TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly

Synopsis No 2000/002

14 Januray 2000

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Paris on 10 January 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

• Situation in Belarus: decided to reiterate its request to be seized for an opinion for the debate during the January 2000 part-session, in view of the serious human rights problems in the country, and instructed its Chairperson to write a letter to the President to this effect; following the authorisation of the Bureau, appointed Mr Svoboda (Czech Republic, EPP/CD) Rapporteur;

 

• The fundamentals of democratic policing (Rapporteur: Mr McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC): heard reports by Mr Anthony Leonard, consultant expert, Ms Anita Hazenberg, representative of the General Directorate of Human Rights, and Mr Björn Janson, representative of the General Directorate of Legal Affairs; held a discussion, and instructed the Rapporteur to prepare a memorandum or a draft report for one of its next meetings;

• European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): considered, amended and unanimously (with one abstention) adopted a draft resolution, and unanimously adopted a draft recommendation and a draft order, to be submitted to the Assembly's January 2000 part-session;

 

• Draft Protocol No 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): considered, amended and adopted with 25 votes in favour, 2 against and one abstention a draft opinion to the Committee of Ministers, to be submitted to the Assembly's January 2000 part-session;

 

• Applications for membership of the Council of Europe:

1. Armenia (Rapporteur: Mr Columberg, Switzerland, EPP/CD): heard a report by the Rapporteur on his visit to the country from 7 to 9 December 1999;
2. Azerbaijan (Rapporteur: Mr Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR): heard a report by the Rapporteur on his visit to Baku from 6 to 10 December 1999, and authorised him to return to the country (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau);

3. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Rapporteur: Mrs Jäätteenmäki, Finland, LDR): heard a report by the Rapporteur on recent developments and authorised the Rapporteur to visit the country (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau) from 12 to 14 January 2000; approved and declassified the minutes of its meeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina (AS/Jur (1999) 43);

• Draft law of Ukraine on the judicial system: took note of the opinion of the Venice Commission and decided to transmit it to the Monitoring Committee;

 

• Situation of human rights in Chechnya: appointed Mr Bindig (Germany, SOC), Rapporteur and authorised him and Mrs Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD) to go to Chechnya with the delegation of the Assembly;

• Restrictions on asylum in the member States of the Council of Europe and the European Union (Rapporteur for opinion: Mrs Aguiar, Portugal, EPP/CD): had a preliminary discussion and decided to take the continue it at its next meeting;

 

• Compensation for Croatian and Bosnian investors in the former Ljubljanska Banka AG, Slovenia (Rapporteur: Mr Columberg, Switzerland, EPP/CD): authorised the Rapporteur to visit Slovenia from 19 to 21 January 2000;

• State of human rights in Lithuania (Rapporteur: Mr Gross, Switzerland, SOC): considered an introductory memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur and decided to return to the question at one of its next meetings;

 

• International adoption: appointed Mrs Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD) Rapporteur for opinion;

 

• Human Rights: heard a statement by the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Mr Jaskiernia (Poland, SOC), on the Seminar on the abolition of the death penalty, held in Kyiv (Ukraine) on 3 December 1999; and approved a press release on the abolition of the death penalty in Ukraine and Albania;

• Execution of judgments of the Court and the monitoring of the case-law of the European Court and Commission of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): decided to declassify and send an introductory memorandum, prepared by the Rapporteur, to the Venice Commission for its opinion;

• Next meetings:

• Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2000 part-session

The Sub-Committee on Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights), meeting in Paris on 11 January 2000 with Mr Jaskiernia in the Chair, as regards:

• Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights: held an exchange of views with the Commissioner, Mr Gil-Robles;

 

• Contribution of the Assembly to the 50^th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights: held an exchange of views and suggested that, in this framework, the Plenary Committee meet in Dublin from 15 to 17 May 2000 and in Rome on 2 November 2000;

• United Nations Commissioner on Human Rights: decided to invite the Commissioner, Mrs Mary Robinson, to a future meeting of the Sub-Committee in Paris or Strasbourg;

 

• Accession of Monaco to the Council of Europe: was seized by a proposal from Lord Kirkhill (United Kingdom, SOC), Rapporteur, to meet in Monaco in the framework of the accession procedure;

• Next meetings:

• Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2000 part-session

• Paris, Monday 6 March 2000 [subject to confirmation]

Tanja Kleinsorge