Progress report | Doc. 14968 | 25 September 2019

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (28 June-29 September 2019)

Author(s): Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur : Ms Nicole TRISSE, France, ALDE

1. Introduction

At its meeting on 28 June 2019, the Bureau appointed me as rapporteur for this report, which covers its activities over the period from the last Bureau meeting of the third part-session of 2019 (Friday 28 June) to the first Bureau meeting of the fourth part-session of 2019 (Monday 30 September) including the Bureau meeting held in Bern on 3 September 2019.

Chapter 2 presents a list of activities and decisions which do not require ratification. Chapter 3 presents decisions which have already been ratified by the Assembly on 28 June. Chapter 4 presents decisions to be ratified by the Assembly on Monday 30 September.

An addendum to this report will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 30 September, which will also include decisions to be ratified on the same day. Another addendum will be issued after the Bureau meeting of 4 October. It will include only the decisions to be ratified by the Assembly on the same day, notably the references and transmissions, which will have been approved by the Bureau.

The Bureau will hold its next meetings in Strasbourg on Friday 4 October at 8.30 am, then on Thursday 28 November in Tbilisi, and on Friday 13 December in Paris. The next meeting of the Standing Committee will be held in Tbilisi on 29 November.

2. Activities of the Bureau since the last part-session and decisions not requiring ratification by the Assembly

2.1. Third part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 24-28 June)

On 28 June, the Bureau approved the follow-up proposal to Resolution 2290 (2019)Towards an ambitious Council of Europe agenda for gender equality, presented by the Secretary General of the Assembly, and instructed the Committees to ensure gender balance in expert panels and other bodies with two or more members.

On 28 June, the Bureau invited the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs to reflect upon certain procedural problems identified during the third part-session in the framework of a forthcoming report on modification of provisions of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

2.2. Meeting of the Bureau in Bern (3 September 2019)

On 28 June, the Bureau took note of the draft programme of the meeting and the practical information.

2.3. Fourth part-session of 2019 (Strasbourg, 30 September-4 October)

On 28 June, the Bureau drew up the preliminary draft agenda. On 3 September, it drew up the draft agenda.

2.4. Communications

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

2.5. Dissolution of the Free Democrats Group

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the dissolution of the Free Democrat Group as from 30 June 2019.

2.6. Budgetary matters – Analysis of the use made by the Assembly’s political groups of their allocations for 2018

On 28 June, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Chairperson of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, approved the communication submitted by the Committee and decided to consider the revision of the modalities for calculating the allocation paid to political groups when deciding on the apportionment of this allocation for 2020.

2.7. Apportionment of the allocation of political groups for 2019

On 3 September, the Bureau decided to modify its decision of 14 December 2018 and to increase the overall allocation to the political groups of the Assembly for 2019 by 60 000 Euros.

2.8. Election observation

Ukraine: early parliamentary elections (21 July 2019): on 28 June, the Bureau approved the final list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 1). On 3 September, it took note of the withdrawal by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of the invitation to observe these elections.

2.9. 2019 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the shortlist made by the Selection Panel at its meeting in Prague on 26-27 August 2019, consisting of (in alphabetical order):

Mr Ilham TOHTI (China)

Mr Buzurgmehr YOROV (Tajikistan)

Youth Initiative for Human Rights

2.10. 2019 World Forum for Democracy (Strasbourg, 6-8 November)

On 28 June, the Bureau approved the composition of the ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in the Forum and appointed Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Assembly, as its Chairperson (Appendix 2).

2.11. OECD Global Parliamentary Network (Paris, 10 0ctober 2019)

On 28 June, the Bureau approved the composition of the ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in the OECD Global Parliamentary Network to be held in Paris on 10 October and appointed Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Assembly, as its Chairperson (Appendix 3).

2.12. Independent Investigation Body on the allegations of corruption within the Parliamentary Assembly

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the letter by the Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and of the progress report on the follow-up given to the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the Independent Investigation Body on the allegations of corruption within the Parliamentary Assembly and declassified this progress report.

2.13. Guidelines on the external relations of the Parliamentary Assembly

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of a memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly and decided to fix for 15 October 2019 the deadline for possible comments by Bureau members on these guidelines, to be submitted to the Secretary General of the Assembly with a view to adopting them at the Bureau meeting in Tbilisi on 28 November 2019.

