Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)

(Resolution 1202 (1999) adopted on 4 November 1999) with subsequent modifications of the Rules of Procedure* 

External relations of the Assembly Retour au sommaire Atteindre l'élement suivant Atteindre l'élement précédent

External relations of the Assembly

i. - Guidelines on external relations of the Parliamentary Assembly

I. General goals pursued by external relations

1. The main objectives pursued by the external relations of the Assembly are to:

— promote fundamental values which the Assembly considers to be universal;

— make the work of the Assembly and its positions on key international issues better known, understood and accepted;

— promote Council of Europe instruments and tools available, or serving as inspiration, to external players;

— promote signature and ratification of Council of Europe conventions open to non-member states;

— seek co-operation, synergies and complementarity with external partners;

— strengthen parliamentarism, parliamentary institutions in non-member states and parliamentary dimension in international organisations.

2. The Assembly’s external relations pursue one more goal, which is specific and limited in scope and has now nearly been achieved: accession to the Council of Europe.
3. The Assembly should only consider establishing relations with external partners when these relations can serve to develop and promote the three core values of the Council of Europe: human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

II. Scope

4. External relations of the Assembly comprise relations with:

— national parliaments of non-member states;

— international parliamentary organisations/assemblies;

— (inter-governmental) international organisations.

5. The following should not be considered as part of “institutional” external relations as such:

— relations with national parliaments of Council of Europe member states;

— relations with Council of Europe bodies/entities (eg. Venice Commission, North-South Centre, etc.);

— relations with international non-governmental organisations.

III. Competencies

6. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, in the context of his/her relations with non-member states, can take initiatives and give political impetus to prepare the establishment of potential new relations or the development of existing co-operation with external partners.
7. The Presidential Committee, as a consultative body, provides advice and guidelines to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and to the Bureau in matters of external relations.
8. Rule 14 of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Rules of Procedure states that the Bureau “guides the external relations of the Assembly”. According to the Special Rules of 2 July 1970 contained in the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, the Bureau is also responsible for relations with the parliamentary and inter-parliamentary Assemblies of non-member States.
9. The Bureau’s responsibility is complemented by the work of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy which, in line with its terms of reference, shall inter alia:

— consider requests for membership of the Council of Europe; requests for granting observer status with the Council of Europe and with the Parliamentary Assembly; requests for special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly; requests for partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly, and its evaluation to review the progress achieved in fulfilling the undertakings made by the parliaments concerned when they requested this status;

— consider the situation in states which are not member states of the Council of Europe in the light of the fundamental values upheld by the Council of Europe, make proposals and, subject to the approval by the Bureau, take political action to promote these values;

— prepare reports on the activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). For the preparation of the reports and the debates in the Assembly, the committee maintains relations with the OECD and the EBRD, and with parliaments of non-member States participating in these debates.

10. According to Assembly Order 500 (1994) on Relations between the Council of Europe and the United Nations, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy draws up a report on the political challenges facing the United Nations and its necessary restructuring; establishes regular dialogue with the Director General of the United Nations Office in Geneva and holds a meeting of its relevant Sub-Committee in principle once a year in New York on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly. The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights is to establish regular contacts with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
11. In addition, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy “may propose to the Bureau the conclusion of co-operation agreements, or other ways of stepping up co-operation, with parliaments of non-member states and international interparliamentary institutions”.
12. Furthermore, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy can set up sub-committees dealing with one or several aspects of the Assembly’s external relations (for instance, the Sub-Committee on External Relations, the Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab world).
13. Other Assembly committees, as appropriate, can also have a role to play in external relations, in line with their respective terms of reference.
14. The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly has regular contacts with external institutions and other assemblies. In the framework of these contacts, he/she seeks to reinforce co-operation and to enhance co-ordination in areas falling within the field of competencies of the Assembly as well as to make its work better known, understood and accepted. The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly is a member of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP). He/she regularly participates in joint meetings with the Secretary Generals of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE and of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to ensure better co-ordination and exchange of information on the work of the three Parliamentary Assemblies.

IV. Relations with national parliaments of non-member states

15. The Assembly has established three distinct categories of institutional relations with national parliaments of non-member states: special guests, partners for democracy (as established by Resolution 1680 (2009)) and observers (as established by Resolution 195 (1961)).
16. Relevant General Rules are Rule 14 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and the Special Rules governing relations between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the parliamentary and inter-parliamentary assemblies of non-member states.
17. Special guest status:

— Aim of this status: to facilitate the process of accession of the European countries which are not yet members of the Council of Europe.

— Eligibility: the status is open to parliaments whose member States have applied for membership to the Council of Europe.

— Relevant Rule: Rule 62 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

— Procedure: upon formal request addressed by the President of the parliament concerned to the President of the Assembly, the Bureau of the Assembly may grant special guest status, after consultation of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.

18. Partner for democracy status:

— Aim of this status: this status aims at developing co-operation with parliaments of non-member states of neighbouring regions as a means of consolidating democratic transformations and promoting stability, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law. This advanced co-operation status with the Assembly is accompanied by a number of rights in the Assembly as well as by political commitments undertaken by the Partners and followed-up by the Assembly.

