Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697810150890.pdf (Malta)
PARLAMENTTA' MALTA IT-TN AX-IL LECHZLATURA P.L.

3417 Dokument imqieghed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 189 tal-21 ta' Ottubru 2014 mill-iSpeaker, 1-0nor Anglu Farrugia.

Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra COE PA - Fourth Part of the 2014 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 29 September- 3 October 2014 Strasbourg Hon Joe Debono Grecch, MP Hon Deborah Schembri, MP Hon Charlo Bonnici, MP ~arl!amentary Assembly ttf(_~semblee parlementaire iii!
?~ COUNCIL OF EUROPE DELEGATION TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE Fourth Part Session- 29 September- 3 October 2014 The Assemb(y brings together 318 men and wmnen fi·om the parliaments of the Council of Europe's 47 member states.

Though it contains many voices, reflecting political opinion across the continent, its mission is to uphold the shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law that are the "common heritage" ()[the peoples of Eumpe.
Delegates Attending the Fourth Part Session:- Hon.

Joe Debono Grech- Head- from 29 Sep to 1 Oct 2014 Hon.

Deborah Schembri- Member- from 29 Sep to 3 Oct 2014 Hon.
Charlo Bonnici- Substitute Member (with voting rights for this part-session)- from 29 Sep to 1 Oct 2014 John Vella- delegation secretary- from 29 Sep to 1 Oct 2014 Attachments: Annex A- Agenda of Plenary and Committees Allllex B -Adopted Texts by the Assembly Allllex C - Crisis in Ukraine Amrex D- Vaclav Havel Prize Willller 2014 Amrex E- Synopsis of Committees' proceedings In brief, during this session: 1.

Under current affairs debate, the Assembly debated the 'The Crisis in Ukraine' - u.

111.
111.

Annex C. The Assembly discussed, among other topics:- Counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism', 'Women's rights and prospects for Euro-Med co-operation', 'Good governance and enhanced quality in education', 'Raising the status of vocational education and training', 'The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia', 'The alternatives to immigration detention of children', 'Towards optimum breast cancer services across Europe' -relative resolutions and recommendations at Annex B.
The debate nnder nrgent procedure concerned the: Threats posed by the "Islamic State" (IS) and violence against hnmanity' (Resolntion 2016(2014) at Amrex B - Adopted Texts).

rv.
Out of 56 candidatures for the 2014 Vaclav Havel Prize, 3 were shortlised, among them the Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, and the winner was Mr Anar Mammadijis, a prominent Azerbaijani human rights activist - Annex D. Our PACE delegates met and congratulated Dr Katrine Camilleri who received the diploma on behalf of the Jesuit Refugee Service Malta Delegates, besides attending the plenary, took part in the meetings of their respective political grouping and participated in the proceedings of the following Committees (Annex E - synopsis of preceedings):- Hon Joe Debono Grech - Monitoring Committee; Political Affairs and Democracy Committee and (as subsititute) Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons.
Hon Deborah Schembri - Equality and non-Discrimination Committee and (as subsititute) Legal Affairs and Hmnan Rights Conunittee.

Hon Charlo Bonnici - Monitoring Conunittee; Conunittee on Culture, Science, Education and Media and (as subsititute) Social, Health and Sustainable Development.

On Monday, 29th September 2014, Hon Joe Debono Grech had an exchange of views with our Ambassador to the Council of Europe, Dr Joseph Filletti.

~&~--- Hon.
~&~--- Hon.

Jc;J'rDebono Grech /)·~ ) {) October 2014 A lL/?- Parliamentary Assembly ~~ Assemblee parlementaire y;-,~ -" ~~~~~~,~· ~~~~~~~~gm~~~~~gm~~ Doc.

13587 rev 30 September 2014 4th part of the 2014 Ordinary Session (29 September- 3 October 2014) Agenda1 1.

Adopted by the Assembly on 29 September 2014 and modified on 30 September 2014.
Legends and abbreviations List of committees Bur: Bureau of the Assembly Per: Standing Committee Pol: Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Jur: Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Soc: Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Mig: Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Cult: Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media Ega: Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Man: Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) Pro: Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs List of political groups SOC: Socialist Group EPP/CD: Group of the European People's Party EDG: European Democrat Group ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe UEL: Group of the Unified European Left NR: Representatives not belonging to a political group Symbols 0 Presentation, statement (!)
Deadline for tabling documents ~ Lists (speakers, questions) A Votes Meetings outside the Chamber Bureau of the Assembly Monday: 08:00-09:30 Friday: 08:30-10:00 Committees Monday: 14:00-15:00 Tuesday: 08:30-10:00 Tuesday: 14:00-15:30 Wednesday: 14:00-15:30 Thursday: 08:30-10:00 Thursday: 14:00-15:30 Political groups Monday: 09:30-11 :00 Monday: 17:00-19:00 Wednesday: 08:30-10:00 2 Monday 29 September 2014 Sitting No.

28 (11:30-13:00) 1.

Opening of the part-session 1.1.

Statement by the President 1.2.


Examination of credentials ["] List of new members: o (Doc.

13609) 1.3.

Election of a Vice-President of the Assembly with respect to Slovenia 1.4.

Changes in the membership of committees (Commissions (2014) 07) 1.5.

Requests for debate: 1.5.1.

Current affairs debate: "The crisis in Ukraine" 1.5.2.

Urgent procedure debate: "Threats posed by the 'Islamic State' (IS) and violence against humanity" 1.6.

Adoption ofthe agenda 2.

Debate 2.1.


Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee ["] Presentation by: o Mr Tiny KOX (Netherlands, UEL), Rapporteur AS/Bur (Doc.

13608, Doc.

13608 Addendum 1, Doc.

13610) 2.2.

Observation of the presidential election in Turkey (10 August 2014) ["] Presentation by: o Ms Meritxell MATEU PI (Andorra, ALOE), Rapporteur AS/Bur (Doc.

13611) II List of speakers 3.

Prize Award Ceremony (12:30-13:00) 3.1.

Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize2 Sitting No.


29 (15:00-17:00) 4.

Debate 4.1.

Progress report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee (continued) 4.2.

Observation of the presidential election in Turkey (10 August 2014) (continued) II List of speakers Q, [possibly] Vote 5.

Debate 5.1.

Free debate II List of speakers 2.

See programme published separately (ASlin!

(2014) 12).

3 Tuesday 30 September 2014 Sitting No.

30 (10:00-13:00) 6.

Debate 6.1.


Counteraction to manifestations of nee-Nazism 0 Presentation by: o Ms Marietta de POURBAIX-LUNDIN (Sweden, EPP/CD), Rapporteur AS/Pol (Doc.

13593 ) o Ms Olga KAZAKOVA (Russian Federation, NR), Rapporteur for opinion AS/Ega (Doc.

13602) 0 Statement by: o Mr Olemic THOMMESSEN, Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament I List of speakers C!J Amendments (deadline for tabling: Monday 29 September, 16:00) Q, Votes on a draft resolution and a draft recommendation (Doc.
13593) Sitting No.

31 (15:30-20:00) 7.

Debate 7.1.

Women's rights and prospects for Euro-Mediterranean co-operation 0 Presentation by: o Ms Fatiha SAID I (Belgium, SOC), Rapporteur AS/Ega (Doc.

13596) iJ List of speakers C!J Amendments (deadline for tabling: Monday 29 September, 16:00) Q, Votes on a draft resolution and a draft recommendation (Doc.

13596) 8.

Joint debate 8.1.

Good governance and enhanced quality in education 0 Presentation by: o Mr Paolo CORSINI (Italy, SOC), Rapporteur AS/Cult (Doc.
13585) 8.2.

Raising the status of vocational education and training 0 Presentation by: o Mr Piotr WACH (Poland, EPP/CD), Rapporteur AS/Cult (Doc.

13590) I List of speakers C!J Amendments (deadline for tabling: Monday 29 September, 16:00) Q, Votes on a draft resolution and a draft recommendation (Doc.

13585) Q, Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13590) 4 Wednesday 1 October 2014 Sitting No.

32 (10:00-13:00) 9.

Debate 9.1.


The activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2013-2014 0 Statement by: o Mr Angel GURRIA, Secretary General of the OECD II List of speakers 10.

Debate 10.1.

The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia 0 Presentation by: o Mr Michael Aastrup JENSEN (Denmark, ALOE), Co-Rapporteur AS/Man (Doc.

13588, Doc.

13588 Addendum) o Mr Boriss CILEVICS (Latvia, SOC), Co-Rapporteur AS/Man (Doc.

13588, Doc.
13588, Doc.

13588 Addendum) II List of speakers Sitting No.

33 (15:30-20:00) 11.

Debate 11.1.

The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia (continued) Iii List of speakers (!)

Amendments (deadline for tabling: Tuesday 30 September, 10:30) Q, Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13588) 12.

Current affairs debate 12.1.


The crisis in Ukraine 0 Statement by: o Mr Thorbj0rn JAG LAND, Secretary General of the Council of Europe o Mr Nils MUIZNIEKS, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Iii List of speakers 5 Thursday 2 October 2014 Sitting No.

34 (10:00-13:00) 13.

Debate under urgent procedure 13.1.

Threats posed by the "Islamic State" (IS) and violence against humanity tl Presentation by: o Ms Theodora BAKOYANNIS (Greece, EPP/CD), Rapporteur AS/Pol (Doc. )
J!il List of speakers (!)

Amendments (deadline for tabling: Wednesday 1 October, 1 0:30) ld Vote on ... () 14.

