Progress report | Doc. 14231 Addendum 1 | 23 January 2017
Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (23 January 2017)
1. Decisions of the Bureau of 23 January 2017 requiring ratification by the Assembly
1.1. Vice-Presidents of the Assembly in 2017
The Bureau took note of the list of candidates for Vice-Presidents of the Assembly (Appendix 1).
1.2. References and transmissions to committees
The Bureau considered and approved the following references and transmissions:
1.2.1. References and transmissions to committees
- Doc. 14189, motion for a resolution, Implementation of OECD recommendations: reference to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to be taken into account in the preparation of the report on “The activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2016-2017”;
- Doc. 14210, motion for a resolution, Media freedom as a condition for democratic elections: reference to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media for report and to the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for opinion;
- Doc. 14212, motion for a resolution, The role of national authorities in successful decentralisation processes: reference to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development for report;
- Doc. 14218, motion for a resolution, Strengthening the link between popular sports events and cultural heritage: consultation of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media on possible follow-up;
- Bureau decision, Budget and priorities of the Council of Europe for the biennium 2018-2019: reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report;
5.1. Bureau decision, Expenditure of the Parliamentary Assembly for the biennium 2018-2019: reference to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs for report.
1.3. Election observation
1.3.1. Armenia: parliamentary elections (2 April 2017)
The Bureau decided to observe these elections and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 30 members (EPP/CD: 11; SOC: 10, EC: 4, ALDE: 4, UEL: 1 – in accordance with the D’Hondt system) as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee. The Bureau also authorised a pre-electoral mission.
1.3.2. Serbia: presidential election (April 2017, date to be confirmed)
Subject to receiving an invitation, Bureau decided to observe this election and constituted an ad hoc committee for this purpose composed of 20 members (EPP/CD: 7; SOC: 6, EC: 3, ALDE: 3, UEL: 1 – in accordance with the D’Hondt system) as well as of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee. The Bureau also authorised a pre-electoral mission.
1.4. Composition of the Monitoring Committee, the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and the Committee on the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights
On the basis of proposals from the political groups, the Bureau nominated members of these committees and decided to submit them to the Assembly for ratification (Commission (2017) 01).
1.5. Resolution 1376 (2004) relating to Cyprus
The Bureau took note of the letters by the two Turkish Cypriot political parties informing the President of the Assembly of the names of the “elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community” entitled to sit in the Assembly in 2017, namely Mr Erdal Özcenk and Mr Mehmet Çaglar.
1.6. Resolution 2094
(2016) on the situation in Kosovo 
and the role of the Council
of Europe
The Bureau took note of the letter by the President of the Assembly of Kosovo informing the President of the Assembly of the names of the members of the delegation of the Assembly of Kosovo for the 2017 ordinary session:
Members:
- Mr Xhavit HALITI, Democratic Parti of Kosovo (PDK), Head of delegation (majority)
- Ms Aida DËRGUTI, Movement for Self-Determination (opposition)
- Mr Slobodan PETROVIĆ, Independent Liberal Party (Serb list) (minority)
Substitutes:
- Mr Ismet BEQIRI, Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), substitute for Mr Haliti (majority)
- Mr Pal LESKAJ, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), substitute for Ms Dërguti (opposition)
- Ms Mufera SINIK, Kosovo Turkish Democratic Party (KDTP), substitute for Mr Petrović (minority)
The Assembly is invited to ratify the above decisions made by the Bureau.
2. Other decisions of the Bureau
2.1. First part-session of 2017 (23 to 27 January)
2.1.1. Requests for debates under urgent procedure
The Bureau decided to recommend to the Assembly not to hold a debate under urgent procedure on The functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey. Should the Assembly decide to hold such a debate, the Bureau recommended that the matter be referred to the Monitoring Committee for report.
The Bureau decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a debate under urgent procedure on The need to reform European migration policies, and to refer the matter to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report.
2.1.2. Request for a current affairs debate
The Bureau decided to recommend to the Assembly to hold a current affairs debate on The situation in Syria and its effects upon surrounding countries, requested by Sir Roger Gale on behalf of the United Kingdom delegation to the Assembly, and designated Sir Roger Gale as the first speaker.
2.1.3. Draft agenda
The Bureau updated the draft agenda.
2.1.4. Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Hungary and the Netherlands
The Bureau took note of the report drawn up by the Committee on the election of judges following interviews with candidates for the posts of judges to the Court in respect of Hungary and the Netherlands. This report had been already declassified by the Committee and submitted to the attention of all members of the Assembly (Doc. 14231 Addendum 2).
2.2. Election observation
2.2.1. Bulgaria: presidential election (6 and 13 November 2016)
The Bureau approved the report of the ad hoc committee.
2.2.2. “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: early parliamentary elections (11 December 2016)
The Bureau approved the report of the ad hoc committee.
2.2.3. Meeting of the Chairpersons of ad hoc committees for the observation of elections (25 January 2017)
The Bureau took note of the draft agenda of the meeting.
2.3. References and transmissions to committees
2.3.1. Extension of a reference
Bureau decision, Political transition in Tunisia (Reference 3889 of 29 June 2012): extension until 30 June 2017.
2.4. Communications
The Bureau took note of the communications by the President of the Assembly and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
The Bureau also took note of a letter by the Chairperson of the Swiss Delegation concerning the allegations of corruption in the Assembly, and decided to submit it to the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs to be taken into account in the preparation of the report of Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (United Kingdom, EC) on Follow-up to Resolution 1903 (2012): Promoting and strengthening transparency, accountability and integrity of Parliamentary Assembly members, and to be looked at in co-operation with GRECO.
2.5. Issues raised by committees
2.5.1. Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
The Bureau authorised Mr Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), rapporteur on the Situation in Belarus, to carry out a fact-finding visit to Minsk, Belarus, in the first half of 2017, in the framework of the preparation of his report.
Appendix – Vice-Presidents of the Assembly in 2017
(open)Candidatures
|
GROUPS |
COUNTRY |
CANDIDATES |
|---|---|---|
|
GROUP I |
France |
Mr René ROUQUET |
|
Germany |
Mr Axel E. FISCHER |
|
|
Italy |
Ms Adele GAMBARO |
|
|
Russian Federation |
||
|
Turkey |
Mr Talip KÜÇÜKCAN |
|
|
United Kingdom |
Sir Roger GALE |
|
|
GROUP II |
Spain |
Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ |
|
Ukraine |
Mr Georgii LOGVYNSKYI |
|
|
GROUP III |
Hungary |
Mr Zsolt NEMETH |
|
Republic of Moldova |
Vacant seat |
|
|
Netherlands |
Ms Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN |
|
|
Norway |
Ms Ingjerd SCHOU |
|
|
Portugal |
Ms Ana Catarina MENDES |
|
|
Romania |
Vacant seat |
|
|
Serbia |
Ms Aleksandra DJUROVIĆ |
|
|
Slovak Republic |
Mr Robert MADEJ |
|
|
GROUP IV |
Andorra |
Mr Carles JORDANA |
|
Armenia |
Ms Hermine NAGHDALYAN |
|
|
Cyprus |
Mr George LOUCAIDES |
|
|
Estonia |
Ms Marianne MIKKO |