— Eligibility: the national parliaments of all southern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries participating in the Union for the Mediterranean-Barcelona Process (including the Palestinian Legislative Council) and of central Asian countries participating in the OSCE (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) are eligible to request partner for democracy status with the Assembly. This geographical scope of eligibility has been defined by the Assembly in Resolution 1680 (2009), however the Assembly also states that “requests from parliaments of other States may also be considered if the Bureau of the Assembly so decides.”

— Relevant Rule: Rule 64 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

— Procedure: any formal request for partner for democracy status shall be addressed to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly by the President or Speaker of the parliament concerned. The decision to grant, suspend or withdraw partner for democracy status shall be taken by a resolution of the Assembly following a report by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, with an opinion by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and an opinion by the Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination and, where appropriate, an opinion by any other relevant Assembly committee. These committees, in the fields within their specific terms of reference, review the progress achieved in fulfilling the undertakings made by the parliaments concerned when they requested this status.

19. Observer status:

— Aim of this status: the main objective is to bring to the observers’ attention the Assembly’s work and to provide the Assembly with information on action taken in national parliaments on issues related to the Council of Europe.

— Eligibility: observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly is meant for parliaments of non-European states which are considered to be established democracies which are willing to contribute (including financially) to democratic transformations in Europe.

— Relevant Rule: Rule 63 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

— Procedure: the Assembly may, on the proposal of the Bureau, grant observer status to national parliaments of non-member states of the Council of Europe which meet the conditions set out in §1 of Statutory Resolution (93) 26 of the Committee of Ministers on observer status. Any request for observer status shall be referred to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report and to other relevant committees for opinion.

— Any new applications for observer status may only be considered in light of Resolution 1600 (2008) on “The Council of Europe and its observer states – the current situation and a way forward”.

20. Co-operation agreements with parliaments from non-member states:

— Aim: exceptionally, the Assembly may, upon the proposal of the Bureau, decide to enter into co-operation agreements with parliaments from non-member states to establish a political dialogue with a view to promoting, in the country concerned, the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as fundamental freedoms.

— Eligibility: such agreements should only be formalised if they have a measurable added value for the work of the Assembly.

— Relevant Rules: Rule 14 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure; terms of reference of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.

V. Relations with parliamentary organisations/assemblies

21. With regard to co-operation with international parliamentary organisations/assemblies:

— Aim: to develop parliamentary diplomacy and to promote the parliamentary dimension of international organisations.

— Relevant Rules: Rule 14 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure; terms of reference of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy; Rule 66 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly which states that the arrangements for co-operation with the European Parliament are decided by the Bureau.

— Eligibility: in the exercise of its competencies, the Bureau should limit the conclusion of written co-operation agreements to cases where such an agreement presents a measurable added value for the work of the Assembly.

— The absence of a written co-operation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly and another parliamentary organisation/assembly should not per se impede their potential co-operation, to be decided by the Bureau.

VI. Relations with international organisations

22. The Assembly establishes relations with several international organisations who “are actively involved in promoting their values through outside activities, especially in areas bordering the territories of Council of Europe member states” (Resolution 1506 (2006)).

— Aim: to reinforce co-ordination and to avoid duplications of efforts with the Council of Europe’s main institutional partners, in particular the European Union, the OSCE and the UN and its specialised agencies, whose activities are often amongst the field of expertise of the Council of Europe.

— Relevant Rules: Rule 65 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure states that the Assembly may, on the proposal of the Bureau, invite national or international organisations to present reports or communications.

VII. The European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments

23. The European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments is organised under the auspices of the Parliamentary Assembly. The Conference normally meets every two years. The venue of its meetings alternates in principle between Strasbourg and a capital of a Council of Europe member state.
24. The Conference is composed of the Speakers and Presidents of parliaments of the member states of the Council of Europe as well as of the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. The Speakers and Presidents of parliaments having special guests, observer or partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly are invited as observers. Other parliamentary assemblies may be invited by the host country or Assembly to attend as observers. The Parliamentary Assembly systematically invites Presidents of international parliamentary bodies with whom the Assembly has signed co-operation agreements to attend the Conference as observers.

