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

 

Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly

Synopsis No 2000/149

3 October 2000

 

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 26 September 2000 with Mrs Err, 3rd Vice-Chairperson, in the Chair, as regards:

-      Rights of national minorities (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): held an exchange of views with Mr Sigve Gramstad, Chairperson of the Committee of Experts for the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, and took note of a report addressed to the Assembly by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the application of the Charter;

-          Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Italy: took note of a motion for a resolution tabled by Lord Kirkhill (United Kingdom, SOC) and of a written question for oral reply to the Chairman-in-office of the Committee of Ministers;

-          Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): took position on some amendments proposed by the Rapporteur and Mr McNamara;

-          European Ministerial Conference on Human Rights and Commemorative Ceremony for the 50th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights: was informed that a commemorative ceremony would take place on 28 September 2000 at 10 h, and that members wishing to take part in the European Ministerial Conference (Rome, 3-4 November 2000) should inform the Secretariat as soon as possible;

-          Group of States against Corruption (GRECO): appointed Mr Bartumeu Cassany (Andorra, SOC) as its representative at the Group's meeting;

-          Action against racism, xenophobia and intolerance (Rapporteur: Mr McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC): took note of the programme of the European Conference against Racism (Strasbourg, 10-13 October 2000);

-          Case of the Russian environmentalist Alexander Nikitin (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur informing the Committee that following the last decision of the Supreme Court in Moscow the case was now closed;

-          Harmonisation of criminal law in Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Nastase, Romania, SOC): held a preliminary discussion on an introductory memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur; 

-         Next meetings

.  Strasbourg, Wednesday 27 September 2000 at 14 h (Room 11)

.  Strasbourg, Thursday 28 September 2000 at 8 h 30 (Room 11)

.  Strasbourg, Friday 29 September 2000 at 9 h (Room 11)

.  Rome, 2-4 November 2000 at 9 h 30

.  Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2001 part-session

 

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 27 September 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

-          Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): considered and adopted a draft resolution, a draft recommendation and a draft order, on the basis of a revised report;

-          Conflict in the Chechen Republic – Recent developments (Rapporteur for opinion: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): considered a report by the Political Affairs Committee, and considered and adopted a draft opinion, as well as five amendments submitted by the Rapporteur;

-      Next meetings:

-        Strasbourg, Thursday 28 September 2000 at 8 h 30 (Room 11)

-        Strasbourg, Friday 29 September 2000 at 9 h (Room 11)

-        Rome, 2-4 November 2000 at 9 h 30

-        Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2001 part-session

 

 

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 28 September 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

-          Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): considered and took position on the amendments;

-          Former embassies of the Baltic states on the territory of some Council of Europe member States (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): considered the reply of the Committee of Ministers to Assembly Recommendation 1392 (1998);

-          Freedom of movement for the residents of Latvia and Estonia (Rapporteur: Mr Solonari, Moldova, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, held an exchange of views, and authorised the Rapporteur to go to Latvia and Estonia if necessary;

-          Compensation for Croatian and Bosnian investors in the former Ljubljanska Banka AG, Slovenia (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, and authorised him to go to Slovenia, Croatia, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau of the Assembly);

-          Revision or preparation of an additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights to adapt it to current (Rapporteur: Mrs Nabholz-Haidegger, Switzerland, LDR): heard a statement by the Rapporteur;

-          Situation of Roma/Gypsies in Europe: appointed Mr Tabajdi (Hungary, SOC) as Rapporteur;

-          Situation in Azerbaijan: held an exchange of views, and asked its Chairperson to write to the President of Azerbaijan asking him to free those political prisoners who had not yet been released;

-          Death penalty in the United States of America, and in particular the case of Mr Abu Jamal: heard a statement by Mr Vanoost (Belgium, SOC), held an exchange of views, and asked Mrs Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD), Rapporteur, to go to the United States of America after the November elections (subject to the authorisation of the Bureau of the Assembly) in the framework of the preparation of her report on the abolition of the death penalty in Council of Europe observer States;

-          Motion for a resolution on the election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Italy: instructed its Chairperson to write to the Bureau asking that the motion be referred to the Committee at its meeting on Friday 29 September, and that the Committee be authorised to submit a report to the Standing Committee on 9 November 2000;

-         Next meetings:

.  Strasbourg, Friday 29 September 2000 at 9 h (Room 11)

.  Rome, 2-4 November 2000 at 9 h 30

.  Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2001 part-session

 

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg on 29 September 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:

-          Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Rapporteur: Mr Magnusson, Sweden, SOC): took position on the amendments;

-          Human Rights (Chairperson of the Sub-Committee: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC): heard a report on the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 28 September 2000;

-          National procedures for nominating candidates for election to the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mrs Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD): decided to put the question on the agenda of its meeting in Rome on 2 November 2000;

-          Composition of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights: appointed Mrs Pourtaud (France, SOC), Mr Shishlov (Russia, LDR) and Mr Spindelegger (Austria, EPP/CD) as titular members;

-          Exchange of views with the President of the European Court of Human Rights: decided to invite the President of the Court to one of its forthcoming meetings in Strasbourg;

-          Motion for a resolution on the election of a Judge to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of Italy: decided to put the item on the agenda of its meeting in Rome on 2 November 2000 and appointed Lord Kirkhill (United Kingdom, SOC) Rapporteur;

-        Next meetings:

.  Rome, 2-4 November 2000 at 9 h 30

.  Paris, Monday 11 December 2000 (National Assembly)

.  Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2001 part-session

.  Paris, Monday 5 March 2001

 

The Sub-Committee on Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights), meeting in Strasbourg on 28 September 2000 with Mr Jaskiernia in the Chair, as regards:

-        Intergovernmental and other activities of the Council of Europe in the field of human rights: held an exchange of views with the Director General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe concerning the evolution of methods and of the action of the Council of Europe in the field of human rights;

-        10th general report on the CPT's activities (covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 1999): took note of the report, held an exchange of views with the Executive Secretary of the CPT, and asked Lord Kirkhill, Rapporteur, to submit a report on the procedure for nomination of members of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture at a forthcoming meeting;

-        Next meeting:

. Strasbourg, during the Assembly's January 2001 part-session

  

Allard A. Plate, Tanja Kleinsorge, David Cupina