural modernisation, disadvantaged urban areas and areas affected by natural disasters, environmental protection, rehabilitation of the historic heritage and job creation/maintenance (ESP 15 billion = EUR 90 151 876).

The Administrative Council discussed the report of the working party on the future appointment of the Executive Committee and the interpretation of its terms of reference, chairpersons’ allowances, guidelines for the granting of interest rate subsidies within the framework of the rules currently in force, follow-up to resolution 1428 on accession conditions and joint meeting in Slovenia.

Governing Board, 157th meeting, 12 April

The Governing Board :

- adopted Resolution 316 (1999) to approve the Fund's annual report, accounts and other financial statements for 1998, to discharge the Administrative Council from its responsibility for the 1998 financial year and to endorse the allocation of net profits for the 1998 financial year by the Administrative Council (above, III.)

- decided to call for candidatures for the post of the Chairperson of the Administrative Council and to set the time limit for their submission at 28 May 1999.

- approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the EBRD and the Fund as presented by the Governor.

- took note of the information provided by the Governor on the results of the Fund's action one year after the 2nd summit and encouraged continued co-operation between the Fund and the Council of Europe.

Regarding the crisis in Kosovo, the Governing Board:

- approved Resolution 317 (1999), in which it approved some proposals to be forwarded to the Administrative Council, which has the competence to take financial decisions, including:

- an exceptional measure of short-term aid involving a contribution in the form of a donation

- to examine by urgent procedure projects related to the situation in Kosovo that “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, which is a Member of the Fund, may soon present

- to examine the possibility of a loan to Albania, although this country is not yet a member of the Fund, to finance a specific project in favour of the refugees along the lines of the operations already carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with appropriate guarantees

- an appeal to member States to make voluntary contributions to the Selective Trust Account and/or to co-finance with the Fund specific projects in the countries mentioned above, and a proposal that a Fund delegation should pay a visit to Skopje and Tirana to express the Fund’s solidarity to the Authorities and to establish with them a programme of co-operation

5.2       Social and Public Health³

Public Health

      In March (664/6.1), the Representatives, on the Committee of Ministers, of the member States of the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health field adopted:

-        Resolution AP (99) 1 on the classification of medicines which are obtainable only on       medical prescription (superseding Resolution AP (95) 1)

-        Resolution AP (99) 2 on warming phrases for certain categories of medicines (superseding Resolution AP (95) 2)

Integration of people with disabilities

http://www.coe.fr/soc-sp

Bureau of the Committee on the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with disabilities (CD-P-RR), 3rd meeting, Paris, 16 - 17 February

The Bureau prepared the 22nd session of the CD-P-RR, Strasbourg, 9 - 11 June

5.3       European Department for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) ⁴

      http://www.pheur.org

      European Pharmacopoeia Commission, 17 - 19 March
       About sixty new or revised monographs and general texts were adopted.

The EDQM organised two scientific seminars on specific and controversial subjects:

- Seminar on the preparation of water for injection by reverse osmosis, 1 - 2 March

- Seminar on the search for alternatives to the use of animals for the testing of leptospira vaccines, 5 March

60 to 70 experts from Europe, the United States and Australia took part in each of these seminars and an action plan was elaborated.

Within the framework of the Official Medicines Control Laboratories network, the report on the pilot phase for the market surveillance of medicines that had received centralised Community marketing authorisations was presented at the meeting of 22 - 24 February of the CPMP (Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products) of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) in London. A programme for the continuation of the studies was adopted for 1999.

5.4       Pompidou Group⁵

Three new projects in the field of drug abuse epidemiology held their first meetings in February and March. These concern the extension of reporting on first demand for treatment from city to national level in six central European countries in collaboration with the European Union Phare programme, the development of a methodology and questionnaire for reporting treatment outcome at city level, and the development of a prevalence survey instrument for use in prisons.

Seminar on Road Traffic and Drugs, Strasbourg, 19 - 21 April

Administrators, researchers, police officers and other specialists, plus relevant NGOs looked in particular at a) prevalence, epidemiology and risk evaluation, b) legal and regulatory aspects, c) practical problems, in particular detection and testing, and d) prevention and rehabilitation, based on two major studies commissioned by the Pompidou Group.