— Relevant Rules: Rules of the Conference.

ii. - Recommendation 1247 (1994) on the enlargement of the Council of Europe

1. The Council of Europe is an Organisation of sovereign states striving to achieve close co-operation on the basis of democratic constitutions and the European Convention on Human Rights. It is in Europe’s interest that its basic values and ideas on human rights permeate neighbouring cultures, but without seeking in any way to question, let alone destroy, those cultures.
2. Membership of the Council of Europe is in principle open only to states whose national territory lies wholly or partly in Europe and whose culture is closely linked with the European culture. However, traditional and cultural links and adherence to the fundamental values of the Council of Europe might justify a suitable co-operation with other states neighbouring the «geographical» boundaries.
3. The boundaries of Europe have not yet been comprehensively defined under international law. The Council of Europe therefore should, in principle, base itself on the generally accepted geographical limits of Europe.
4. Accordingly, within their internationally recognised borders, all member states of the Council of Europe are European: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
5. The states whose legislative assemblies enjoy special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are also considered European, as defined in paragraph 3 above. These states are: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Latvia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.
6. The possibility of membership is open to the republics of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - Montenegro and Serbia - which currently have no formal status with the Council of Europe because of their responsibility for the crisis and the United Nations sanctions against them.
7. The possibility of membership is also open to the Principality of Andorra.
8. In view of their cultural links with Europe, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia would have the possibility of applying for membership provided they clearly indicate their will to be considered as part of Europe. However, a new iron curtain should not be drawn behind these states as this would run the risk of preventing the spread of the Council of Europe’s basic values to other countries. Neighbouring countries of «geographical» Europe should, if they so wish, be viewed as possible candidates for suitable co-operation.
9. Countries bordering directly on Council of Europe member states should be able to enjoy privileged relations with the Parliamentary Assembly, if they so wish. This applies in particular to the states on the eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean.
10. Even after internationally recognised declarations of sovereignty, any non-European parts of member states which break away from the latter should only be able to apply to participate as observers in the Parliamentary Assembly’s work.
11. Delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly should comprise a minimum of two and a maximum of eighteen members.
12. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers define the limits of the enlargement of the Council of Europe taking into account the above-mentioned principles.

iii. - Draft Agreement on co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliament of a non-member state

1. The aim of this Agreement is to establish a political dialogue between the parliament of a non-member state and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with a view to promoting in the country the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as fundamental freedoms.
2. The parliament of a non-member state commits itself to act for and encourage the competent authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions and abolish the death penalty.
3. The parliament of a non-member state should encourage the competent authorities to make use of the possibilities to sign and ratify the relevant Council of Europe Conventions which are open to non-member states, as well as the expertise offered by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission).
4. The parliament of a non-member state will report every year to the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly on the progress achieved in the promotion of the principles stated in paragraph 1 as well as on the issue of the death penalty.
5. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe agrees to invite a delegation or representatives of the parliament of a non-member state to the plenary sittings of the Assembly and meetings of the Standing Committee whenever a subject of particular relevance to the parliament comes up for discussion.
6. The parliament of a non-member state agrees that its delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe reflect the various currents of political opinion within the parliament.
7. Representatives of the parliament of a non-member state may also be invited to Assembly activities (conferences, hearings, colloquies and other events organised by the Assembly or its committees) relating to the functioning of democratic institutions as well as to the role of parliaments in promoting respect for human rights and the rule of law.
8. The Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the parliament of a non-member state may meet when necessary and issue joint statements on matters of common interest. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly may also invite the presidents of parliaments having signed a co-operation agreement to attend joint meetings organised by him.
9. The Secretaries General of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the parliament of a non-member state may co-operate on matters of common interest, in particular through the exchange of information and documents, traineeships and the organisation of seminars.
This Co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of signature. It may be suspended or annulled by one of the parties. It remains in force for one month after reception of the notification of denunciation.

iv. - Special rules governing relations between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the parliamentary and inter-parliamentary assemblies of non-member states

(adopted by the Standing Committee on 2 July 1970 )

1. The Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe shall be responsible for relations with the parliamentary and inter-parliamentary assemblies of non-member states.
2. Without encroaching upon the competence and prerogatives assigned to the Assembly and the Standing Committee in the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, the Bureau shall organise any meetings with the above-mentioned assemblies, in particular by fixing dates, procedure and subjects for discussion.
3. When the Assembly receives an invitation from a parliamentary or inter-parliamentary assembly of non-member states, the Bureau shall be required, on the basis of the appropriations available, to advise whether or not to accept the invitation and appoint, whenever necessary, the members, leader and spokesmen of the Assembly delegation. The Bureau shall also decide what travel arrangements are appropriate.
4. The Bureau may co-opt other members of the Assembly in the light of their special qualifications, to assist it in carrying out the tasks described above. It may also instruct a general or an ad hoc committee to undertake any necessary preparatory work.
5. The Bureau shall inform the Assembly of every development in the field of relations with the parliamentary or inter-parliamentary assemblies of non-member states when presenting the progress report provided for in [Rules 26.3. and 33.5. ] of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. It may refer all or part of the report of a meeting arranged between the Assembly, or one of its delegations, and any other parliamentary or inter-parliamentary assembly or delegation, to one or more of the Committees of the Council of Europe Assembly with instructions that these Committees report to the Assembly.

v. - Relations with the consultative interparliamentary Council of Benelux

Exchange of letters between the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of the Consultative Interparliamentary Council of Benelux (September 1988)

1. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will inform the President of the Consultative Interparliamentary Council of Benelux of the timetable of Assembly sessions and invite him to attend or be represented by a member of the Interparliamentary Council. Such representatives may take the floor in public debates with the authorisation of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly.
2. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will invite the President of the Consultative Interparliamentary Council of Benelux to be represented at, and take part in, conferences and other events organised by the Parliamentary Assembly at which topics of mutual interest to the Council of Europe and the Interparliamentary Council are discussed.
3. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will regularly send the President of the Consultative Interparliamentary Council of Benelux public documents of the Assembly.
4. The President of the Consultative Interparliamentary Council of Benelux will send the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe memoranda on matters which are of particular interest to the Interparliamentary Council. These memoranda will be distributed, as applicable, to the members of the Parliamentary Assembly or the appropriate committees.

vi. - Relations with the Nordic Council

Exchange of letters between the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of the Praesidium of the Nordic Council (November 1989)

1. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the President of the Presidium of the Nordic Council will exchange orders of business of plenary sessions and invite each other to attend, or to appoint representatives to attend these sessions as observers.
2. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the President of the Presidium of the Nordic Council, or their representatives, will be invited to take part in conferences and other events organised by the Parliamentary Assembly or the Nordic Council whenever matters of mutual interest are discussed.
3. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the President of the Presidium of the Nordic Council may invite members of committees to attend committee meetings dealing with matters of mutual interest.
4. The Secretariats of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Presidium of the Nordic Council will exchange public documents. Memoranda on matters of mutual interest may be sent directly to members or committees concerned.
5. Meetings of delegations of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the Presidium of the Nordic Council may be held whenever useful. At secretariat level, meetings should be held at regular intervals.

vii. - Relations with the Inter-parliamentary Union

Memorandum on co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (11 May 1993)

In view of the common concerns and complementarity of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, assembly of representatives of Europe’s parliamentary democracies, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, focal point for parliamentary dialogue at the world-wide level, the two institutions agree on the following:

A. Reciprocal representation

Statutory meetings: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Inter-Parliamentary Union will invite each other to be represented at their respective statutory plenary meetings. To this end, the Parliamentary Assembly will be able to participate in meetings organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union as an Associate Member subject to the payment of a yearly fee in accordance with the applicable scale. For its part, the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be able to observe the meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Council will be invited, at appropriate intervals, to address the Parliamentary Assembly.
Ad hoc meetings: Unless otherwise provided below, the same arrangements will apply to ad hoc meetings (conferences, symposia and other events) organised by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union in areas of common concern.

B. Joint activities

Based on their respective mandates, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union may jointly organise, or associate their respective organisations in, specific events which fall in areas of common concern, particularly those of parliamentary democracy and human rights.

C. Working arrangements

The Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union will exchange official documentation, including orders of business of statutory meetings, memoranda, resolutions and recommendations, on a regular basis. Documents of mutual interest may be sent to members of the two organisations. When appropriate, IPU may submit a written communication on a subject under consideration by the Parliamentary Assembly. Officials of the Parliamentary Assembly and Inter-Parliamentary Union Secretariats will meet for consultations at suitable intervals to strengthen the co-operation between the two organisations and enhance co-ordination with a view to avoiding duplication of their respective activities.

viii. - Relations between the parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe and the OSCE

Co-operation arrangements (agreed in September 1995)
1. The presidents of the two assemblies will exchange the agendas of their respective plenary part-sessions and invite each other to attend these part-sessions, or be represented at them as observers or guests. If the meeting schedule permits, the presidents may address the other assembly, with questions and answers following if appropriate. The internal rules of procedure will, if appropriate, specify arrangements governing admission as an observer.
2. The presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, or their representatives, will be invited to conferences, hearings and other events organised by the other assembly whenever questions of mutual interest are examined.
3. Joint meetings of delegations from the two Bureaux will be held at regular intervals on fixed dates. In particular, these meetings may examine:

— the political situation in Europe;

— the contribution of the two assemblies to European construction;

— progress made with reciprocal co-operation;

— possible presentation by one assembly to the other of reports on matters of special interest.

4. The Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will exchange information, documents, reports and adopted texts on a regular basis.
5. The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will discuss together matters of common interest and decide on the co-operation arrangements between the secretariats of the two assemblies.

ix. - Agreement on cooperation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (9 June 1997)

In view of common concern for the respect of pluralistic parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and human rights and in order to promote the parliamentary dialogue, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the one hand and the President of the Council of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the other, have agreed on the following:
— agendas for the plenary sessions shall be exchanged and each Assembly shall invite the other to attend these sessions by sending one or more representatives. The President of one Assembly may address the other on special occasions;
— the Presidents of the two Assemblies or their representatives shall be invited to conferences and other events organised by the other whenever issues which are of interest to both parties are to be examined;
— committees of both Assemblies will cooperate in a pragmatic manner by exchanging relevant documents and, where appropriate, by inviting – on the authorization of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States – the chairmen or the rapporteurs of the relevant committees in order to exchange views on matters which are of common interest;
— the two Assemblies will exchange documentation, including reports and adopted texts on a regular basis to ensure that both Assemblies are fully informed of their respective activities;
— joint meetings of delegations from the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Council of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States may be held whenever appropriate;
— the Clerk (Secretary General) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Secretary General of the Council of Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States or their representatives will meet for consultations or exchanges of views at suitable occasions to discuss matters of common interest.