Address (12:00-13:00) 14.1.

Communication from the Committee of Ministers tl Presentation by: o Mr Elmar MAMMADYAROV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers J!l Questions Sitting No.

35 (15:30-20:00) 15.

Debate 15.1.


The activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2013- 2014 tl Presentation by: o Mrs Cheryl GILLAN (United Kingdom, EDG), Rapporteur AS/Pol (Doc.

13594) tl Statement by: o Sir Suma CHAKRABARTI, President of the EBRD J!l List of speakers (!)

Amendments (deadline for tabling: Wednesday 1 October, 16:00) Q, Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13594) 16.

Debate 16.1.


The progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure (October 2013- September 2014) Ll Presentation by: o Mr Stefan SCHENNACH (Austria, SOC), Rapporteur AS/Man (Doc.

13595) II List of speakers (!)

Amendments (deadline for tabling: Wednesday 1 October, 16:00) Q, Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13595) i7.

Debate 17.1.

The honouring of obligations and commitments by Albania Ll Presentation by: o Mr Grigore PETRENCO (Republic of Moldova, UEL), Co-Rapporteur AS/Man (Doc.
13586) o Mr Jonathan EVANS (United Kingdom, EDG), Co-Rapporteur AS/Man (Doc.

13586) II List of speakers (!)

Amendments (deadline for tabling: Wednesday 1 October, 16:00) Q, Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13586) 6 Friday 3 October 2014 Sitting No.

36 (10:00-13:00) 18.

Debate 18.1.

The alternatives to immigration detention of children 0 Presentation by: o Ms Tinatin BOKUCHAVA (Georgia, EPP/CD), Rapporteur AS/Mig (Doc.
13597) iJ List of speakers <9 Amendments (deadline for tabling: Thursday 2 October, 1 0:30) Q, Votes on a draft resolution and a draft recommendation (Doc.

13597) 19.

Debate 19.1.

Towards optimum breast cancer services across Europe 0 Presentation by: o Ms Stella KYRIAKIDES (Cyprus, EPP/CD), Rapporteur AS/Soc (Doc.

13572) iJ List of speakers <9 Amendments (deadline for tabling: Thursday 2 October, 1 0:30) G Vote on a draft resolution (Doc.

13572) 20.
Closure of the part-session ' 7 Draft Agenda of meetings of the Committees of the Assembly, the Bureau and Political Groups 4th part of the 2014 Session : 29 September- 3 October Also available on the internet site :http:/assembly.coe.lnt Date and time Meeting SUNDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2014 24/09/2014 version Room Languages • 15:00 to 17:30 Meeting of the Presidential Committee Room 17 (E/F) • 17:30 to 18:30 Meeting between the President and the Committee Chaitversons Room 17 (E/F) MONDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2014 • 08:00 to 09:30 Bureau of the Assembly Room 7 • 08:30 to 09:30 Women Working Group- Socialist Group Room 9 (E/F) • 09:30 Group ofthe Unified European Left • 09:30 Group of the European People's Party • 09:30 European Democrat Group • 09:30 Socialist Group • 09:30 Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe '.
Room3 Room 5 Room 8 Room 9 Room 10 • 10:00 Meeting of the secretaries of national delegations Room 11 (E/F) • 11:30 * * * **ASSEMBLY SITTING*** * * • 14:00 to 15:00 Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination • 14:00 to 15:00 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy • 14:00 to 15:00 Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Room 8 Room 9 Room 10 • 14:00 to 15:00 Committee on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by member states Room 11 of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) • 15:00 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** Page 1 of 4 Date and time Meeting Room Languages • 17:00 to 19:00 Group of the Unified European Left • 17:00 to 19:00 Group of the European People's Pmiy • 17:00 to 19:00 European Democrat Group • 17:00 to 19:00 Socialist Group • 17:00 to 19:00 Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe TUESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2014 Room3 Room5 Room 8 Room 9 Room 10 • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media Room 6 • 08:30 to I 0:00 Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Room 7 • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on Equality and Non~ Discrimination • I 0:00 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** Room 8 Room 9 Room 10 • 14:00 to 14:30 Sub~Committee on the European Social Charter of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Room 3 (E/F) • 14:00 to 15:30 Sub~Committee on Education, Youth and Sport of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media Room 6 (E/F) • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs Room 7 • 14:00 to 15:30 Parliamentary Network women free from violence, Committee on Equality and Non~ Discrimination.
Room 8 • 14:00 to 15:00 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy o 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Room 9 Room 10 • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by member states Room 11 of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) • 14:30 to 15:30 Sub-Committee on Environment and Energy of the Committee on Social Affairs, Room 3 Health and Sustainable Development (E/F) • 15:00 to 15:30 Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab World of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Room 9 (E/F) • 15:30 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** Page 2 of 4 Date and time Meeting Room Languages WEDNESDAY 1 OCTOBER 2014 • 08:30 Group of the Unified European Left • 08:30 Group of the European People1s Party • 08:30 European Democrat Group • 08:30 Socialist Group • 08:30 Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe • 10:00 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media • I 4:00 to 15:30 Joint meeting of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and the Committee on Equality and Non~ Discrimination • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Room 3 RoomS Room 8 Room9 Room 10 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 Room9 • 14:00 to 14:30 Sub-Committee on Human Rlghts of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Room 10 Rights (E/F) • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by member states Room 11 of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) • 14:30 to 15:30 Sub-Committee on the election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Room 10 (E/F (TBC)) • 15:30 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER 2014 • 08:30 to 10:00 Network of contact parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children, Room 6 Joint meeting with the Committee on Social Affairs and the Committee on Culture • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on Political
 Affairs and Democracy • 08:30 to 09:00 Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Room 9 Room 10 • 08:30 to 10:00 Committee on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by member states Room 11 of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) • 10:00 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** • 13:30 to 15:30 Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media Room 5 Room6 Page 3 of 4 Date and time Meeting Room Languages • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Room 7 • 14:00 to 15:30 Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Room 8 • 15:30 *****ASSEMBLY SITTING***** • 20:00 Meeting of the Presidential Committee Strasbourg FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 2014 • 08:30 to 10:00 Bureau of the Assembly Room 7 • I 0:00 * * * * * A S S E M B L Y S I T T I N G * * * * * Page 4of 4 Recommendations 2052 to 2056 l.U?- Parliamentary Assembly ml~ Assemblee parlementaire '-'"~ ~~1~mmmm=a~=mRDa=~mm~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recommendation 2052 (2014} 1 Provisional version Counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism and right-wing extremism Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2011 (2014} on counteraction to manifestations of nee-Nazism, whereby it unequivocally condemns the increasing number of manifestations of nee-Nazism (right-wing extremism} and the rising popularity of neo-Nazi parties in Europe.

c,- 2.
c,- 2.

Considering that this is not an isolated phenomenon particular to some Council of Europe member- States, but rather a problem with pan-European dimensions, often lying dormant in society until the right conditions for emergence come about, the Assembly believes it can only be effectively tackled on the basis of shared experiences and good practice among member States.

3.
The Assembly therefore asks the Committee of Ministers to: consider possible ways for the Council of Europe to co-ordinate the various member States' 3.1. efforts against right-wing extremism, in particular by ensuring exchange of experiences and good practice; support member States in their fight against right-wing extremism though demand-driven co- 3.2. operation programmes; support the initiative by the youth campaign and declare the day of the terrorist attack in Oslo and 3.3. at Ut0ya, 22 July, the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime; bring to the attention of the governments of the member States the specific recommendations 3.4. included in Resolution 2011 (2014}.
1.

Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (30th Sitting) (see Doc.

13593, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, rapporteur: Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin: and Doc.

13602, opinion of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, rapporteur: Ms Olga Kazakova).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (30th Sitting).
l.L£;-- Parliamentary Assembly lffL~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~~~~m.~~~m=mm~~mmmEmm~~mm~~~~~~~~ CONSEil DE cEUROPE COUNCil OF EUROPE Recommendation 2053 (2014) 1 Provisional version Women's rights and prospects for Euro-Mediterranean co-operation Parliamentary Assembly 1.
Referring to its Resolution 2012 (2014) on women's rights and prospects for Euro-Mediterranean co operation, the Parliamentary Assembly notes that in the countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, equality between men and women is developing unevenly, alongside democratic transition, with significant advances in certain countries and a situation of instability hampering progress in others.

2.
2.

The Assembly commends the efforts of the Council of Europe to strengthen co-operation with the countries of the region and contribute to these processes through interparliamentary co-operation, including by way of the partner for democracy status.

3.

The Assembly reiterates the importance which it attaches to the activities of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), particularly in the light of the role which it played in the framing of the Tunisian Constitution.
It encourages the Committee of Ministers to promote the Venice Commission's actions in the region, both in its member States (Morocco, Tunisia) and outside them.

4.

The Assembly encourages the Committee of Ministers to promote the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (ETS No.
210, "Istanbul Convention"), which came into force on 1 August 2014, vis-a-vis the southern neighbourhood countries, both through training activities on the content of the convention and by promoting the accession of these countries.

5.

The Assembly considers that co-operation by the Council of Europe with the southern Mediterranean countries should continue assigning a major role to the "gender equality" component also in the interparliamentary context.

1.
1.

Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting) (see Doc.

13596, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, rapporteur: Ms Fatiha SaYdi).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting).

lL£?-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfl~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~ &fi!H1lii'¥1II~'ll· Rmlllii!