2.14. Issues raised by committees

Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons: on 3 September, the Bureau decided not to authorise Mr Fabien Gouttefarde (France, ALDE) to carry out a fact-finding visit to Kenya in the framework of the preparation of his report on The protection of victims of forced displacement under international law.

2.15. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

On 28 June, the Bureau approved the list of candidates in respect of Azerbaijan, Ireland, Italy and Montenegro to be forwarded to the Committee of Ministers.

2.16. Meetings elsewhere than Strasbourg and Paris

On 28 June, the Bureau decided not to authorise the Sub-Committee on Diasporas (of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons) to meet in Amman (Jordan) on 18 September 2019.

3. Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 28 June, and subsequently ratified by the Assembly

Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 28 June 2019 which were subsequently ratified by the Assembly on 28 June can be found in Doc 14911 Add. 3 (see appendix 4).

4. Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meetings on 28 June and 3 September requiring ratification by the Assembly on Monday 30 September through the Progress report

4.1. Rules on exhibitions in the Assembly Lobby

On 28 June, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly and approved the rules on exhibitions in the Assembly Lobby (appendix 5).

4.2. Composition of the Monitoring Committee

On 3 September, the Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Ms Alexandra Louis (France).

4.3. Composition of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs

On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the request by Mr Artuss Kaimiņš (Latvia, NR) to become a member of the Committee and appointed him.

4.4. References and transmissions to committees

On 3 September, the Bureau considered and approved the following references and transmissions subject to ratification by the Assembly:

Doc. 14920 – Motion for a resolution – Humanitarian and legal assistance to victims of gross violations of human rights and the right to reparations – transmission to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for information;

Doc. 14921 – Motion for a resolution – The situation in Kosovo – reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report;

Doc. 14924 – Motion for a resolution – Combating Afrophobia in Europe – reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report;

Doc. 14925 – Motion for a resolution, Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Geneva conventions: the contribution of the Council of Europe to the increasing synergy between International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law – reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.

Appendix 1 – List of members of the Ad Hoc Committee for the observation of the early parliamentary elections in Ukraine (21 July 2019)

(open)

Chairperson / Président

Lord RUSSELL (United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni, EC/CE)

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)

Mr / M. Corneliu Mugurel COZMANCIUC, Romania / Roumanie

Ms / Mme Katalin CSÖBÖR, Hungary / Hongrie

Mr / M. Zsolt CSENGER-ZALÁN, Hungary / Hongrie

Mr / M. Killion MUNYAMA, Poland / Pologne

Mr / M. Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland / Pologne *

Mr / M. Krzysztof TRUSKOLASKI, Poland / Pologne

…

Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)

Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche

Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse

Mr / M. Erwin BUSHATI, Albania / Albanie

Mr / M. Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus / Chypre

Mr / M. Etienne GRECH, Malta / Malte

Mr / M. Predrag SEKULIĆ, Montenegro / Monténégro

Mr / M. Betian KITEV, North Macedonia / Macédoine du Nord

Ms / Mme Petra BAYR, Austria / Autriche

Mr / M. Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan / Azerbaïdjan

…

European Conservatives Group (EC) / Groupe des conservateurs européens (CE)

Lord BLENCATHRA, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni

Lord RUSSELL, United Kingdom / Royaume-Uni

Ms / Mme Nino GOGUADZE, Georgia / Géorgie

…

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)

Mr / M. Jokin BILDARRATZ, Spain / Espagne

Mr / M. Bertand BOUYX, France

Mr / M. Hovhannes IGITYAN, Armenia / Arménie

Mr / M. František KOPŘIVA, Czech Republic / République Tchèque

Mr / M. Jacques LE NAY, France

Mr / M. Mart van de VEN, Netherlands / Pays-Bas*

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)

Mr / M. Andrej HUNKO, Germany / Allemagne

Mr / M. Paul GAVAN, Ireland / Irlande

Substitutes / suppléants

Mr / M. George LOUCAIDES, Cyprus / Chypre

Mr / M. Marco NICOLINI, San Marino / Saint-Marin *

Free Democrats Group (FDG) / Groupe des démocrates libres (GDL)

