Progress report | Doc. 14632 Add. 1 | 08 October 2018
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (8 October 2018)
Bureau of the Assembly
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 8 October 2018 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. Fourth part-session of 2018 (Strasbourg, 8-12 October 2018)
1.1.1. Requests for current affairs debates
The Bureau took note of the request of the European Conservatives Group (EC) and decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a current affairs debate on “The future of the Council of Europe”, and appointed Lord David Blencathra (United Kingdom) as the first speaker.
1.2. Composition of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD group, appointed Mr Duarte Marques (Portug al), subject to ratification by the Assembly.
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE group, appointed Mr Michael Jensen (Denmark), subject to ratification by the Assembly.
The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the UEL group, appointed Mr Andrej Hunko (Germany), subject to ratification by the Assembly.
The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.
2. Other decisions by the Bureau
2.1. Fourth part-session of 2018 (Strasbourg, 8-12 October 2018)
2.1.1. Requests for current affairs debates
The Bureau took note of the withdrawal of the request of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group (SOC), to hold a current affairs debate on “Obligations of members states to make the Council of Europe a successful organisation”.
2.1.2. Draft agenda
The Bureau updated the draft agenda.
2.1.3. Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Albania, Norway and Turkey
The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the Election of Judges which had assessed the qualifications of the candidates to the posts of judge to the Court in respect of Albania, Norway and Turkey. This report had been already declassified by the Committee and submitted to the attention of all members of the Assembly (Doc. 14632 Addendum 2).
The Bureau took also note of the interruption of the procedure in respect of Turkey following the withdrawal of one of the candidates from the Turkish list. The Turkish government was invited to complete this list by submitting a new third candidature.
2.1.4. Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 8 October 2018 from 3 pm to 4 pm)
The Bureau took note of the draft agenda and prepared the meeting.
2.2. Election observation
2.2.1. “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: Referendum (30 September 2018) following the Final Agreement signed by Greece and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” on 17 June 2018
The Bureau took note of the list of members of the ad hoc committee who observed this referendum and of the statement of the observation mission.
2.3. Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (29 June – 7 October 2018) (Rapporteur: Ms Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir, Iceland, UEL)
The Bureau approved the progress report (Doc.14632).
2.4. Declarations of interests
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly and decided to invite the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs to:
- proceed with the evaluation of the procedure related to declarations of interests and to decide on its possible adjustments;
- consider and decide on cases of members of the Assembly who have not submitted their declarations or submitted them after the specified deadline.
2.5. Communications
The Bureau took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
2.6. Meetings of the Bureau and Standing Committee in Helsinki (22-23 November 2018)
The Bureau took note of the draft programme and practical information.
2.7. Meetings elsewhere than Strasbourg and Paris
The Bureau authorised the sub-committee on External Relations of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to participate in meetings at the United Nations with high level officials and other stakeholders, on the occasion of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly to be held on 5-6 December 2018 in New-York (United States).