_______________ !EI ___ _ Recommendation 2054 (2014) 1 Provisional version Good governance and enhanced quality in education Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Resolution 2013 (2014) on good governance and enhanced quality in education, believes that enhancing the quality of education should be fully integrated into the design of education policies at the national, European and international level.

2.
2.

The Assembly underlines the value of tools developed at international level to assess the quality of the education systems and considers that the Council of Europe should play a stronger role in encouraging the development of national policies coherent with the findings of international quality assurance programmes and in supporting member States in their implementation.

3.
3.

The Assembly welcomes the proposals put forward by the Conference of Ministers of Education held in Helsinki on 26 and 27 April 2013 and urges the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to ensure adequate follow up to these proposals.
In addition, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers instruct the Steering Committee 4. for Educational Policy and Practice (CDPPE) to analyse the relevance and impact of the existing national and international quality assessment instruments in the field of education, seeking to identify ways of reinforcing co-operation and synergies between the Council of Europe member States and of increasing the competitiveness of European education at global level.
The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers consider establishing a permanent 5. committee of experts on higher education.

1.

Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting) (see Doc.

13585, report of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Mr Paolo Corsini).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting).

t Parliamentary Assembly Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ::::==:::::::==:- t!!l!!lTi!tm!M/~m!'!;!l!
!mll!lilliiii ____ IIIIIIIBIIIBII!Iilliill!i-Biilli!ll!llllll:llilli!

!llllll!l-i!lllll!ill CONSEIL DE !

:EUROPE Recommendation 2055 (2014}1 Provisional version Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as "IS": violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2016 (2014} "Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as 'IS': violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities", whereby it expresses its deep concern about the threats posed by this terrorist group and draws attention once again to the situation of Christian and other religious and ethnic communities in the Middle East, in general, and in Iraq and Syria in particular.

2.
2.

The Assembly therefore asks the Committee of Ministers to: develop the political aspect of its annual "Exchanges on the Religious Dimension of Intercultural 2.1.
Dialogue" and consider discussing the different religious perspectives of human dignity; 2.2. envisage possible ways to monitor the situation of governmental and societal restrictions on religious freedom and related rights in Council of Europe member States and in States in the Council of Europe's neighbourhood, and report periodically to the Assembly; bring to the attention of the governments of the member States the specific recommendations 2.3. included in Resolution 2016 (2014}, in particular as regards the need to increase humanitarian aid supplies to refugee camps across Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and expand aid programmes further.
1.

Assembly debate on 2 October 2014 (34th Sitting) (see Doc.

13618, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, rapporteur: Ms Theodora Bakoyannis).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2014 (34th Sitting).
l.Lf/-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfl~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~ ~~~~l~4~~~~~~mB~Bm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recommendation 2056 (2014) 1 Provisional version The alternatives to immigration detention of children Parliamentary Assembly The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2020 (2014) on the alternatives to the immigration 1. detention of children.
The Assembly stresses that States which engage in the immigration detention of children contravene the 2. principle of the best interests of the child and commit a child rights violation.

They deprive children of their fundamental right to liberty and put them at risk of severe and lifelong physical, mental and developmental harm.

They may also violate other fundamental child rights, such as the rights to family, health, play and education.
The Assembly considers that in order to stop this inhuman practice, the Council of Europe has an important role to play in promoting alternatives to the immigration detention of children.

3.
3.

The Assembly therefore calls on the Committee of Ministers to: 3.1. launch a study to collect qualitative and quantitative data on child immigration detention and the use of non-custodial, community-based alternatives to detention for children and families, and promote the sharing of these practices across Europe; 3.2. set up guidelines for conducting child-friendly age-assessment procedures for migrant children.

1.

Assembly debate on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting) (see Doc.
13597, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, rapporteur: Ms Tinatin Bokuchava).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting).
Resolutions 2011 to 2021 l.LL?-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfl~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~ ..... ;#dt'ID!lfl~i!HIIIIIB-IIII!IIIIil!lllllii--Rii!EIIll!lil-l!llllllflllll!l!lllllllllllililllllllliiiiiMIIIIIIII CONSEIL DE LEUROPE Resolution 2011 (2014)1 Provisional version Counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism and right-wing extremism Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly unequivocally condemns the increasing number of manifestations of nee Nazism (right-wing extremism) and the rise of neo-Nazi parties and movements in Europe, some of which have entered parliament at national or European level.

This is not an isolated phenomenon particular to some Council of Europe member States, but rather a problem with pan-European dimensions.

It often lays dormant in society until the right conditions for emergence come about.
It can thus only be effectively tackled on the basis of shared experiences and good practice among member States.

2.
2.

If popular disappointment over harsh economic conditions and frustration triggered by governmental failures to implement comprehensive migration policies may, in some cases, partly explain the rising popularity of neo-Nazi parties as a "protest vote", this only further enhances the responsibility of government representatives and democratic politicians, who should stand up and unite in defending democratic values.

Neo-Nazis should not be ignored; they should not be turned into martyrs either.

3.
3.

Although symbols and structures of the past, such as party logos reminiscent of swastikas, are still being used, the strategies of neo-Nazi activists in the public arena are becoming progressively more sophisticated and thus more difficult to identify and counteract.

The ever increasing use of the Internet as the main platform for extremist propaganda and co-ordination makes monitoring and counteraction even harder.

4.
4.

The Assembly notes that the majority of young people who join right-wing extremist groups do so in their early teens or even before.

Neo-Nazi parties also tend to develop programmes and structures that particularly attract children below the voting age, at schools or holiday camps.

5.
5.

The Assembly therefore believes that in the fight against neo-Nazism, the focus should be on prevention through education and awareness raising, and early reaction, at grass-roots level, to any manifestations ofneo Nazism, whether violent or not, be it by organised groups or radicalised individuals.

Identification of early signals should allow for timely action against radicalisation and nip neo-Nazi activities in the bud, before the problem spins out of control.

6.
6.

Experience has shown that, to be effective, timely action should be co-ordinated by the entire community and accompanied by a clear political message, at the highest level, that any manifestation of neo-Nazism, including hate crime and hate speech, cannot be tolerated in a democratic State governed by the rule of law.

Victim support and exit support measures are also indispensable tools in counteracting neo-Nazism.
In the light of these considerations, and referring to concrete examples of experiences and good 7. practice, the Assembly calls on member States to: design cross-sectorial strategies to prevent and combat neo-Nazi ideology, including social, 7.1. economic and cultural strategies to reduce the breeding grounds for this ideology; 1.

Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (30th Sitting) (see Doc.
13593, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, rapporteur: Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin; and Doc.

13602, opinion of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, rapporteur: Ms Olga Kazakova).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (30th Sitting) See also Recommendation 2052 (2014).
Resolution 2011 (2014) develop national action plans and appoint national co-ordinators against right-wing extremism to 7.2. provide a framework for and co-ordination among public institutions at all levels and civil society initiatives; 7.3. promote and support, through regular public funding, specific civil society initiatives and projects designed to prevent or combat neo-Nazism or other forms of racism, hatred and anti-Semitism, in the local arena and everyday life, including online; enhance research, in particular pedagogical, as well as international co-operation and exchange 7.4. of good practice in the field of preventing and combating neo-Nazism; 7.5. continue to support, including through voluntary contributions, or start implementing (as appropriate) the Council of Europe campaign entitled "No Hate Speech Movement" involving young people all across Europe.
8.
More specifically, the Assembly calls on member States: 8.1. as regards prevention, to: encourage and support, through public funding, joint and well co-ordinated timely action 8.1.1. against radicalisation by the entire community, including local police and all societal actors, such as schools, childcare services, parents' groups, mayors and relevant municipal departments, churches, trade unions and professional organisations, as well as civil society groups, including voluntary organisations, victim support groups, refugee councils and youth representatives; 8.1.2. specially train law-enforcement officials in preventive action and provide and support preventive policing tools (such as "empowerment conversations") addressed mainly to teenagers who show signs of radicalisation and their families; 8.1.3. influence of social media on the recruitment to and promotion of neo-Nazism; ensure the continuing development of strategies and technologies to reduce the ensure that any relevant data, analyses and especially early signals made available by 8.1.4. local actors and civil society are shared with public institutions and law-enforcement forces engaged in the prevention or fight against neo-Nazism, and that they receive quick and proper attention at political level; 8.2. as regards education, to: 8.2.1. enhance education for democratic citizenship and human rights awareness measures in schools, starting from the primary level, thus enabling children to stand up for democratic values from the outset; this should also include education against hate speech and in particular its online dimensions; 8.2.2.
World War; enhance teaching of 20th-century history and in particular the period around the Second 8.2.3. supporting their children; train teachers on human rights and democratic citizenship and assist parents in actively 8.2.4. support educational projects and teaching methods aimed at tackling antidemocratic ideologies, such as neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism, a phenomenon which goes well beyond neo Nazi groups; 8.3. as regards law enforcement, to: 8.3.1. provide, and effectively implement, a comprehensive legal framework on hate speech and hate crime, in line with the specific recommendations made by the Assembly in its Resolution 1967 (2014) on a strategy to prevent racism and intolerance in Europe, and those made by other Council of Europe bodies, notably the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights; to make party leaders and members, including members of parliament, criminally liable 8.3.2. for using hate speech or committing hate crime or any other criminal offence, reacting timely and effectively; 8.3.3. so that they can al~o identify crimes with a neo-Nazi background; train judges, prosecutors and law-enforcement officials on hate crime and hate speech 2 Resolution 2011 (2014) 8.3.4. information, among the various law-enforcement bodies; ensure efficient co-operation and co-ordination, based on regular exchange of 8.3.5. strike the right balance between the need to protect, on the one hand, the freedom of expression and right to privacy of members of right-wing extremist groups and, on the other, the fundamental rights of democratic groups wishing to react and prevent or block manifestations organised by right-wing extremists; 8.3.6. ensure accelerated proceedings in the investigation, prosecution and trial of cases of neo-Nazi violence by adolescents, in co-operation with the families of the offenders and civil society networks focusing on efficient exit support measures, so as to enhance the deterrent effect on other adolescents;
 8.3.7. the special challenges raised by neo-Nazi hate speech online; design strategies for police and intelligence services, including online policing, to face 8.4. as regards victim support and witness protection, to: 8.4.1. recommendations made by the Assembly in its Resolution 1967 (2014); encourage victims of nee-Nazism and witnesses to speak up in line with the specific 8.4.2. public funding for this purpose; enhance victim support measures, promote victim support groups and ensure regular 8.4.3. until a judicial decision becomes final; provide specific protection to illegal immigrants who have been victims of hate crimes 8.5. as regards exit support, to: 8.5.1. design strategies and programmes to help and support those wishing to leave neo-Nazi movements, as well as their families, including by offering ways of changing their outlook on life, jobs or professional training; 8.5.2. and motivation, in efforts to extricate others; engage former participants in the neo-Nazi sphere, with the necessary personal skills 8.5.3. promote and support, including through regular public funding, civil society exit projects.
9.
The Assembly further urges: 9.1. politicians, both at national and European levels, to take up the debate with nee-Nazis and expose them publicly by clearly and unequivocally challenging, rejecting and condemning neo-Nazi ideology and rhetoric; democratic parties to unite around a "democratic consensus" and unanimously oppose nee-Nazi 9.2. parties inside and outside parliament; 9.3. national parliaments to: 9.3.1. crime; ensure that no public funding is allocated to parties promoting hate speech and hate 9.3.2. grounds.
adopt codes of conduct including safeguards against hate speech and hate crime on any 10.