5.5       EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement ⁶
(Cooperation Group for the Prevention of, Protection against, and Organisation of Relief in Major Natural and Technological Disasters)

-        Meeting of the Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean network of Specialised Centres of the Agreement, Paris, 28 - 29 January

-        Seminar on the market study employment-training (FORM-OSE Programme)
Crete, 26 - 27 March

STRIM Programme (European Programme on the use of Space Techniques for Major Risks Management)

-       STRIM programme committee, meeting, Paris, France, 21 January

-       Meeting of the STRIM Programme at ESRIN, 19 February, Frascati, Italy, with delegations from the French Civil Security and the Italian Civil Protection, to examine the interest of space technologies to assist risk management

5.6       EURIMAGES⁷
http://culture.coe.fr/eurimages

Board of Management

59th meeting, Strasbourg, 22 - 24 February

The Board agreed to support 12 feature films and one documentary for a total amount of 23.85 Million French Francs. In addition, support was awarded to 38 films for distribution in ten countries.

The Board also examined the proposals presented by the Reform Working Group in its report. The definitive decisions on Eurimages‘ reform are to be taken at the next meeting.

5.7       North-South Centre ⁸
(European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity)

http://www.nscentre.org/

1998 North-South Prize, Strasbourg, 28 January

The Prize was presented to Mrs. Graça Machel at the Council of Europe for her action in the education field as well as the defence of children’s rights in Mozambique.

General Assembly of COPEAM (Conférence permanente de l’audiovisuel méditerranéen) Valencia, Spain, 7 - 8 March

      The participants debated the television Euromed project, which is an audio-visual tool for the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

Publications

-        The Interdependent (monthly)

-       Terra Viva (monthly)

5.8       European Commission for Democracy through Law⁹

      38th Plenary meeting, Venice, Italy, 22 - 23 March

      The Commission:

-       adopted its annual report of activities for 1998 and forwarded it to the Committee of Ministers (CDL (99) 2)

-       held an exchange of views with Lord Russell Johnston, President of the Parliamentary Assembly on future co-operation with the Assembly

-       adopted the opinion on the compatibility of the death penalty with the new Constitution of Albania (CDL (99) 1)

-       adopted the opinion on the scope of the responsibilities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of immigration and asylum with particular regard to possible involvement of the entities
(CDL-FED (99) 1)

-       adopted the report on the restructuring of human rights mechanisms in Bosnia and Herzegovina (CDL (99) 19)

-       adopted the consolidated opinion on the draft Bulgarian Civil Service Act (CDL (99) 14)

-       adopted the consolidated opinion on the Bulgarian law amending and supplementing the Judicial system Act (CDL (99) 20)

The Commission also considered constitutional developments in Croatia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

-       UniDem seminar on “Federal and Regional States in the perspective of European Integration”, Bologna, Italy, 18 - 19 March

-       Seminar on “the role of the Constitutional Court in the protection of private property”, Chisinau, Moldova, 30 - 31 March

-       Seminar on “territorial autonomy”, Baku, Azerbaijan, 22 - 23 April

In addition, the Commission participated in:

-       the Peace Conferences on the Kosovo crisis in Rambouillet and Paris, France

-       a meeting on electoral legislation in Albania, Tirana, Albania,19 - 20 February

-       the Conference on Constitutional culture organised by the Centre for Constitutionalism and Legal Culture, Warsaw, Poland, 5 - 7 March

-       the Colloquy organised by the Parliamentary Assembly on the future political status of Kosovo in Paris, France, 12 March

-       a Conference on intergovernmental and provincial government, Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 - 30 March

5.9       Partial Agreement on the Youth Card¹⁰

Board of Coordination, Strasbourg, 19 March

The Board drew up the guidelines for the programme of the year 2000.

5.10       European Audiovisual Observatory¹¹

      http://www.obs.coe.int

On 26 March the Observatory met EUROSTAT officials for a first working meeting to define concretely the co-ordination of statistical information collection and distribution between the two institutions.

      Publications

-       Iris - Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory (monthly)

-       Public Aid Mechanisms for the Film and the Audiovisual Industry in Europe

-       Statistical Yearbook – Film, Television, Video and New Media in Europe

A pre-publication service called “Blue Book Premium Service”, delivering data to clients per e-mail before the publication of the hard-copy issue, has been in operation since autumn 1998.