Mr / M. Nagif HAMZAYEV, Azerbaijan / Azerbaïdjan*

Substitutes / suppléants

Mr Elshad HASANOV, Azerbaijan / Azerbaïdjan

Co-rapporteurs AS/MON (ex officio)

Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse

Ms / Mme Dzhema GROZDANOVA, Bulgaria / Bulgarie *

Venice Commission / Commission de Venise

Secretariat / Secrétariat

* Member of the pre-electoral mission / membre de la mission pré-électorale

Appendix 2 – List of members of the Ad Hoc Committee to participate in the World Forum for Democracy on 6-8 November 2019 in Strasbourg

(open)

Chairperson / Présidente

Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier – President of the Parliamentary Assembly / Présidente de l’Assemblée parlementaire

Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy / Commission des questions politiques et de la démocratie

Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights / Commission des questions juridiques et des droits de l’homme

Mr Ziya Altunyaldız (Turkey, NR / Turquie, NI)

Mr Norbert Kleinwaechter (Germany, NR / Allemagne, NI)

Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) / Commission pour le respect des obligations et engagements des Etats membres du Conseil de l’Europe (Commission de suivi)

Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development / Commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable

Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media / Commission de la culture, de la science, de l’éducation et des médias

Mr Rafael Comte (Switzerland, ALDE / Suisse, ADLE)

Mr Sos Avetisyan (Armenia, NR / Arménie, NI)

Mr Roland Rino Büchel (Switzerland, ALDE / Suisse, ADLE)

Mr José Cepeda (Spain, SOC / Espagne, SOC)

Lord George Foulkes (United Kingdom, SOC / Royaume-Uni, SOC)

Mr Hovhannes Igityan (Armenia, NR / Arménie, NI)

Mr Roberto Rampi (Italy, SOC / Italie, SOC)

Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination / Commission sur l’égalité et sur la non-discrimination

Ms Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC / Autriche, SOC)

Ms Jette Christensen (Norway, SOC / Norvège, SOC)

Mr Jean-Pierre Grin (Switzerland, ALDE / Suisse, ADLE)

Mr Momodou Malcolm Jallow (Sweden, UEL / Suède, GUE)

Mr Robert Troy (Ireland, ALDE / Irlande, ADLE)

Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons / Commission des migrations, des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées

Ms Tatevik Hayrapetyan (Armenia, EPP/CD / Arménie, PPE/DC)

Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs / Commission du Règlement, des immunités et des affaires institutionnelles

Mr Egidijus Vareikis (Lithuania, EPP/CD / Lituanie, PPE/DC)

Appendix 3 – List of members of the Ad Hoc Committee to participate in the OECD Global Parliamentary Network

(open)

Chairperson / Présidente

Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier – President of the Parliamentary Assembly / Présidente de l’Assemblée parlementaire

Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy / Commission des questions politiques et de la démocratie

Mr Corneliu Mugurel Cozmanciuc (Romania, EPP/CD / Roumanie, PPE/DC)

Mr Oleksii Goncharenko (Ukraine, EC / CE)

Ms Deborah Bergamini (Italy, EPP/CD / Italie, PPE/DC)

Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights / Commission des questions juridiques et des droits de l’homme

Mr Ziya Altunyaldız (Turkey, NR / Turquie, NI)

Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development / Commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable

Ms Jennifer De Temmerman (France, NR / NI)

Baroness Doreen E. Massey (United Kingdom, SOC / Royaume-Uni, SOC)

Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC / Autriche, SOC)

Ms Selin Sayek Böke (Turkey, SOC / Turquie, SOC)

Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media / Commission de la culture, de la science, de l’éducation et des médias

Mr Rafael Comte (Switzerland, ALDE / Suisse, ADLE)

Mr José Cepeda (Spain, SOC / Espagne, SOC)

Mr Hovhannes Igityan (Armenia, NR / Arménie, NI)

Mr Roberto Rampi (Italy, SOC / Italie, SOC)

Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination / Commission sur l’égalité et sur la non-discrimination

Ms Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC / Autriche, SOC)

Mr Jean-Pierre Grin (Switzerland, ALDE / Suisse, ADLE)