The Assembly invites its members to join and support the activities of: the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance and all parliamentary groups who work towards the same 10.1. objective; the national committees set up in the context of the Council of Europe No Hate Speech 10.2.

Movement.

11.
Movement.

11.

In order to raise public awareness against hate crime in Europe, and to show solidarity with those targeted and those left to mourn, the Assembly fully supports the initiative by the youth campaign to make the day of the terrorist attack in Oslo and at Ut0ya, 22 July, the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime.
3 l.L;y-- Parliamentary Assembly ~~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~ru.~rnm~.a-=~~----~~~um~~~~~ou~~mm~ Resolution 2012 (2014)1 Provisional version Women's rights and prospects for Euro-Mediterranean co-operation Parliamentary Assembly 1.

Three years after the uprisings which started the "Arab Spring", women's status on the southern shore of the Mediterranean has a mixed record.
It is moreover widely diversified between the various countries: on the one hand, Morocco and Tunisia, by creating or consolidating democratic institutions, have achieved significant progress in this area; on the other, Egypt, struggling to restore stability, and Libya, on the brink of civil war, are no further ahead.

Algeria's progress is insufficient.


Gender equality is an indicator of a country's degree of democratisation and of its resolve and capacity 2. for the inclusion of all citizens without discrimination of any kind.

Likewise, breaches of women's rights often act as an alarm bell, revealing threats to the rights and freedoms of everyone.

3.

Morocco and Tunisia have hitherto been prime interlocutors of the Council of Europe, and it is desirable that these productive relations be perpetuated in the future.
At the same time, these countries can play an exemplary modernising role in international forums such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation by proving that it is possible to advance towards gender equality without renouncing one's traditional cultural and religious roots.

The Parliamentary Assembly welcomes the enshrinement of the gender equality principle in the new 4. constitutions adopted by Egypt and Tunisia in 2014.
The effective realisation of this principle will call for a sustained effort on the part of these countries' governments and legislators during the years ahead.

5.

An alert and watchful stance regarding the situation of women in the countries of the region remains necessary, since where human rights are concerned regressions are always possible and the political and institutional frameworks are particularly unstable in some of these countries.

6.
6.

Civil society, including women's organisations, has played a crucial part in the processes of democratic transition or consolidation, and should be supported by the national institutions and the agents of international co-operation.

7.

In general, media also have an important part to play in modernising society and supporting gender equality; even more so in societies where illiteracy remains widespread (oral tradition).
They have a potent influence on attitudes and should exercise it to instil the principle of equality and eradicate gender stereotypes.

8.

In the light of these considerations, the Assembly reiterates the recommendations directed at the countries of the region both collectively and individually in Resolution 1873 (2012) "Equality between women and men: a condition for the success ofthe Arab Spring".
Furthermore, it calls on the countries of the region to: apply the principle of equality enshrined in their constitutions coherently and in depth, including 8.1. through specific policies and programmes; 1.

Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting) (see Doc.

13596, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, rapporteur: Ms Fatiha Saidi).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting).

See also Recommendation 2053 (2014).
Resolution 2012 (2014) 8.2. make sure that the law on the family and inheritances is in keeping with the principle of equality, particularly as regards the head of family's role, parental authority, divorce, custody of children and inheritance; 8.3. combat violence against women by means of a legal framework founded on prevention of violence, protection of victims and punishment of perpetrators, which addresses all forms of violence against women in the ambit of criminal law, including domestic violence, female genital mutilation, neglect of daughters, so-called "honour" crimes and sexual violence; this legislation should be coherently implemented and regularly evaluated; eliminate all barriers impeding women's effective access to justice and guarantee their access to 8.4. and participation in the mechanisms of transitional justice; support civil society, 8.5. implementing laws and policies likely to have an impact on the status of women; including women's organisations, and involve it in preparing and promote the full participation of women and of women's organisations in public and political life, 8.6. in particular by introducing into the electoral legislation provisions aimed at promoting the representation of elected women in public bodies.
Within these bodies and, as appropriate, political parties, information and training activities should be organised to improve the capabilities of all elected representatives without distinction as to gender; promote women's representation in the judicial system and the legal professions as well as the 8.
7. police force; involve the media in promoting equality, both by combating gender stereotyping and by increased 8.8. representation of women on the staff of the various information agencies, particularly radio and television; guarantee equal access to education at all levels without gender-based discrimination and 8.9. intensify the fight against illiteracy, including that of adults and especially women; 8.1 0. intensify co-operation with the Council of Europe, in particular by acceding to the relevant conventions and enlarged partial agreements, notably the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), if they have not already done so; 8.11. consider accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ETS No.
197) and to the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (ETS No.
210, "Istanbul Convention"); 8.12. strengthen interparliamentary co-operation with the Council of Europe by using available tools such as the partner for democracy status, and through co-operation under the "Strengthening democratic reform in the southern Neighbourhood" programme ("South Programme"); 8.13. strengthen co-operation within the region in order to exchange good practices for improving the status of women.

9.
9.

Furthermore, the Assembly calls on Morocco to: 9.1. guarantee that the Family Code is uniformly implemented in the various courts of the country, in particular through activities for the information and training of magistrates and by facilitating access to justice for women who are disadvantaged and live in rural areas; ensure the implementation of the Government Plan for Equality I CRAM (Concerted Initiative for 9.2.
Enhancing the Attainments of Moroccan Women) adopted in June 2013 on the basis of a partnership agreement with the European Union; 9.3. combat the phenomenon of underage marriages; eradicate the phenomenon of illegal employment of minors, particularly in a domestic setting, by 9.4. enforcing the current labour legislation; complete the legislative process in hand so as to introduce adequate legislation on violence 9.5. against women.

2 Resolution 2012 (2014) 10.


The Assembly calls on Tunisia to: reform the electoral legislation in order to guarantee the effectiveness of the provisions in favour 1 0.1. of women's representation; 1 0.2. complete the process of creating legislation on violence against women and trafficking in human beings and guarantee its implementation and evaluation.

11.
11.

The Assembly calls on Algeria: 11.1. reform the Family Code in a truly gender-balanced perspective by eliminating the provisions that discriminate against women, notably in respect of legal capacity to marry, parental authority and conditions for seeking divorce; reform Law No.

12-06 on associations, or apply it in such a way that it does not curb freedom of 11.2. assembly and association.
The Assembly calls on Libya to guarantee the implementation of the decree enacting a law to recognise 12. women victims of rape during the 2014 revolution as "war victims", adopted on 19 February 2014, by allocating sufficient human and financial resources.

13.
13.

The Assembly calls on Egypt to: 13.1. promote women's participation in public life and their political representation, specifically by means of adequate electoral legislation; 13.2. combat violence against women in all forms, including psychological and sexual harassment and female genital mutilation.
3 lLJy-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfl~ Assemblee parlementaire S2~ ~~~~~~g~e.lrn¥mh~iBBEBEBEEEH~BBBB&mWB~~~~~~~aE~&gg Resolution 2013 (2014)1 Provisional version Good governance and enhanced quality in education Parliamentary Assembly 1.

The member States of the Council of Europe are confronted with important challenges: economic crisis, massive unemployment, rising tensions and hostility against minority and migrant communities.
The Parliamentary Assembly considers that quality of education is critical in determining our societies' capacity to thrive, and that enhanced European education systems are a fundamental tool to deal effectively with today's crucial societal challenges.

2.

Public authorities are responsible for securing the right to education of adequate quality.