Website

Several new contributions, chiefly in the series “National Cinema Reports”, have been published on the Observatory’s Website. A new feature is a “News” section, consisting of links to other Internet pages containing audio-visual information.

5.11       European Centre for Modern Languages¹²

      http://culture.coe.fr/ecml

      Accessions

      -       Sweden, 1 January

Statutory meetings

Governing Board, 8th meeting, 4 - 5 February

The Board examined:

-       preparation of the first medium-term programme of activities (1999 – 2001)

-       evaluation of the Third Colloquy of the ECML (9 – 11 December 1998)

-       1999 programme of activities

-       co-operation with the CDCC´s Modern Languages Project (complementarity and synergy)

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

-       International workshop no. 1/99 (Graz, 23 – 27 February): “Promoting reflective teaching through classroom research in pre-service teacher education”

Publications

Workshop reports :

-       Quality in modern language teaching

-       How to Promote Learner Autonomy in the Adult Language Classroom

-       Methods for Facilitating Communicative Competence in a Multicultural Society

Website

The Workshop Reports are also being added to the Website.

6        Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE)

Bureau, 2 February

The Bureau adopted :

-       a report on the situation of local democracy in Monaco

-       a report on the situation of local and regional democracy in Georgia

These reports were forwarded to the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly in the context of the examination of these countries’ applications for membership to the Council of Europe.

Mini-Session, 4 March

Representatives from the Turkish and British governments presented the follow-up given by their governments to the Congress Recommendations concerning the situation of local and regional democracy in their countries (Recommendation 29 (1997) and 49 (1998)).

Standing Committee, 4 - 5 March

The Standing Committee adopted, in the name of the Congress:

-       Resolution 74 and Recommendation 53

on "policies for Deprived Children, Adolescents and Families”

-       Opinion 10

on the draft Recommendation prepared by the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy on the Promotion of Transfrontier Co-operation in the area of Culture

- Opinion 11

on the Wise Persons’ Report

Conferences, seminars, workshops, training courses

5^th Conference of Mediterranean and Black Sea Basins
Marmaris, Turkey, 25 - 27 February

The delegations discussed the possibilities for strengthening inter-parliamentary, inter-regional and inter-municipal co-operation for sustainable development, peace and democratic stability in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Basins.

The conclusions of the Conference called for the preparation, by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, of a Charter for sustainable development of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Basins whereby national parliaments, cities and regions would pledge their resolve to undertake more intensive co-operation and their commitment to certain key principles that should guide them in any interventions likely to affect the ecological balance of the two basins.

3rd Conference on local and regional authority co-operation in the Baltic Sea Area
Kaunas, Lithuania, 21-23 April

The themes of the conference were:

-       strengthening local and regional government in the Baltic Sea region

-       local and regional authority cooperation in the prevention of environmental pollution

-       improvement of coordination between institutions and bodies for cooperation in the Baltic Sea region

-       future prospects for local and regional government cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region

The Final Declaration of the Conference made a number of proposals to local and regional authorities in the area and to the various agencies active in the Baltic Sea region for the improvement of their cooperation and coordination.

APPENDIX 1

Action taken on texts adopted by the Assembly

Assembly recommendations

      The Committee of Ministers has given final replies to the following Recommendations:

Recommendation 1159 (1991) on the harmonisation of autopsy rules

Recommendation 1337 (1997) on the functioning of the institutions for the protection of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Recommendation 1361 (1998) Modification of the procedure for adoption of Council of Europe conventions

Recommendation 1364 (1998) European youth co-operation and recent proposals for structural change

Recommendation 1367 (1998) Reform of the United Nations

Recommendation 1375 (1998) Protection of “incidental collections” against dispersal

Recommendation 1378 (1998) Council of Europe Social Development Fund: activities and outlook

Recommendation 1379 (1998) Basic education in science and technology

Recommendation 1399 (1999) Xenotransplantation

Assembly Resolutions

      The Committee of Ministers has taken note of the following Resolutions:

Resolution 1177 (1999) “Building Greater Europe without dividing lines” (opinion on the report by the Committee of Wise Persons)

Resolution 1178 (1999) European political project

Resolution 1179 (1999) Honouring of obligations and commitments by Ukraine

Resolution 1180 (1999) Economic situation in Russia and Ukraine

Resolution 1181 (1999) North-South development co-operation in the 21st century: a contribution to the Council of Europe’s second campaign for global interdependence and solidarity – Europe against poverty and social cohesion