x. - Co-operation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Pan African Parliament of the African Union (PAP) (11 April 2005)

I. Aim of the Agreement

1. The aim of the agreement is to enhance co-operation between PACE and PAP, while fully respecting their respective competencies. In view of their common concerns and complementarity at intercontinental level, the two institutions agree to establish a political dialogue, particularly with a view to promoting on the African continent the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
2. The PAP will encourage the competent authorities to make use of the possibilities to sign, ratify or accede to the relevant Council of Europe conventions, which are open to non-member states, as well as the expertise offered by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (“Venice Commission”) and by the North-South Centre.
3. In particular, the PAP and the PACE will endeavour to encourage the competent African authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions and abolish the death penalty.

II. Reciprocal Representation

4. The PACE and the PAP will invite each other to be represented at their respective statutory plenary meetings. The Presidents will be invited, at appropriate intervals, to address each other’s sessions.
5. The same arrangements will apply to ad hoc meetings, such as conferences, symposia and other events, organised by PACE or PAP.

III. Joint Activities

6. Based on their respective mandates, the PACE and the PAP may jointly organise, or associate their Organisations in, specific events which fall in areas of common concern, notably parliamentary democracy, rule of law, human rights and North-South relations.

IV. Working Arrangements

7. At the request of the PAP, the PACE will provide expertise on parliamentary practice and procedure.
8. The PACE and the PAP will exchange official documentation, including orders of business of statutory meetings, memoranda, resolutions and recommendations, on a regular basis.
9. Documents of mutual interest may be sent to members of the two Organisations. When appropriate the PACE and the PAP may submit written communications on subjects under consideration in the other’s Assembly.
10. Officials of PACE and PAP secretariats will meet for consultations at suitable intervals to strengthen co-operation between the two Organisations and enhance co-ordination.
11. The PACE agrees to include traineeships in these arrangements.

V. Final Provision

12. This Co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of its signature by both parties. It may be amended by mutual consent, or suspended or annulled by either one of the parties.

xi. - Cooperation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (7 October 2005)

1. The presidents of the two assemblies will exchange the agendas of their respective plenary part-sessions and invite each other to attend these part-sessions, or be represented at them as observers or guests. If the meeting schedule permits, the presidents may address the other assembly, with questions and answers following if appropriate. The internal rules of procedure will, if appropriate, specify arrangements governing admission as an observer.
2. The Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the NATO (NATO-PA), or their representatives, will be invited to conferences, hearings and other events organised by the other assembly whenever questions of mutual interest are examined.
3. Joint meetings of delegations from the two Bureaux will be held at regular intervals on fixed dates. In particular, these meetings may examine:

— the political situation in Europe;

— the contribution of the two assemblies to European construction;

— progress made with reciprocal co-operation;

— possible presentation by one assembly to the other of reports of matters of special interest.

4. The secretariats of PACE and the secretariat of NATO-PA will exchange information, documents, reports and adopted texts on a regular basis.
5. The Secretary General of PACE and the Secretary General of NATO-PA will discuss together matters of common interest and decide on the co-operation arrangements between the secretariats of the two assemblies.

xii. - Agreement on the strengthening of co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament (28 November 2007)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
The European Parliament;
Referring to the report by Jean-Claude Juncker on the Council of Europe – European Union: “A sole ambition for the European Continent”;
Referring to Rule 61 (now Rule 66 ) of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
Referring to Rule 189 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament;
Whereas the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) are united in the shared pursuit of human rights, justice and democracy in Europe and across the world;
Whereas the roles of the European Parliament and of the PACE differ substantially in nature, in particular in relation to the legislative powers exercised by the Parliament as co-legislator in the European Union;
1. Agree to:

— intensify co-operation and mutual contacts on political issues;

— ensure co-ordination of action on questions of mutual interest for both Assemblies;

— mutually recognise achievements of both Assemblies and systematically take them into account, as appropriate, in each other’s activities;

— identify measures aimed at promoting complementary action;

2. In order to achieve these objectives the following measures should be undertaken:

— Presidents of both Assemblies will meet periodically, when necessary;

— joint meetings of the Presidential Committee and Conference of Presidents will be held, in principle, once a year in order to discuss the state of relations between the two Assemblies and other questions of common interest;

— counterpart Committees and their Chairpersons:

— will be encouraged to step up their co-operation with a view to co-ordinate action and avoid duplication;

— will endeavour to identify issues which will constitute a basis for joint activities. These will include joint meetings and hearings, invitations for members and rapporteurs of counterpart committees, where appropriate, as well as regular contacts between rapporteurs;

— will exchange information, agendas and other documents and recognise each other’s achievements in their own documents;

— achievements and actions of both Assemblies will be referred to and taken into account, when appropriate, in each other’s documents and activities;

— the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will invite each other to be represented at conferences, seminars and other events;