The budgetary restrictions resulting from the financial crisis considerably limit States' margin for action.
It is vital that we invest in education, but such investment must be made on the basis of global strategies for improving the governance and quality of the general educational framework and a thorough assessment of the functioning of education systems.

Education systems should be inclusive and quality education should be ensured without discrimination.

3.

This is a crucial objective for primary and secondary schools, but it must also be pursued in the context of university education.
This means not only that the right of access to the education system must be guaranteed, but also that the system must take account of the diversity of learners' educational and social needs to foster the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for life in society.

4.
4.

Moreover, it is not enough to aim at improving people's capacity to take up professions of their choice: it is indispensable that education helps their personal development and prepares them for responsive and active citizenship.
Schools must be the place where young people learn to live in harmony in an environment which respects freedom of thought and conscience, which encourages learners to open up to others and develop a critical mind, which rewards effort and merit while providing those in difficulty with the support they need.

5.

The Assembly therefore recommends that the member States: 5.
1. put in place coherent education policies focusing on students' well-being and achievement, on the need to prevent social exclusion and to improve teachers' professional abilities and on the effectiveness of the education system as a whole, as well as to ensure a better contribution of schools to the socio-economic progress; involve all stakeholders in framing and implementing such policies so as to 5.2. communication and synergies; improve 5.3. establish mechanisms for assessment and quality assurance so as to monitor the quality of the education system, the consistency of educational achievements with needs in terms of professional qualifications and democratic citizenship, and the effective and efficient use of resources; 1.
Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting) (see Doc.

13585, report of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Mr Paolo Corsini}.

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting).

See also Recommendation 2054 (2014).
Resolution 2013 (2014) ensure non-discrimination in access to education and take positive steps to counter educational 5.4. inequalities and the under-performance of certain pupils or students and of certain educational establishments by means of support programmes for the pupils and students who are most frequently victims of discrimination or exclusion, and incentives to attract talented teachers to take up employment in the most difficult classes and schools, and act to prevent any kind of compulsory separation on the basis of ethnic origin between pupils or students in classes or in schools; 5.5. promote gender equality in and through education; in this respect: 5.5.1. guarantee to all students the freedom to choose their field of studies; 5.5.2. identify and spread good practice in gender-sensitive education; revise teaching curricula and methods with a view to reinforcing non-discriminatory 5.5.3. language and non-sexist teaching and to placing greater emphasis on equality and non-violence; 5.5.4. meet the needs of young parents, and in particular young women engaged in higher education and research, in terms of family support and childcare; 5.5.5. education; seek more gender balance in teaching and managerial positions at all levels of promote the comprehensive approach to education in the European humanistic tradition, which 5.6. is key to strengthening democratic citizenship, upholding the respect of human rights and promoting solidarity and social cohesion; reconsider initial and in-service training programmes for teachers, as well as teaching methods, 5.7. in particular to take account of new challenges which result from interculturalism, the information society and the pace of innovation in science and technology; seek to make the teaching profession more attractive; in this respect, consider increasing 5.8. teachers' salaries and offer incentives for high-achieving students to enter and stay in the profession; 5.9. make better use of the possibilities offered by Internet to modernise the management
 of educational establishments and to develop innovatory teaching methods and tools that are more suited to the diversity of learners, and promote the acquisition of digital and media skills; 5.1 0. enhance accountability and transparency in education governance to fight corruption; to this end, develop robust audit, monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and reinforce parliamentary control over anti-corruption policy implementation; 5.11. develop codes of conduct in schools and higher education institutions with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, and develop and evaluate the civic competences of pupils and students by fostering their sense of responsibility, their co-operation skills and their involvement in civic life; 5.12. make education management less bureaucratic, seeking to reduce the time that teachers and university professors spend dealing with purely administrative matters; 5.13. ensure families' access to complete and clear information about the educational offer, and transparency of the performance of the education institutions; take into account, in education policy formulation, the assessment of learning outcomes by 5.14. international quality assurance programmes; 5.15. support co-operation on quality assurance, in particular in higher education, with a view to achieving the aims of the Bologna Process and the consolidation of the European Higher Education Area; look for co-operation and synergies, aimed at increasing the competitiveness of European 5.16. education at global level, making full use of the Council of Europe's longstanding expertise in this field; 5.17. encourage co-operation between the Council of Europe and active partners in this field, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievements (lEA), the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and the networks
 of national quality assurance agencies.
2 lLJ?- Parliamentary Assembly ttfL~ Assemblee parlementaire ;,B~ == ~~~~~~:~mmmmammeEB~mm~me~.aBEammE~amaammmm~~ Resolution 2014 (2014) 1 Provisional version Raising the status of vocational education and training Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly regrets that, despite the benefits for individuals, enterprises and the economy as a whole, vocational education and training (VET) is faced with many challenges regarding lack of quality, social recognition, esteem and attractiveness when compared to other education pathways, in particular upper secondary and higher education.

2.
2.

VET can play a significant role in addressing the shortage of technical skills as well as in raising employability and, especially, young people's access to employment.

To this end, urgent measures are necessary to improve the quality of VET and create programmes of studies that are adequate to meet the needs of the labour market.

3.

The Assembly values the significant work undertaken on quality assurance of VET, involving governments, social partners and European Union institutions.
It fully supports the proposal to establish a European Area for Skills and Qualifications (EASQ), which will increase VET visibility and importance, and provide an opportunity to set an agenda for reform based on high-quality VET provision.

4.
4.

The Assembly considers that European-level guidelines and overall strategies like the European Credit Transfer System for Vocational Education and Training (EDVET) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) following the European Union's Europe 2020 Strategy are the right tracks to be pursued also by Council of Europe member States outside the European Union.
Initiatives and incentives encouraging transnational exchange and co-operation in VET should be strengthened at European and national levels.

5.

To achieve sustainable results, it is necessary for Council of Europe member States to take specific measures to raise the status of VET.

However, this would not be sufficient without strong involvement of all VET stakeholders and enhanced collaboration between them and the competent public authorities.

6.
6.

The Assembly therefore recommends that member States: ratify the European Social Charter (revised) (ETS No.

163) and accept the provisions of its 6.1.
Articles 9 (the right to vocational guidance) and 10 (the rightto vocational training) as binding provisions; create national and local strategies and policies for VET according to national contexts as regards 6.2. education and employment, while considering good practices from other countries; involve social partners, local and regional authorities, employers' federations and associations, 6.3. and civil society in general, in the formulation and implementation of VET strategies; ensure equal access to education, including VET, for all, including people with a disadvantaged 6.4. social background, migrants, the unemployed, young people and people with disabilities; improve the permeability of educational pathways and facilitate access to other education and 6.5. training opportunities, including access based on merit to higher education for VET graduates; 1.
Assembly debate on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting) (see Doc.

13590, report of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Mr Piotr Wach).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 2014 (31st Sitting).
Resolution 2014 (2014) provide financial incentives, such as grants and scholarships for VET students and apprentices 6.6. and for employers who act as trainers in VET programmes; encourage, in particular, the acquisition of entrepreneurial competences in addition to the specific 6.7. professional competences in each profession; initiate public awareness-raising campaigns aimed at raising public awareness of the role and 6.8. benefits of VET in terms of employability; provide incentives for, and create partnerships with, industry to support the continuous 6.9. professional development of trainers in VET; 6.10. develop strong and transparent national quality assurance frameworks in VET; 6.11. promote mutual recognition of VET in Europe and ensure proper implementation of the European Credit Transfer System for VET, the European Qualifications Framework and the European Area for Skills and Qualifications; 6.12. develop cross-border networks and encourage co-operation and exchange of best practices with European networks such as the European Quality Assurance in VET (EQAVET) network.
7.
The Assembly calls on public and private VET institutions to: 7.1. provide programmes that focus on the learner, taking into consideration new developments and trends in the subjects studied, and encourage learning that supports personal and professional growth based on merit and talent; seek to enhance the quality of VET by attracting better qualified teachers and staff members, by 7.2. using interactive methods of teaching and by providing adequate equipment for practical education; improve the communication with the students, providing young people and their families with 7.3. transparent, exhaustive and relevant information about the importance of VET education, its benefits and the possibilities that it offers.
The Assembly urges the private sector to strengthen co-operation with the educational centres and VET 8. providers in order to: take an active part in the setting up of VET programmes, seeking to ensure their consistency with 8.1. the changing needs of the labour market in terms of skills and competences; offer VET students more opportunities for practical experience, also with the aim of increasing 8.2. employment opportunities for VET graduates; 8.3. include in continuous VET specific modules allowing the acquisition of information and communications technology competences and proficiency in foreign languages, in order to foster mobility.
Finally, the Assembly calls on the European Committee of Social Rights to follow up and evaluate the 9. implementation of established VET standards through the reporting system established under the European Social Charter (revised).

2 i..U?-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfL~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~~~·~¥Mm,~EBRBBmBmEBOB&m~mmMmBNm&~Rm~~mM~Hm~H Resolution 2015 (2014) 1 Provisional version The functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly welcomes the smooth conduct of the 2012 parliamentary and 2013 presidential elections in Georgia, which, despite a polarised and acrimonious election environment, were overall democratic and in line with European standards.

These elections mark the first time in Georgia's recent history that the political power has changed hands peacefully and democratically through the ballot box.
All the political forces should be congratulated on this achievement, which should be an example for the whole region.

2.

