This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only

the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly notes with concern that in recent years internal displacement in Europe has become one of the most pressing humanitarian issues. There are over 3 million internally displaced persons as a result of armed conflicts and human rights violations in different parts of our continent, in particular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, the Russian Federation, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and in "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".

2. Many of those displaced are in need of protection, assistance and development aid. Yet internal displacement – in contrast to refugee problems – is often perceived as an internal question of the state concerned, and therefore it attracts relatively less attention by the international community. There exist no legally binding international instruments which would protect internally displaced persons and safeguard their human rights.

3. The Assembly is particularly concerned by the fact that in some Council of Europe member states the displaced persons have unclear legal status, their rights are not well defined, their basic human rights are violated, and their humanitarian situation is extremely precarious.

4. The Assembly wishes to draw the attention of Council of Europe member states to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement elaborated by the Office of the UN Secretary’s General Representative on Internal Displacement.

5. The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

–       instruct its relevant committees to review national policies with a view to assuring protection of internally displaced persons and identifying possible regulations hampering their human rights;

–       invite the Council of Europe member states to observe the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, and include their provisions into the national legislation if it has not yet been done;

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Annemans, Belgium, NR

Björnemalm, Sweden, SOC

Cesario, Portugal, EPP/CD

Cilevics, Latvia, SOC

Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Ilaşcu, Romania, EDG

Ivanov, Estonia, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Lörcher, Germany, SOC

Markovska, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", EPP/CD

Naro, Italy, NR

Torrado, Spain, SOC

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

Yáñez-Barnuevo, Spain, SOC

Zulueta, Italy, SOC

1        SOC: Socialist Group