Assembly Orders

The Committee of Ministers has taken note of the following Orders:

Order No. 547 (1999) Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Order No. 548 (1999) Emergence of a culture of children in Albania

APPENDIX 2

      Texts adopted by the Committee of Ministers

1       Recommendations

Recommendation No. R (99) 3 on the harmonisation of medico-legal autopsy rules

Recommendation No. R (99) 4 on principles concerning the legal protection of incapable adults

Recommendation No. R (99) 5 on the protection of privacy on the Internet

Recommendation No. R (99) 6 on the improvement of the practical application of the European Agreement on the Transmission of Applications for Legal Aid

Recommendation No. R (99) 7 on the application of the European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children

Recommendation No. R (99) 8 on the financial liability of local elected representatives for acts or omissions in the course of their duties

Recommendation No. R ChS (99) 1 on the application of the European Social Charter by Austria during the period 1994-96 (14th supervision cycle – part I)

Recommendation No. R ChS (99) 2 on the application of the European Social Charter by Ireland during the period 1994-96 (14th supervision cycle – part I)

2       Resolutions

Resolution (99) 1 concerning the Budget of the European Youth Foundation

Resolution (99) 2 concerning the Ordinary Budget for 1999

Resolution (99) 3 approving modifications to the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities for 1999

Resolution (99) 4 Invitation to Georgia to become a member of the Council of Europe

Final Resolution DH (99) 113 Application No. 19743/92 - Hrdlicka against Austria

Final Resolution DH (99) 114 Application No. 22913/93 - N.P. against Belgium

Final Resolution DH (99) 115 Application No. 24929/94 - J.M.G. C. and L.H. J. against Belgium

Final Resolution DH (99) 116 Application No. 27673/94 - Fernandes Martins and Martins Complando against Portugal

Final Resolution DH (99) 117 Application No. 21599/93 - J.M. C.S. against Portugal

Final Resolution DH (99) 118 Application No. 24912/94 - Pappamikail against Portugal

Final Resolution DH (99) 119 Application No. 21848/93 - T.M. against the United Kingdom

Resolution DH (99) 120 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 24 August 1998 in the case of Benkessiouer against France

Resolution DH (99) 121 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 24 August 1998 in the case of Couez against France

Resolution DH (99) 122 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 19 February 1998 in the case of Higgins and others against France

Resolution DH (99) 123 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 26 May 1994 in the case of Keegan against Ireland

Resolution DH (99) 124 concerning the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights of 23 April 1997 and of 30 October 1997 in the case of Van Mechelen and others against the Netherlands

Resolution DH (99) 125 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 30 July 1998 in the case of Clube de Futebol União de Coimbra against Portugal

Resolution DH (99) 126 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 21 April 1998 in the case of Daud against Portugal

Resolution DH (99) 127 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 30 July 1998 in the case of Valenzuela Contreras against Spain

Resolution DH (99) 128 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 16 December 1997 in the case of Camenzind against Switzerland

Interim Resolution DH (99) 129 Applications Nos. 28713/95 to 28720/95 and 30020/96 - Juhel and others against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 130 Application No. 32397/96 - Sinnesael against Greece

Interim Resolution DH (99) 131 Application No. 26109/95 - Santa Cruz Ruiz against the United Kingdom