— the existing excellent cooperation in joint electoral observation missions will be reinforced, in particular in the framework of the international observation missions carried out by the OSCE PA/PACE/EP;

— high level Secretariat meetings will be held on a regular basis;

— respective secretariats of the counterpart committees should be instructed to maintain close contacts and co-operation;

3. Furthermore, the Presidents agree to give all political support to the proper follow up to be given to Mr Juncker’s report on relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union.

xiii. - Agreement on strengthening co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (23 June 2008)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
The Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CALRE),
Referring to the Final Declaration of the Conference of National Parliaments and Regional Assemblies on “Representative democracy, European affairs and active citizenship” (Strasbourg, 12 September 2007);
Considering that the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are united in a joint effort to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law and to strengthen the institutional role of regional parliaments in Europe;
1. have decided to:

— step up their co-operation and develop their contacts on issues of shared interest;

— take account of the activities of the other institution when carrying out their own activities;

— identify measures likely to increase complementarity between their activities;

2. with a view to achieving these objectives:

— the Presidents of the two institutions shall meet whenever necessary;

— the Parliamentary Assembly committees and the CALRE working groups will be encouraged to:

— co-operate more closely so as to co-ordinate their activities and avoid duplication of work;

— identify issues which might serve as a basis for joint activities, for example, by holding joint hearings;

— exchange information concerning their work programme and other documents of shared interest so that account can be taken of these in the documents and future activities of the two institutions;

— the Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe shall invite one another to send representatives to conferences, seminars and other events of shared interest;

— high-level meetings between the secretariats shall be held at regular intervals.

xiv. - Co-operation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (5 December 2008)

I. Aim of the Agreement

1. The aim of the agreement is to enhance co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino), while fully respecting their respective competencies. In view of their common concerns and complementarity at intercontinental level, the two assemblies agree to establish a political dialogue, particularly with a view to promoting the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
2. The Parlatino will encourage the competent authorities to make use of the possibilities to sign, ratify or accede to the relevant Council of Europe conventions, which are open to non-member states, as well as the expertise offered by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (“Venice Commission”) and by the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (“North-South Centre”).
3. In particular, the Parlatino and the PACE will endeavour to encourage the competent Latin American authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions and abolish the death penalty, where necessary.

II. Reciprocal Representation

4. The PACE and the Parlatino will invite each other to be represented at their respective statutory plenary meetings. The Presidents will be invited, at appropriate intervals, to address each other’s sessions.
5. The same arrangements will apply to ad hoc meetings, such as conferences, seminars, symposia and other events, organised by the PACE or the Parlatino.

III. Joint Activities

6. Based on their respective mandates, the PACE and the Parlatino may jointly organise, or co-operate in the organisation of, specific events which fall in areas of common concern, notably parliamentary democracy, rule of law, human rights and North-South relations.

IV. Working Arrangements

7. The PACE will put at the disposal of the Parlatino its expertise on parliamentary practice and procedure.
8. The PACE and the Parlatino will exchange official documentation, including orders of business of statutory meetings and adopted resolutions and recommendations, on a regular basis.
9. Documents of mutual interest may be sent to members of the two assemblies. When appropriate the PACE and the Parlatino may submit written communications on subjects under consideration in the other Assembly.
10. Officials of PACE and the Parlatino’s secretariats will meet for consultations at suitable intervals to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination between the two assemblies.
11. The PACE is ready to organise traineeships in the framework of this Agreement.

V. Final Provision

12. This Co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of its signature by both parties. It may be amended by mutual consent, or suspended or annulled by either one of the parties.

xv. - Agreement on co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan (27 April 2004)

1. The aim of this Agreement is to establish a political dialogue between the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with a view to promoting in the country the principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights as well as fundamental freedoms.
2. The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan commits itself to act and encourage the competent authorities to introduce a moratorium on executions and abolish the death penalty.
3. The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan should encourage the competent authorities to make use of the possibilities to sign and ratify the relevant Council of Europe Conventions which are open to non-member states, as well as the expertise offered by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission).
4. The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan will report every year to the Bureau of the Assembly on the progress achieved in the promotion of the principles stated in paragraph 1 as well as on the issue of the death penalty.
5. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe agrees to invite a delegation or representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the plenary sittings of the Assembly and meetings of the Standing Committee whenever a subject of particular relevance to the Parliament comes up for discussion.
6. The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan agrees that its delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe reflect the various currents of political opinion within the Parliament.
7. Representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan may also be invited to Assembly activities (conferences, hearings, colloquies and other events organised by the Assembly or its committees) relating to the functioning of democratic institutions as well as to the role of parliaments in promoting respect for human rights and the rule of law.
8. The Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan may meet when necessary and issue joint statements on matters of common interest. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly may also invite the presidents of parliaments having signed a co-operation agreement to attend joint meetings organised by him.
9. The Secretaries General of the Parliamentary Assembly and of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan may co-operate on matters of common interest, in particular through the exchange of information and documents, traineeships and the organisation of seminars.
This co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of signature. It may be suspended or annulled by one of the parties. It remains in force for one month after reception of the notification of denunciation.