The otherwise smooth handover of power was accompanied by a polarised and antagonistic political climate, especially during the period of cohabitation between the then President Milheil Saakashvili and the Georgian Dream coalition government.
The Assembly regrets that these tensions sometimes overshadowed the many positive changes that were taking place in the democratic environment of Georgia.

The United National Movement (UNM) has reported that several thousand of its activists and supporters were regularly interrogated and intimidated by various investigative agencies (some up to 30 times).

A number of major opposition figures, including members of parliament, were violently attacked.
It has to be noted that two years on, almost the entire leadership of the former ruling party has been arrested or is under prosecution or investigation: former Prime Minister and UNM Secretary General, Vano Merabishvili, former Defence Minister, Bacha Akhalaia, and former Tbilisi mayor and UNM campaign manager, Gigi Ugulava, are in prison (pre-trial detention).
The judicial authorities have charged the former President, Mikheil Saakashvili, and ordered pre trial detention in absentia, as well as for former Minister of Defence, David Keserashvili, and former Minister of Justice, Zurab Adeishvili.

The emergence of a strong and experienced opposition, combined with a well organised ruling coalition, has strengthened the role of the parliament and parliamentarianism in the political system in Georgia.
Moreover, on a number of occasions, the parliament has managed to find consensus solutions to major political challenges.

In the view of the Assembly, these are important developments and a major evolution of the political environment in the country.

3.
3.

The Assembly welcomes the comprehensive reforms announced by the Georgian authorities, including constitutional reform, to further strengthen the democratic institutions in the country and to ensure a genuinely independent judiciary and an adversarial justice system.

In the view of the Assembly, it is important that all political forces are consulted on, and can contribute to, these planned reforms.

4.
4.

With regard to the reform of the Constitution, the Assembly: calls on the parliament to ensure that the changes to the Constitution address all the remaining 4.1. recommendations of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) on the 2010 Constitution as well as the concerns of the Assembly regarding the remaining ambiguities in the division of powers and the systemic vulnerability to inter-institutional conflict; 1.
Assembly debate on 1 October 2014 (32nd and 33rd Sittings) (see Doc.

13588 and addendum, report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), co-rapporteurs: Mr Michael Aastrup Jensen and Mr Boriss CileviCs).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 1 October 2014 (33rd Sitting).
Resolution 2015 (2014) 4.2. urges all political forces to agree on an election system that can count on a broad consensus and that strengthens the pluralistic nature of the country's political institutions.
In this respect, the Assembly invites all stakeholders to consider the proportional-regional election system, based on open lists, which seems to have the agreement of most, if not all, political forces in the country; urges all the parties concerned to refrain from adopting amendments with contentious or divisive 4.3. language or that would undermine the rights of any minority in the country; 4.4. welcomes the establishment and composition of the State Commission for Constitutional Reform as a clear sign that the authorities wish to amend the Constitution in an consensual and inclusive process and calls on all stakeholders to contribute constructively to this process; recommends that the State Commission for Constitutional Reform closely co-operate with the 4.5.
Venice Commission in the drawing up of the constitutional amendments and request a formal opinion by the Venice Commission on the proposed amendments before they are adopted by parliament.

5.

The Assembly recalls its concerns about the independence of the judiciary and administration of justice in Georgia.
In that respect, it welcomes the adoption of a comprehensive reform package for the judiciary and justice system that aims to ensure genuine independence of the judiciary and a truly adversarial justice system.

The Assembly welcomes signals that the judiciary is now working more independently.
However, it also notes that the proceedings in sensitive legal cases, including against former government members (some of them being leading opposition members), have revealed continuing vulnerabilities and deficiencies in the justice system that need to be addressed.

Moreover, it regrets that the Georgian Parliament could not find the consensus necessary to elect all of its six members in the High Council of Justice.
Further reforms of the judiciary, including of the prosecution services, are therefore necessary.

In this respect, the Assembly: 5.1. suggests that the parliament considers a further amendment to the organic law of Georgia on the courts of general jurisdiction that would require at least two rounds of voting, with sufficient time for negotiations in-between, before lowering the threshold from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority to elect the parliament's appointees to the High Council of Justice.
In the view of the Assembly, this will facilitate and encourage agreement between the ruling majority and the opposition on the members of the High Council of Justice elected by the parliament; calls on the parliament to contemplate considerably lowering the three-year probation period for 5.2. judges to be appointed to a life term of office, in order to bring it into line with European standards; urges the parliament to amend the law on administrative offences with a view to removing the 5.3. possibility of custodial sentences for such offences; 5.4. while welcoming the recent decrease in its use, expresses its concern about the continued widespread use of pre-trial detention in Georgia.
The Assembly emphasises that detention on remand should only be used as a measure of last resort, when there is a clear risk of absconding, interference with the course of justice, or a serious risk that the person will commit a serious offence or pose a threat to public order and it should not be used for political purposes.
It calls on the authorities to adopt clear guidelines for the prosecution and courts for the use of detention on remand, in order to ensure full adherence with the requirements of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No.5) and Committee of Ministers Recommendation Rec(2006)13 on the use of remand in custody, the conditions in which it takes place and the provision of safeguards against abuse; expresses concern over the widespread application of asset freezing to family members of 5.5. opposition figures and former government officials in criminal cases not involving allegations concerning illicit assets; urges the Georgian authorities to implement fully the pmvisions of the Code of Criminal 5.6.
Procedure on witness testimonies and jury trials.

6.

The Assembly notes that the media reforms initiated by the authorities are considered by the Representative for the Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to be an improvement over previous legislation and in line with international standards.

The Assembly welcomes the fact that these reforms address several of its previous recommendations.
It regrets that these reforms were unnecessarily politicised in the tense pre-electoral political environment.

7.

The Assembly expresses its concern about the apparent politicisation of the public broadcaster and the recent difficulties experienced by the parliament in appointing an independent and impartial board of trustees to oversee its work.
It considers this to be a signal that both the majority and the minority in parliament are 2 Resolution 2015 {2014) attempting to politicise the composition and work of the board of trustees and ultimately the public broadcaster itself.

Further amendments to the Law on Broadcasting need to be adopted obliging the parliament to appoint a board of trustees on the basis of the candidates proposed by the independent and impartial public selection committee that is foreseen in the law.
In this context, the Assembly urges the Georgian Parliament to adopt the transitional measures necessary to implement the Constitutional Court decision with regard to the dismissal of the previous board of trustees.

8.

With regard to the recently adopted organic law on local self-government, the Assembly: 8.1. welcomes the fact that all gamgebeli and mayors of self-governing cities are now directly elected.
In this respect, it suggests also considering the election of regional governors; expresses its concern about the provisions that allow for the impeachment by the local councils 8.2. of mayors and gamgebeli on any grounds.
The Assembly considers that the impeachment of directly elected local officials, as well as the grounds on which this can be initiated, should be clearly prescribed and circumscribed by law; takes note that this law, which affects the election procedure in local elections, was adopted only 8.3. a few months before local elections were due to take place.

9.
9.

The Assembly takes note of the numerous changes in local governments in Georgia as a result of local councillors and city officials resigning or switching sides following the change of power at national level.

While resignations and switching between parties is part of the democratic process, it is unacceptable if it is the result of duress.
The Assembly is therefore seriously concerned by credible reports that a number of these changes were the result of undue pressure on local United National Movement (UNM) activists by supporters of the ruling coalition.
The Assembly is also concerned by reports of violent disturbances of the campaign activities of the UNM, allegedly by Georgian Dream supporters, as well as reports that a considerable number of opposition candidates in the local elections, mainly from the UNM, withdrew their candidatures, allegedly under pressure from the authorities.

There can be no place for such actions in a democratic society.
The authorities should take prompt and effective measures to immediately halt such action and remedy the situation where necessary.

The leaders of the ruling majority should give a clear and unambiguous signal to their supporters that any undue pressure on local officials, and disturbances of the political activities of the opposition, will not be tolerated.

10.

The Assembly takes note of the large number of allegations of possible criminal conduct by former government officials during their tenure.
At the same time, it is seriously concerned about allegations that the arrests and prosecution of a number of former government officials are politically motivated and amount to selective and revanchist justice.
The Assembly: 1 0.1. underscores that there can be no impunity for ordinary crimes, including- and especially- those committed by government officials and politicians, whether current or past; 1 0.2. calls on the Georgian authorities to ensure that the investigation and prosecution of former government officials are conducted impartially, transparently and in full respect of the principles of a fair trial, as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.
It emphasises that not only should selective or politically motivated justice not take place, it should also be seen to be not taking place; takes note of the charges filed against former President Saakashvili and, while emphasising that 10.3. no one is above the law, urges the authorities to ensure that, given the charged political climate in the country, the legal proceedings, including requests for pre-trial detention, against him are not influenced by political motivations; 10.4. urges the authorities to investigate fully and in a transparent manner any allegations of improper conduct by law-enforcement agencies or the prosecution in relation to these cases; 10.5. considers that the introduction of jury trials for former government officials accused of having committed ordinary crimes is an important and positive step to help guarantee the impartiality of their trials; 10.6. taking into account the considerable tensions in the political environment created by these prosecutions, welcomes the suggestion by the authorities of a possible amnesty for all but serious crimes committed by former government officials; 3 Resolution 2015 (2014) 10.7. expresses its concern about the length of the pre-trial detention of former Defence Minister Bacha Akhalaia and asks the authorities to use all legal means available to replace his detention on remand with some other non-custodial precautionary measure.
The Assembly welcomes the peaceful and calm conduct of the local elections on 15 June and 12 July 11.