Interim Resolution DH (99) 132 Application No. 32510/96 - Peter against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 133 Application No. 36653/97 - A., M., R. and R.Z. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 134 Application No. 36627/97 - A.G. II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 135 Application No. 37135/97 - Balderi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 136 Application No. 37175/97 - Bolignari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 137 Application No. 37148/97 - Borromeo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 138 Application No. 37151/97 - Caccamo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 139 Application No. 37140/97 - Canali against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 140 Application No. 37147/97 - Carnevali against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 141 Application No. 37154/97 - Celebre against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 142 Application No. 35938/97 - Chiapetto against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 143 Application No. 36603/97 - Cirillo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 144 Application No. 37187/97 - Clucher P.L., G.G. and L. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 145 Application No. 37167/97 - Coduto Fernando I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 146 Application No. 37181/97 - Coduto Fernando II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 147 Application No. 37157/97 - De Agazio Giancarlo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 148 Application No. 37134/97 - De Cristofaro against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 149 Application No. 36625/97 - De Pasquale against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 150 Application No. 36640/97 - Del Mistro against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 151 Application No. 36629/97 - Di Giovanni against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 152 Application No. 36645/97 - Di Girolamo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 153 Application No. 37143/97 - F.D.L. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 154 Application No. 36635/97 - Falleni A. and M. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 155 Application No. 36638/97 - Fanni Susanna against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 156 Application No. 36611/97 - Fioretto and De Luca against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 157 Application No. 36616/97 - Fondificio A.C.F. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 158 Application No. 36605/97 - G.C. VI against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 159 Application No. 36655/97 - G. D’A against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 160 Application No. 37163/97 - Gambardella against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 161 Application No. 36636/97 - Gavoncini Lenci A. and A. and Scanu against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 162 Application No. 36614/97 - Gennari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 163 Application No. 36623/97 - Ghedina against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 164 Application No. 37158/97 - I.S. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 165 Application No. 36606/97 - I.S. and M.A.T. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 166 Application No. 36646/97 - L.G. II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 167 Application No. 36633/97 - L.M. L. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 168 Application No. 36631/97 - L.P. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 169 Application No. 37171/97 - Leo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 170 Application No. 37141/97 - M.C. VII against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 171 Application No. 37133/97 - M.V. F and M.O. M. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 172 Application No. 37159/97 - Maccà against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 173 Application No. 37139/97 - Marlettta against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 174 Application No. 37185/97 - Massa against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 175 Application No. 37168/97 - Messina against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 176 Application No. 36612/97 - Mobilio against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 177 Applications No. 36609/97 - Molari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 178 Application No. 37138/97 - Morra against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 179 Application No. 36641/97 - Mostosi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 180 Application No. 36656/97 - Motta Umberto S.r.l. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 181 Application No. 37173/97 - Nardone against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 182 Application No. 36622/97 - Orlandoni and Lapis against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 183 Application No. 37145/97 - P.A. II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 184 Application No. 37146/97 - P.A. III against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 185 Application No. 36637/97 - Paladini against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 186 Application No. 36602/97 - R. S.p.a. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 187 Application No. 36617/97 - Rico Giovanni I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 188 Application No. 36618/97 - Rico Giovanni II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 189 Application No. 36643/97 - Rosa against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 190 Application No. 37169/97 - Salamanca against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 191 Application No. 37155/97 - Severino against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 192 Application No. 36604/97 - Sirol Soc. Coop. a.r.l., against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 193 Application No. 36613/97 - Spinato against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 194 Application No. 37142/97 - Squeo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 195 Application No. 36632/97 - Turetta against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 196 Application No. 36628/97 - V.B. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 197 Application No. 36634/97 - V. D.P. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 198 Application No. 37180/97 - Valerio against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 199 Application No. 37172/97 - Vattano against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 200 Application No. 36654/97 - Vicari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 201 Application No. 37183/97 - Del Vecchio against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 202 Application No. 34878/97 - Barcellona against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 203 Application No. 34882/97 - Cecamore against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 204 Application No. 34880/97 - Polto Miranda against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 205 Application No. 36657/97 - Pacelli against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 206 Application No. 37190/97 - Soave against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 207 Application No. 37137/97 - Cassandra Luigi II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 208 Application No. 37156/97 - Marè against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 209 Application No. 37144/97 - P.A. I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 210 Application No. 36626/97 - R.P. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 211 Application No. 36648/97 - Ambrosino against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 212 Application No. 36615/97 - Cappello against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 213 Application No. 37136/97 - Cassandra Luigi I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 214 Application No. 37186/97 - Cutillo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 215 Application No. 37184/97 - Esposito Loredana against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 216 Application No. 36619/97 - Franklin against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 217 Applications Nos. 37176/97 to 37179/97 - Gazzo, Rossini, Poli, Dal Forno and Ferro against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 218 Application No. 36639/97 - Lapolla against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 219 Application No. 37182/97 - Leonetti against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 220 Application No. 36644/97 - Maniglio against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 221 Application No. 37160/97 - Marsicovetere against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 222 Application No. 36650/97 - Papa Salettta against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 223 Application No. 36630/97 - Pappalardo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 224 Application No. 37174/97 - Pesce Giuseppa against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 225 Application No. 36649/97 - Petrillo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 226 Application No. 37162/97 - S.C. V. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 227 Application No. 36647/97 - Zampetti against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 228 Application No. 24909/94 - Bonomo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 229 Application No. 29077/95 - E.M. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 230 Application No. 25507/94 - S.E.W. against the Netherlands