Ms Zita Gurmai (Hungary, SOC / Hongrie, SOC)

Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons / Commission des migrations, des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées

Ms Anne-Mari Virolainen (Finland, EPP/CD / Finlande, PPE/DC)

Ms Tatevik Hayrapetyan (Armenia, EPP/CD / Arménie, PPE/DC)

Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs / Commission du Règlement, des immunités et des affaires institutionnelles

Appendix 4 – Decisions taken by the Bureau at its meeting on 28 June 2019, and subsequently ratified by the Assembly on 28 June 2019

(open)

Doc. 14911 Add. 3

28 June 2019

Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (28 June 2019)

Progress report

Rapporteur: Ms Petra De SUTTER, Belgium, Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group

1. Decisions of the Bureau of 28 June 2019 requiring ratification by the Assembly

1.1 References and transmissions to committees

The Bureau considered and approved the following reference:

Doc. 14929, Motion for a resolution, Ensuring accountability for the downing of flight MH 17: reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.

1.2. Composition of the Monitoring Committee and of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

1.2.1. Monitoring Committee

The Bureau,

on the basis of a proposal by the ALDE Group, appointed Mr Eerik-Niiles Kross (Estonia)

on the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr Mihail Popsoi (Republic of Moldova) and Mr Ruben Rubinyan (Armenia).

1.2.2. Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

The Bureau, on the basis of a proposal by the EPP/CD Group, appointed Mr Jason Azzopardi (Malta).

1.3. OECD Global Parliamentary Network (Paris, 10 0ctober 2019)

The Bureau decided to set up an ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in the OECD Global Parliamentary Network to be held in Paris on 10 October 2019, approved its composition and appointed Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier, President of the Assembly, as its Chairperson.

1.4. Requests for urgent procedure or current affairs debates: admissibility and selection criteria

The Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared by the Secretary General of the Assembly and approved the admissibility and selection criteria of requests for urgent procedure or current affairs debates (see appendix).

The Assembly is invited to ratify these Bureau decisions.

Appendix 5 – Rules on exhibition in the Assembly lobby

(open)

The following rules apply during and outside Assembly part-sessions. However, they do not apply with respect to exhibitions in the Assembly lobby during sessions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and to other exhibitions organised in the context of duly authorised events taking place in the Assembly’s hemicycle.

1. Definition of the area covered

The Assembly lobby is the area just outside the Assembly’s hemicycle (plenary Chamber), composed of eight exhibition spaces.

2. Who can submit requests?

Requests for exhibitions in the Assembly lobby can only be made by the following:

Assembly committees

Parliamentary delegations of member States, parliaments granted of the special guest, observer or partner for democracy status

Council of Europe institutions and bodies

Requests from Permanent Representations of States concerned may only be considered if transmitted via, and with the support of, the relevant parliamentary delegation.

A requesting committee/delegation/institution can be granted no more than one exhibition per year.

3. What the request should include

Exhibitions requests must include the following elements:

the title

the subject of the exhibition

whether it satisfies one of the following criteria

a link to the work as well as the values of the Council of Europe

a support for co-operation amongst member States

a link to the work of the Assembly

a detailed presentation of the exhibition, for example a “scenario”, scanned photos or other electronic samples of the kind of exhibits to be shown

the size of the exhibition, on the understanding that each organiser can only be granted one exhibition space, which are limited in size

an undertaking that the exhibition, if agreed, will be set up on the Friday prior to the part-session, and be taken down not earlier than the Friday after the end of the part-session.

4. The subject-matter of the exhibition

It should not be controversial or politically divisive, and in any case shall not contain propaganda for ideas or activities which are incompatible with the Council of Europe’s principles. In particular, it should not have a racist, xenophobic or intolerant content.

5. To whom should the request be addressed and within which deadline

Requests for authorisation must be submitted to the President of the Assembly not later than six weeks in advance of the opening of the part-session to which the request relates. This deadline shall not apply to exhibitions organised outside of part-sessions of the Assembly.

6. Guidelines in coming to a decision

The responsibility for agreeing to such request rests with the President of the Assembly, whose decision is final. The President will agree to such requests on the basis of the criteria already given under paragraphs 3-5 above. These criteria are not binding but designed to help the President in taking a decision.