2014, which took place in an improved electoral environment.

However, it expresses its concern about isolated violent incidents during the campaign period and about the allegations of pressure on, and intimidation of, candidates to withdraw their candidatures, which created a charged and contentious campaign environment.
It calls on the authorities to fully, and transparently, investigate the reports of pressure on, and intimidation of, candidates to resign and, if violations are found, to prosecute perpetrators in line with the Georgian legislation.

12.

The Assembly underscores the importance of an independent and impartial civil service.
The alleged practice of hiring and dismissing civil servants on the basis of party affiliation by both previous and current governments runs counter to this principle and should be stopped.

13.

The Assembly takes note of the large number of complaints filed by ordinary citizens with the prosecutor general for alleged miscarriages of justice and abuses of the justice system under the previous authorities, including forced plea bargaining, violations of property rights and ill-treatment while in prison.
These allegations need to be properly investigated and, if need be, addressed.

However, the Assembly wishes to underscore that any mechanism established to address these allegations should be a judicial procedure that fully respects the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the obligations of Georgia under the European Convention on Human Rights.

14.
14.

The Assembly welcomes the law on the elimination of all forms of discrimination that was adopted on 2 May 2014 and which significantly enhances the legal framework for the protection of persons from discrimination.

It takes note of concerns by civil society that the draft law would lack effective mechanisms to implement its provisions.
The Assembly therefore suggests that the authorities conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the results of this law one year after its adoption, with a view to improving the effectiveness of the implementation mechanisms contained in it, if need be.

15.

The increase of intolerant discourse and discriminatory acts against minorities, especially sexual and religious minorities, in Georgian society is of concern.
The Assembly is concerned by the lack of effective investigation and prosecution of hate crimes against minorities.

The authorities need to make clear that such behaviour will not be tolerated and that any perpetrators of violent or discriminatory acts will be prosecuted.

There can be no impunity for such acts, irrespective of who committed them.
All stakeholders, and especially representatives of political parties and institutions that hold high moral credibility in Georgian society, should refrain from divisive language and acts that could incite intolerance or deteriorate the situation of minorities.

The Assembly welcomes the adoption by the Georgian Parliament in May of the new Human Rights Strategy and Action Plan.

16.
16.

With regard to the repatriation of the deported Meskhetian population, the Assembly considers that the repatriation programme has mostly focused on providing a legal repatriate status to the eligible applicants and not on facilitating the actual repatriation itself.

In addition, the Assembly takes note of the long delays in the granting of citizenship to those who have received repatriate status.
The Assembly therefore reiterates the need for a comprehensive repatriation strategy and in that context welcomes the adoption by the Georgian Government of a "State Strategy on Repatriation".

The Assembly calls on the Georgian authorities to sign and ratify, without further delay, the European 17.

Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ETS No.

148), which is an accession commitment of Georgia to the Council of Europe.
Noting the misconceptions that exist in Georgian society regarding the Charter, the Assembly recommends that the Georgian authorities organise an awareness campaign, with the involvement of civil society and the media, targeted at the different stakeholders in this process, with a view to clarifying the provisions of the Charter and its requirements.
The Assembly expresses its concern about the systemic illegal surveillance of citizens by the Georgian 18. law-enforcement agencies, which violates the country's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.

While welcoming recent measures to address this issue, the Assembly considers that comprehensive legislation is urgently needed to regulate data collection and surveillance by law-enforcement agencies.
4 Resolution 2015 (2014) The Assembly takes note of the report "Georgia in transition" by the European Union's Special Adviser 19. for Legal and Constitutional Reform and Human Rights in Georgia, and former Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, and supports its conclusions and recommendations, as well as those contained in his follow-up report.

20.
20.

Georgia has made marked progress in its democratic development over recent years, although it has been overshadowed by the arrest and prosecution of almost the entire leadership of the former government party and former high officials, which raises questions about the eventual use of the justice system for political purposes.
It is now important for it to overcome the antagonism, polarisation and sense of revenge that are still present in the political environment and for political stakeholders to contribute constructively to the further democratic consolidation of the country.

The Assembly stands ready to assist the Georgian authorities and Parliament in this work.
5 lL/?-- Parliamentary Assembly ttfl~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~~Rmaseaam~maam~~me~~~mmmmammumgwaua Resolution 2016 (2014)1 Provisional version Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as "IS": violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities Parliamentary Assembly The Parliamentary Assembly is deeply shocked by the threats posed by the terrorist group known as "IS" 1.
("Da'ish" in Arabic), which has been wreaking death and destruction throughout Iraq and Syria.

2.

It draws attention once again to the situation of Christian and other religious and ethnic communities in the Middle East in general and in Iraq and Syria in particular.

Recent developments in the region, in particular the attitude of the "IS", have made the situation of such communities evolve from alarming to desperate.
In some places now under the control of the "IS", those communities have already disappeared.

3.
In this context, the Assembly recalls its Recommendations 1957 (2011) on violence against Christians in the Middle East and 1962 (2011) on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue, as well as its Resolutions 1878 (2012) on the situation in Syria; 1902 (2012) on the European response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria; 1928 (2013) on safeguarding human rights in relation to religion and belief, and protecting religious communities from violence and 1940 (2013) on the situation in the Middle East.
The Assembly reiterates its strong condemnation of all acts of violence.

It firmly believes that the first 4. priority should be to stop the ongoing massacres and that member States of the Council of Europe should do their utmost to contribute to bringing peace to the region.

5.
5.

Alarmed by reports of the continued advance by "IS" forces on the Kurdish town of Kobane on the Syrian Turkish border, the Assembly urges the international community to respond immediately to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and protect the civilian population.

6.
6.

All States in the Middle East and in the wider international community must condemn, together and firmly, the violent actions, as well as the religious and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the "IS" and join forces to face the current crisis and prevent similar ones in the future.

They should investigate all human rights violations and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, without impunity.

7.
7.

The Assembly is well aware that the "IS" and other similar terrorist groups active in the Middle East do not act in the name of Islam nor do they represent a majority of Muslims.

Indeed, a substantial number of victims are Muslims.

Therefore, it welcomes the mobilisation of the Muslim community against the actions of "IS", notably in the "Not In My Name" campaign.

8.
8.

The Assembly expresses deep concern that around 3 000 young Europeans are fighting for "IS" in Iraq and Syria and urges the member States of the Council of Europe to increase efforts to identify them, as well as to identify and dismantle recruitment channels, to prosecute those responsible and to exchange information and co-ordinate their response to returning jihadists.

In addition, "IS" sources of funds should be identified and, whenever possible, neutralised and sanctioned.

1.
1.

Assembly debate on 2 October 2014 (34th Sitting) (see Doc.

13618, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, rapporteur: Ms Theodora Bakoyannis).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2014 (34th Sitting).

See also Recommendation 2055 (2014).

Resolution 2016 (2014) The Assembly welcomes wholeheartedly the United Nations Security Council's unanimous adoption, on 9.
24 September 2014, of Resolution 2178 (2014) on "Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts", which calls on member States to prevent their citizens from joining "IS" in Iraq and Syria, including by adapting their legislation.

10.

The Assembly recognises that current humanitarian missions are woefully insufficient given the unprecedented humanitarian crisis we are now facing.
Therefore, it calls on the Council of Europe member States, on observer States, and on States whose parliaments enjoy partnership for democracy status with the Assembly to increase humanitarian aid supplies to existing refugee camps across Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and expand aid programmes further.

11.

As a neighbour to Syria and Iraq, Turkey opened its borders to thousands of displaced persons from Iraq and Syria fleeing the violence, including vulnerable minorities such as the Yezidis.
The number of Iraqi and Syrians has reached almost 1.5 million in Turkey, of which almost 250 000 have crossed the border in the past two weeks.

In addition, Turkey has set up camps for more than 35 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Northern Iraq.

12. lnclusivity must be promoted at all levels, both in Iraq and in Syria.
The Iraqi Government and the Iraqi security forces have a responsibility to ensure reported incidents of excessive force and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities under the former government are not repeated.

13.

The Assembly calls on member States of the Council of Europe and the international community in general to support the Government of Iraq in its attempts to provide a credible alternative away from the pull of "IS".

14.
14.

The Assembly further recommends that the governments of its member States use their bilateral relations with States affected by "IS" to encourage them to maintain the development of human rights and civil liberties.

15.
15.

The Assembly calls on the governments of all member States to facilitate the launch of an inclusive and Syrian-led process that will lead to a genuine political transition, on the basis of the Geneva Communique, that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for a free and democratic Syria, where every person will be treated equally regardless of their religion, belief or ethnicity.

16.
16.

The Assembly urges the international community to: 16.1. encourage the upholding of fair and equitable status for all citizens irrespective of their religious or ethnic origin.
Everyone should be equal before the law, with no religious law beyond appeal to civil courts; 16.2. strongly encourage the region's media sources to engage in and uphold standards of "good practice" and therefore refrain from inciting religious or ethnic hatred, while respecting the freedom and independence of the media; 16.3. ensure that the appropriate conditions are met for the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons; 16.4. encourage and assist whenever possible Christian communities and other religious and ethnic communities, in particular the Yezidis and the Kurds, to actively participate in ongoing discussions on the future of both Iraq and Syria; 16.5. come forward with a globally organised and well-funded programme of reconstruction for the affected areas, supervised by the United Nations; 16.6. support the peoples in lrak and Syria and stand up for their fundamental rights.
In this framework, all actions of the international community should be in line with international law and the United Nations Charter.