Interim Resolution DH (99) 231 Application No. 27572/95 - Van Boerum against the Netherlands

Interim Resolution DH (99) 232 Application No. 27945/95 - Wokke against the Netherlands

Interim Resolution DH (99) 233 Application No. 27741/95 - C.B. against Switzerland

Interim Resolution DH (99) 234 Application No. 37132/97 - Amato against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 235 Application No. 36651/97 - Danieli against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 236 Application No. 37153/97 - Mugnaini Brandani against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 237 Application No. 37164/97 - Poppi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 238 Application No. 36652/97 - Reniero against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 239 Application No. 36610/97 - Talarico against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 240 Application No. 36642/97 - Saltari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 241 Application No. 36607/97 - Vasto against Italy

Resolution DH (99) 242 Election of a member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in respect of San Marino

Resolution DH (99) 243 Election of an expert to the list of experts eligible to serve on the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and appointment of an ordinary member of the Advisory Committee in respect of a casual vacancy

Resolution DH (99) 244 Fourth round of elections to the list of experts eligible to serve on the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and appointment of an ordinary member of the Advisory Committee

Interim Resolution DH (99) 245 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 25 May 1998 in the case of the Socialist Party and others against Turkey

Resolution DH (99) 246 Election of a member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in respect of Romania

Final Resolution DH (99) 247 Application No. 17798/91 - Deixler against Austria

Final Resolution DH (99) 248 Application No. 24433/94 - Sir Edward du Cann against the United Kingdom

Final Resolution DH (99) 249 Application No. 23934/94 - Middleton against the United Kingdom

Resolution DH (99) 250 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 5 March 1998 in the case of Marte and Achberger against Austria

Resolution DH (99) 251 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 27 March 1998 in the case of J.J. against the Netherlands

Resolution DH (99) 252 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 27 March 1998 in the case of K.D.B. against the Netherlands

Resolution DH (99) 253 concerning the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 21 April 1998 in the case of Estima Jorge against Portugal

Interim Resolution DH (99) 254 Application No. 27659/95 - Ferville Ch. and P. against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 255 Application No. 32873/96 - Rothschild against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 256 Application No. 26992/95 - Thiel against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 257 Application No. 23636/94 - P.M. against Hungary

Interim Resolution DH (99) 258 Application No. 33286/96 - Dorigo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 259 Application No. 26493/95 - Zegwaard and Zegwaard B.V. against the Netherlands

Interim Resolution DH (99) 260 Application No. 27506/95 - Owczarzak against Poland

Interim Resolution DH (99) 261 Application No. 28455/95 - Johnson against the United Kingdom

Interim Resolution DH (99) 262 Application No. 28190/95 - Poole against the United Kingdom

Interim Resolution DH (99) 263 Application No. 25286/94 - S.D. against the United Kingdom

Interim Resolution DH (99) 264 Application No. 34070/96 - M.H. S. and R.S. against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 265 Application No. 29378/95 - Rouveau L. and M. against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 266 Application No. 32677/96 - Kremer against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 267 Application No. 33111/96 - Pallot against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 268 Application No. 36484/97 - Bozza against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 269 Application No. 32173/96 - Lucas G. and M. against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 270 Application No. 32912/96 - Pelat against France

Interim Resolution DH (99) 271 Application No. 34569/97 - “Dimitrios Koutsoumbos, technical, commercial - and tourist Co. Ltd” against Greece