xvi. - Cooperation agreement concluded between the Council of Europe and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

Exchange of letters between the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and the President of the EBRD on co-operation between the Assembly and EBRD (1992)

The Bank is ready to offer special co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in the following areas:
— invitation to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly or to the chairman of its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development to attend the European Bank’s annual assembly, starting in 1993, together with their participation in working seminars and meetings taking place at the same time;
— participation of the European Bank’s President in the special annual debate which the Parliamentary Assembly proposes to hold at the end of June or in early July on the Bank’s activities, in the course of which the Bank’s President will report on its activities and answer parliamentarians’ questions;
— the hosting each year, at the European Bank’s headquarters, of a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, starting in 1993. In view of the need to prepare for the Parliamentary Assembly’s special annual debate on the European Bank’s activities, the date of this meeting will have to be decided later;
— exchanges of information, particularly regarding the monitoring and assessment of the development of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe;
— co-operation, including the participation of a European Bank representative as an associate member of delegations charged with observing elections in Central and Eastern Europe, starting with the Estonian elections on 20 September 1992.
In addition, the European Bank intends to give further thought, in conjunction with the Council of Europe, to the prospects for co-operation not just with the Council’s Social Development Fund, as provided for in the Agreement establishing the Bank, but also in the legal and cultural fields and in the promotion of democracy.

xvii. - Cooperation agreement concluded between the Parliamentary Assembly and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (26 June 1995)

Exchange of letters between the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and the President of the ICRC

a. Invitation to the President of the ICRC to attend the Parliamentary Assembly’s regular debates on the activities of the ICRC or on specific subjects of mutual interest. In the course of these debates, the President of the ICRC will address the parliamentarians and reply to their questions. The next debate on the activities of the ICRC will be held in 1996.
b. Invitation of ICRC representatives to meetings of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population or its sub-committees and, where appropriate, of other relevant Assembly committees, the aim being to exchange views on subjects of mutual interest. Such meetings may be held in Geneva or in the usual meeting places of the Assembly committees (Strasbourg or Paris).
c. Co-operation in the preparation of conferences, colloquies or seminars on subjects of mutual interest, beginning with the Parliamentary Assembly’s colloquy on international humanitarian law to be held in Prague in spring 1996.
d. Reciprocal invitations to events organised by the Parliamentary Assembly or the ICRC on subjects of interest to one or other of the parties.
e. Exchange of information and documents.
f. Ad hoc consultations on subjects of mutual interest.

xviii. - Co-operation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) (4 October 2004)

1. The aim of this Agreement is to enhance co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Venice Commission while fully respecting their respective competences as stated in the Statute of the Council of Europe and the Revised Statute of the Venice Commission.

I. Participation in their respective activities

2. Article 2 of the Revised Statute of the Venice Commission states that representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly may attend the sessions of the Venice Commission. These representatives are appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly. Assembly representatives may also be invited to attend sessions of sub-commissions of the Venice Commission.
3. On request of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly, the Venice Commission may allow an additional person to attend the sessions of the Venice Commission for any expertise which may be required.
4. The Presidential Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Enlarged Bureau of the Venice Commission will meet every year in Venice on the occasion of one of the sessions of the Venice Commission to assess co-operation.
5. The President of the Venice Commission may, as appropriate, be invited to address the Parliamentary Assembly in the framework of debates on issues related to opinions adopted by the Venice Commission.
6. A representative of the Venice Commission may be invited every year to an exchange of views with the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
7. Representatives of the Venice Commission may attend plenary meetings of Assembly committees. In this respect, the Monitoring Committee may establish contacts with the Venice Commission as provided in Resolution 1115 (1997).

II. General co-operation

8. The Assembly and its committees will make use of the possibility provided by Article 3 of the Revised Statute of the Venice Commission to request its opinion on issues related with its specific field of action as defined in Article 1 of the Revised Statute.
9. The Bureau of the Assembly may invite its committees to consult the Venice Commission whenever they are examining an issue within the Commission’s competence; this would concern in particular reports being prepared in the fields such as constitutional reform; separation of powers; electoral rules; conflict resolution/federalism and autonomy; national minorities and fundamental rights.
10. Moreover, when proposing to refer to a committee a motion on an issue concerning one of the fields mentioned above, the Bureau could include in the reference the proposal to ask the Venice Commission to give an opinion on the legal aspects of the issue raised by the motion.

III. Standard-setting

11. The Assembly welcomes the fact that the Council of Europe has developed comprehensive standards in the field of human rights. However, considering that minimum standards of democracy are less developed, the Assembly and the Venice Commission decide to jointly reflect on areas in which the definition of basic standards would seem useful.
12. In this context and as first step, the Assembly, in close co-operation with the Venice Commission, will prepare a report setting forth the core values and standards of the Council of Europe.

