TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly
Synopsis No 2000/117
5 July 2000
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 26 and 27 June 2000 with Mr Jansson in the chair, as regards:
- Azerbaijan's request for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on the informal meeting with members of the Political Affairs Committee, and agreed with the compromise proposed at that informal meeting;
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): heard a statement by its Chairperson on current work;
- 50th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights: heard a statement by its Chairperson on its participation in the Ministerial Conference in Rome on 3-4 November 2000;
- 8th International Judicial Conference (San Francisco, 25-27 May 2000) (Representative of the Committee: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC): heard a statement by the representative of the Committee;
- European Commission for Democracy through Law ("Venice Commission") (Representative of the Committee: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the representative of the Committee on the meeting of the Venice Commission held on 16-17 June 2000 and decided to take up the question again at its meeting on 7 September 2000;
- Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): considered, amended and adopted a draft resolution and a draft recommendation, and instructed its Rapporteur to present them at the September 2000 part-session;
- Situation in Belarus (Rapporteur: Mr Svoboda, Czech Republic, EPP/CD): in the absence of the Rapporteur, heard a statement by the Head of the Political and Legal Affairs Department, and asked its Rapporteur to accompany the Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee on his next visit to Minsk (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau);
- Fundamentals of democratic policing (Rapporteur: Mr McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC): considered a memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur;
- Election of a judge of the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Italy (Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges: Lord Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC): heard a statement by Lord Kirkhill and decided to consider the follow-up to be given to the reply of the Committee of Ministers to the written question on this subject.
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The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 27 June 2000 with the Committee on Culture and Education, under the joint chairmanship of Mr Jansson and Mr Roseta, held a hearing on the freedom of the media in Russia, with the participation of Evgueniy Kiselev, Director General of NTV television channel, Serguey Dorenko, Deputy Director of ORT television channel, Brice Fleutiaux, independent photographer, and Anne Madelain, representing “Reporters sans frontičres”.
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The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 28 June 2000 with Mr Frunda, 2nd Vice-Chairperson, in the chair, as regards:
- Request by Armenia for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur for opinion: Mr Spindelegger, Austria, EPP/CD): took position on the Political Affairs Committee's sub-amendments to its amendments;
- Request by Azerbaijan for membership of the Council of Europe (Rapporteur for opinion: Mr Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR): took position on the Political Affairs Committee's sub-amendment to one of its amendments, and decided to withdraw some of its amendments;
- Conflict in the Chechen Republic – Follow-up to Recommendations 1444 (2000) and 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly (Rapporteur for opinion: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): in the absence of the Rapporteur, considered and approved a draft opinion, and considered, amended and approved amendments to the draft resolution of the Political Affairs Committee.
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The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 29 June 2000 with Mr Frunda, 2nd Vice-Chairperson, in the chair, as regards:
- Proposal to stop the granting of patents on human genes, and to denounce the ambiguity of the European Directive 98/44/CE of 6 July 1998, on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions: held a joint meeting with the Committee on Science and Technology, the Social Health and Family Affairs Committee and the Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Food.
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The Sub-Committee on Human Rights, of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 29 June 2000 with Mr Jaskiernia in the chair, as regards:
- Monitoring of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): held an exchange of views with a representative of the department for the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human rights of the Directorate General of Human Rights;
- Abolition of the death penalty (Rapporteur: Mrs Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on developments since the adoption of the report «Europe: a death penalty-free continent" in May 1999 and took note of the reply of the United States of America to her introductory memorandum on the abolition of the death penalty in Council of Europe observer States;
- NGOs dealing with Human rights in Russia: heard a statement by Mr Jurgens (Netherlands, SOC) and was informed that he intended to table a motion on this subject;
- European Commission for Democracy through Law («Venice Commission») (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): was informed of contacts with the President of the Venice Commission with a view to inviting the latter to a plenary meeting of the Committee;
- Next meetings:
. Strasbourg, during the September 2000 part-session
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The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 30 June 2000 with Mr Jaskiernia, Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, in the chair, as regards:
- Freedom of movement for the residents of Latvia and Estonia (Rapporteur: Mr Solonari, Moldova, SOC): approved a proposal by the Rapporteur to ask the Estonian and Latvian authorities for their observations;
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): took note of a motion adopted by the NGOs enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe;
- 6th European Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy (Kraków, 15-16 June 2000): heard a statement by Mr Jaskiernia, representative of the Committee;
- Situation of lesbians and gays in Council of Europe member States (Rapporteur: Mr Tabajdi, Hungary, SOC): took position on the amendments to the draft recommendation;
- Human rights (Chairperson of the Sub-Committee: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC): heard a report on the meeting held in Strasbourg on 29 June 2000;
- Next meetings:
- Paris, Thursday 7 September 2000 at 9 h 30 (OECD)
- Strasbourg, during the Assembly's September 2000 part-session
Allard A. Plate, Danielle Coin, Tanja Kleinsorge, David Cupina