Interim Resolution DH (99) 272 Application No. 38148/97 - A.C. VI against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 273 Application No. 38138/97 - Artefice against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 274 Application No. 38101/97 - Baranelli against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 275 Application No. 38133/97 - Bonetti against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 276 Application No. 38114/97 - Bonvicini against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 277 Application No. 38146/97 - C.B. and F.E.V. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 278 Application No. 38099/97 - C.B. S. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 279 Application No. 38129/97 - Calanna against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 280 Application No. 38137/97 - Caporaso Adamo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 281 Application No. 38128/97 - Coralluzzo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 282 Application n° 38105/97 - Cucinotta against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 283 Application No. 38139/97 - De Agazio Fortunato III against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 284 Application No. 38107/97 - E.B., E.B. and M.B. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 285 Application No. 38136/97 - Facciolini Francesco II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 286 Application No. 38121/97 - Florio and Butera against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 287 Application No. 38145/97 - Focardi and Conti against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 288 Application No. 38118/97 - Fraschetti against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 289 Application No. 38123/97 - G.P. F. and M.V. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 290 Application No. 38100/97 - La Torre against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 291 Application No. 38122/97 - Lispi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 292 Application No. 38132/97 - Losardo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 293 Application No. 38110/97 - Maccà Amelia II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 294 Application No. 38104/97 - Manieri against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 295 Application No. 38130/97 - Michieli and Gentilini against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 296 Application No. 38147/97 - Nati Fernando II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 297 Application No. 38124/97 - Novello against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 298 Application No. 38108/97 - O.B. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 299 Application No. 38140/97 - P.D.B. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 300 Application No. 38096/97 - Passerini Romano I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 301 Application No. 38097/97 - Passerini Romano II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 302 Application No. 38106/97 - Romei against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 303 Application No. 38111/97 - Salomone against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 304 Application No. 38119/97 - Serino against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 305 Application No. 38125/97 - Spadoni Maurizio II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 306 Application No. 38149/97 - Mazzone G. and E. I against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 307 Application No. 38150/97 - Mazzone G. and E. II against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 308 Application No. 38152/97 - Ullo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 309 Application No. 36658/97 - Baggi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 310 Application No. 37189/97 - Comerci against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 311 Application No. 38153/97 - E.I. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 312 Application No. 38127/97 - Palmisano against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 313 Application No. 38141/97 - Altieri against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 314 Application No. 38115/97 - Ben Charfeddine against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 315 Application No. 38120/97 - Cappelloni against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 316 Application No. 38142/97 - Capozzi di Stefano against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 317 Application No. 38095/97 - Cardillo against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 318 Application No. 38112/97 - Di Gilio, Voto, Peduto and Notari against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 319 Application No. 38144/97 - Iammarino against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 320 Application No. 38103/97 - Lentini against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 321 Application No. 35936/97 - Marasco against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 322 Application No. 38117/97 - Marsili against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 323 Application No. 38143/97 - Paradiso against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 324 Application No. 38131/97 - Sarli against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 325 Application No. 27584/95 - Bertelli against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 326 Application No. 27240/95 - Cilione against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 327 Application No. 31009/96 - Fabrizi against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 328 Application No. 33377/96 - L.Z. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 329 Application No. 29508/95 - M.B. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 330 Application No. 32728/96 - Spissu against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 331 Application No. 33749/96 - Suraci A. and A. against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 332 Application No. 33691/96 - V.B. III against Italy

Interim Resolution DH (99) 333 Application No. 32922/96 - C.C.M.C. against Romania

Resolution DH (99) 334 Election of a member of the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in respect of Ireland

Resolution AP (99) 1 on the classification of medicines which are obtainable only on medical prescription (superseding Resolution AP (95) 1)

Resolution AP (99) 2 on warning phrases for certain categories of medicines (superseding Resolution AP (95) 2)

Resolution ChS (99) 1 on certain non-accepted provisions of the European Social Charter

Resolution ChS (99) 2 on the implementation of the European Social Charter during the period 1994-96 (14th supervision cycle – part I)

APPENDIX 3

Chart of signatures and ratifications of European Treaties

(covering the period from 21 January to 21 April 1999)

TREATY	STATE	DATE OF SIGNATURE	DATE OF RATIFICATION	DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE
European Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters (ETS 30)	Romania	30 June 1995	17 March 1999	15 June 1999
	Slovenia	26 February 1999
European Agreement on the abolition of visas for refugees (ETS 31)	Czech Republic	9 March 1999	9 March 1999	10 April 1999
European Social Charter (ETS 35))	Croatia	8 March 1999
European Convention on information on foreign law (ETS 62)	Georgia	Accession	18 March 1999	19 June 1999
European Agreement on the exchange of tissue-typing reagents (ETS 84)	Slovak Republic	21 January 1999	21 January 1999	22 February 1999
European Convention on the suppression of terrorism (ETS 90)	Latvia	8 September 1998	20 April 1999	21 July 1999
Additional Protocol to the European Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters (ETS 99)	Romania	15 February 1996	17 March 1999	15 June 1999
	Slovenia	4 March 1999
European Convention on recognition of decisions concerning custody of children and on restoration on custody of children (ETS 105)	Czech Republic	16 April 1999
European Agreement on transfer of responsibility for refugees (ETS 107)	Romania	15 February 1999
Convention for the Protection of Individuals with Regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (ETS 108)	Poland	21 April 1999
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms concerning the abolition of the death penalty (ETS 114)	United Kingdom	27 January 1999
European Charter of local self-government (ETS 122)	Slovak Republic	23 February 1999
Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter (ETS 128)	Croatia	8 March 1999