IV. Co-operation in the electoral field

13. The Assembly and the Venice Commission will continue to promote the work of the Council for Democratic Elections.
14. In the future, whenever a report of an Assembly election observation mission points to problems related with the electoral legislation of the country concerned, the Bureau of the Assembly may invite the Venice Commission to examine ways to improve this legislation (in addition to the already existing general mandate of the Council for Democratic Elections given by Resolution 1320).
15. When the Bureau of the Assembly decides to observe an election in a country in which electoral legislation was previously examined by the Venice Commission, one of the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission on this issue may be invited to join the Assembly’s election observation mission as legal adviser.

V. Information on their respective activities

16. Upon request, members of the Venice Commission can be included in the mailing lists for non-confidential documents of the Assembly.
17. The Assembly will make use of the possibilities offered by the European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments to circulate information about the activities of the Venice Commission.
18. This Co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of the signature. It may be suspended or annulled by one of the parties.

xix. - Co-operation agreement between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (North-South Centre) (18 January 2005)

A. Aim of the agreement

1. The aim of this agreement is to enhance co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, referred to hereafter as the “North South Centre”, while fully respecting their respective competences as stated in the Statute of the Council of Europe and Resolution (93) 51 on the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity .

B. Institutional links

2. The Parliamentary Assembly is institutionally represented in the organs of the North-South Centre. Two of the 27 members of the Executive Council are members of the Parliamentary Assembly and designated by its Bureau for a period of two years .
3. Those Assembly Committees which have a specific mandate concerning the North-South Centre in their newly adopted terms of reference follow the activities of the North-South Centre and report to the Bureau at least once a year.

C. General co-operation

4. The Parliamentary Assembly reaffirms its support to the priority aims of the North-South Centre, namely to provide a framework for European co-operation to raise public awareness of global interdependence issues on the one hand, and to promote policies of solidarity complying with the Council of Europe’s aims and principles, on the other hand.
5. With a view to broadening the mandate of the Organisation by maintaining partnerships and sharing values with Europe’s neighbouring countries, the Parliamentary Assembly considers it important to consolidate the dialogue and partnership between continents and to continue encouraging the North-South debate among the Council of Europe member states.
6. The Parliamentary Assembly and its committees will therefore make increased use of the expertise and know-how of the North-South Centre, so as to take advantage of its role of think-tank on North-South issues and interface between the Council of Europe and the South in order to generate new ideas and proposals for constructive relations.
7. The Parliamentary Assembly will, within the Council of Europe, promote the North-South Centre’s position, to act as a catalyst and facilitator of North-South dialogue, as a centre of competence and a valuable source of information and expertise on issues of global interdependence and solidarity.

D. Parliamentary co-operation in the framework of the North-South Centre

8. The Parliamentary Assembly considers that parliamentary co-operation at a global level strengthens the Council of Europe’s main aims: to defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law and to promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different cultures.
9. The Parliamentary Assembly therefore will promote the involvement of parliamentarians in the outreach of the North-South Centre and its programme of activities, mainly in the areas of trans-Mediterranean co-operation and Europe-Africa dialogue.

E. Practical co-operation

10. The Parliamentary Assembly and its committees will make use of the North-South Centre’s ability to provide firsthand information and analyses on issues falling within its competence.
11. The Parliamentary Assembly and its committees will make use of the North-South Centre’s ability, through its quadrilogue network and its pool of experts, to assist the Assembly in identifying experts on North-South issues if meetings, hearings or conferences are organised in the framework of the preparation of reports.
12. The Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly will, when proposing to refer to a committee a motion on an issue concerning the areas covered by the North-South Centre’s mandate, include in the same reference to the Committee the proposal to consult and to co-operate with the North-South Centre.
13. The Executive Council of the North-South Centre may submit proposals to the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly concerning possible guest speakers from the South in the Parliamentary Assembly when North-South issues are to be dealt with on its agenda.
14. Upon request, members of the Executive Council of the North-South Centre can be included in the mailing lists for non-confidential documents of the Assembly
15. The Parliamentary Assembly will, through its representatives in the Executive Council, propose laureates to the jury of the North-South Prize, which is awarded annually.

F. Final provision

16. This Co-operation Agreement enters into force on the day of signature. It may be amended by mutual consent or suspended or annulled by either one of the parties.

xx. - Cooperation agreement concluded between the Parliamentary Assembly and the European Roma and Travellers Forum

Exchange of letters between the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Chairperson of the European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) (January 2011)

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the one hand, and the Chairperson of the European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF), on the other, have agreed on the following:
— representatives of ERTF will be invited to Assembly committee meetings whenever a subject of interest for the Roma minority is on the agenda;
— representatives of the ERTF and of the Parliamentary Assembly will be invited to conferences and other events organised by the Parliamentary Assembly or the ERTF on subjects of mutual interest;
— the ERTF may be consulted, on an ad hoc basis, by Assembly committees on subjects of mutual interest;
— the secretariat of the ERTF and of the Assembly will exchange public documents on subjects of mutual interest.
It is understood by both parties that the costs involved by the participation of ERTF representatives in activities of the Assembly shall be borne by the Forum.