European Convention on transfrontier television (ETS 132)	Bulgaria	20 May 1997	3 March 1999	1 July 1999
	Estonia	9 February 1999
Protocol amending the European Social Charter (ETS 142)	Croatia	8 March 1999
Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (ETS 151)	Italy	30 October 1996	8 March 1999
Protocol No. 2 to the European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (ETS 152)	Italy	30 October 1996	8 March 1999
Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities (ETS 157)	Norway	1 February 1995	17 March 1999	1 July 1999
Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter providing for a system of collective complaints (ETS 158)	Croatia	8 March 1999
European Convention on the exercise of children’s rights (ETS 160)	Croatia	8 March 1999
European Agreement relating to persons participating in proceedings of the European Court of Human Rights (ETS 161))	Liechtenstein	21 January 1999	21 January 1999	1 March 1999
	Luxembourg	5 March 1996	12 March 1999	1 May 1999
	Romania	28 May 1998	9 April 1999	1 June 1999
Sixth Protocol to the General Agreement on privileges and immunities of the Council of Europe (ETS 162)	Liechtenstein	21 January 1999
	Romania	28 May 1998	9 April 1999	10 May 1999
	Spain	5 December 1997	21 January 1999	22 February 1999
	Turkey	15 February 1999
Convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the European region (ETS 165)	Austria	7 July 1997	3 February 1999	1 April 1999
Additional Protocol to the Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons (ETS 167)	Estonia	26 February 1999
Protocol No. 2 to the European Outline Convention on transfrontier co-operation between territorial communities or authorities concerning interterritorial co-operation (ETS 169)	Netherlands	4 March 1999
Protocol of amendment to the European Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes (ETS 170)	Cyprus	18 February 1999

Convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law (ETS 172)	Luxembourg	17 March 1999
	Romania	15 February 1999
Criminal Law Convention on corruption (ETS 173)	Albania	17 January 1999
	Belgium	20 April 1999
	Bulgaria	17 January 1999
	Cyprus	17 January 1999
	Denmark	17 January 1999
	Finland	17 January 1999
	Germany	17 January 1999
	Greece	17 January 1999
	Iceland	17 January 1999
	Italy	17 January 1999
	Latvia	17 January 1999
	Lithuania	17 January 1999
	Luxembourg	17 January 1999
	Norway	17 January 1999
	Poland	17 January 1999
	Romania	17 January 1999
	Russian Federation	17 January 1999
	Slovak Republic	17 January 1999
	Sweden	17 January 1999
	Ukraine	17 January 1999
	United Kingdom	17 January 1999
	Georgia	17 January 1999

¹        See Appendix 3 for dates of signatures and ratifications.

²        Concerns the following States : Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and Turkey. Non-member State : Holy See.

³        Concerns the following States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Observers to the Committee on the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Disabilities (CD-P-RR): Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Canada.

⁴        Concerns the following States : Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey and the United Kingdom. Non-member State : Bosnia and Herzegovina. Observers : Albania, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine.

⁵        Concerns the following States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

⁶        Concerns the following States: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Portugal, Russian Federation, San Marino, Spain, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Turkey and Ukraine. Non-member States: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lebanon, Morocco and Monaco.

⁷        Concerns the following States: Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Non-member State: Holy See.

⁸        Concerns the following States: Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Non-member State: Holy See.

⁹        Concerns the following States: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey and Ukraine. Associate members: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia. Observers: Argentina, Canada, Holy See, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, the United States of America and Uruguay.

¹⁰        Concerns the following States: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, and Switzerland.

¹¹        Concerns the following States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

¹²        Concerns the following States: Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".