17.
The Assembly further encourages the countries in the Middle East to: recognise that democracy alone is not enough and ensure that respect for human rights and 17.1. pluralism, which are components of their own civilisation, is constitutionally guaranteed; 17.2. condemn unequivocally not only deadly attacks on innocent people, in particular children and women, but also the use of violence in general, as well as all forms of discrimination and intolerance based on religion and beliefs; 2 17.3. collaborate in bringing to justice, without impunity, those responsible for human rights violations; 17.4. strengthen regional co-operation among all countries in the Middle East, with a view to creating diversity in understanding and empowering minorities.
The Assembly resolves to continue to follow closely, as a priority, the situation in the region, as well as 18. the tragic humanitarian consequences of the current crisis and the issue of foreign terrorist fighters.

Resolution 2016 (2014) 3 l.i£?- Parliamentary Assembly lffL~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~riP~I~~~mnBMRE~mEOBm&BU~~~~~W.~RR.WBU~EEmHD Resolution 2017 (2014) 1 Provisional version The activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2013-2014 Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly has reviewed the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the period 2013-14 in the light of the reports by the Bank.

In line with the last report, the Assembly has sought to make the debate more political and to focus more on a political assessment of the work of the Bank.

2.
2.

The Assembly recalls that the Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development includes a significant political element, in that it specifies that the Bank may conduct its operations in countries of central and eastern Europe which are not only proceeding in their transition towards market-oriented economies, but are also committed to and applying principles of multiparty democracy and pluralism.
According to the preamble to the agreement, the successful transition of member countries to market 3. oriented economies is closely linked to parallel progress towards democracy and the rule of law.

Thus, the political aspect of the Bank's mandate extends to all elements of its objectives and should be monitored and promoted by the Bank as part of the process of assisting the transition of its countries of operations to market economies.

4.
4.

In the co-operation agreement concluded between the Council of Europe and the EBRD in 1992, the two organisations agreed to exchange information, particularly regarding the monitoring and assessment of the development of democracy in central and eastern Europe.

The Assembly supports the activities of the EBRD by providing a parliamentary oversight of the EBRD's operations.

5.
5.

The time period covered by the current overview of the activities of the EBRD (2013-14) has witnessed the beginning of recovery from the financial crisis which had hit especially hard in Europe.

The sovereign debt crisis in a number of European States is now under control, but confidence in the single currency of the eurozone has not been fully restored.
Austerity programmes have continued to be implemented throughout the review period and the economic slowdown in the euro area, and western Europe in general, has had a negative impact on the countries of the transition region.

6.

Political uncertainty is a key factor affecting growth, and the outlook for economic growth in 2014 and 2015 in the transition region has been negatively affected by economic factors and the geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
While in Russia economic growth is forecast to come to a halt in 2014, and to remain low in 2015, Ukraine is expected to suffer from severe output losses in 2014 and stagnate in 2015.

Increased geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine could also impact upon neighbouring countries and no doubt the effect of the latest sanctions on Russia and of Russian sanctions on western economies will figure largely in the next report.

7.
7.

The prolonged period of slower growth that has followed the global financial crisis has affected the prospects of the EBRD transition region in achieving convergence with the living standards of advanced market economies.

On the other hand, the increase in long-term unemployment brought about by the crisis and the 1.

Assembly debate on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting) (see Doc.

13594, report of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, rapporteur: Mrs Cheryl Gillan).
Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting).

• Resolution 2017 (2014) prolonged period of fiscal austerity, often recommended by supranational bodies, is eroding public support for market-oriented reforms and some of the most advanced countries in the transition region even experienced reform reversals.

It is possible that support for democracy may also suffer as opposition to the effects of the austerity programmes on growth and jobs mounts.

8.
8.

The Assembly welcomes the expansion of the EBRD's activities to the countries of the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) in the past two years, with Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia becoming full countries of operations and Egypt being a potential country of operations.
Although the situation in these countries is very different from that in central and eastern Europe 25 years ago, the Assembly believes that the experience of the EBRD in helping countries make the transition to open market economies can be of valuable assistance also in the countries of the SEMED.

9.

The EBRD should seek to share its experience and expertise in supporting transition with other countries as well, including outside its current region of operations.
At the same time, regardless of continuing expansion towards south and east, the EBRD should maintain strong support for economies of its "old region".

10.
10.

The Assembly took note of the revision and updating by the EBRD of the methodology to assess the compliance of its countries of operations with the political aspects of the EBRD's mandate, notably on the basis of: representative and accountable government; civil society, media and participation; rule of law and access to justice; and civil and political rights.
It regrets, however, that many of the EBRD's countries of operations do not seem to be committed to, and are not applying, principles of multiparty democracy and pluralism.

11.

The Assembly looks forward to the effective implementation of this new methodology and encourages the EBRD to strengthen its co-operation with the Council of Europe- and in particular with the Assembly- in making and monitoring its assessments.
Finally, the Assembly notes the recent criticism concerning the lack of transparency of the EBRD and 12. encourages it to start publishing more comprehensive information in line with international standards and to inform it of the measures it takes to this effect.

2 lLJf-- Parliamentary Assembly ltfL~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ --- ~~~~~~~m.

.................................... .

.


Resolution 2018 (2014)1 Provisional version The progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure (October 2013- September 2014) Parliamentary Assembly 1.
The Parliamentary Assembly acknowledges the work carried out by the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) in fulfilling its mandate as defined in Resolution (1115) 1997 on the setting up of an Assembly committee on the honouring of obligations and commitments by member states of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) (as modified by Resolution 1431(2005), Resolution 1515 (2006), Resolution 1698 (2009), Resolution 1710 (2010) and Resolution 1936 (2013)).
2.
In particular, the Assembly commends the Monitoring Committee on its actions in accompanying the 10 countries under a monitoring procedure sensu stricto (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Ukraine) and the four countries engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue (Bulgaria, Monaco, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and Turkey) in their efforts to fully comply with the obligations and commitments they entered into upon accession to the Council of Europe.
3.

The Assembly takes note that, during the reporting period, one full report on the Republic of Moldova, as well as two reports on the functioning of democratic institutions in Ukraine and one on Bosnia and Herzegovina, were prepared by the committee and debated by the Assembly.

In addition, two reports and draft resolutions, on Albania and on Georgia, have been adopted by the committee and debated by the Assembly at its autumn 2014 part-session.
A preliminary draft report on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Montenegro was adopted in September and sent to the Montenegrin authorities for their comments.

4.

During the reporting period, the respective co-rapporteurs carried out fact-finding missions to Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan (two visits), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Monaco, Montenegro, Serbia, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey and Ukraine (four visits).
In addition, the respective co rapporteurs participated in the pre-electoral and election observation missions in Azerbaijan, Georgia, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey and Ukraine.

The co-rapporteurs produced information notes on Montenegro and Serbia, which were declassified by the committee, and made statements with regard to developments in Azerbaijan (two declarations), Georgia (three statements), Monaco, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine (three declarations).
In addition, the committee itself adopted declarations on "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey and Ukraine.

5.

The Assembly commends the committee for its work in relation to the developments in Ukraine during the reporting period, including frequent visits by the co-rapporteurs to the country and the preparation of two reports on the functioning of democratic institutions for debate by the Assembly under urgent procedure.
The Assembly notes that, in this context, the committee was also seized for report on the reconsideration of the previously ratified credentials of the Russian delegation.

1.

Assembly debate on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting) (see Doc.

13595, report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), rapporteur: Mr Stefan Schennach).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting).
Resolution 2018 (2014) With regard to the opinion on the request to open a monitoring procedure in respect of France, the 6.

Assembly notes that the committee has appointed two co-rapporteurs who went to Paris on 11 September 2014 for meetings with the authorities and other stakeholders concerned.

The Monitoring Committee held an exchange of views with Mr Stefan Fule, European Commissioner on 7.
European Union Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, on European Union enlargement and its neighbourhood policy, and with Mr Thomas Hammarberg, European Union Special Advisor on Constitutional and Legal Reform and Human Rights in Georgia, on his report "Georgia in transition".

In addition, the committee held an exchange of views with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on his report on "Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Europe".

8.
8.

In the framework of the committee's ongoing work in relation to the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia, the Chair of the committee and the co-rapporteurs for Georgia and the Federation of Russia met, on 6 November 2013, with representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

9.
9.

The Assembly welcomes the positive developments and the progress made during the reporting period in a number of countries under a monitoring procedure or engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue.
In particular: in Albania, the adoption of a number of crucial reforms that have strengthened the democratic 9.1. developments of the country; 9.2. in Armenia, the implementation of an alternative military service that is fully in line with European standards and the start of a constitutional reform process with a view to strengthening the balance of powers; 9.3. in Georgia, the conduct of a presidential election that, in the view of international observers, was transparent, well organised and took place in an constructive environment, as well as the adoption of a comprehensive judicial reform package which aims to ensure genuine independence of the judiciary; 9.4. in Montenegro, the renewed impetus to fight corruption; in Serbia, the ongoing reforms of the judiciary with a view to bringing them fully into line with 9.5.
European standards and the clear efforts to fight corruption in the country; 9.6. in Ukraine, the holding of a presidential election which was considered to be genuinely democratic and in line with international standards and which respected fundamental rights and freedoms despite the difficult situation in the east of the country; 9.7. in Monaco, the clear willingness of the authorities to continue the dialogue with the Assembly on fully honouring their commitments on the basis of a solution that would ensure the consideration of both the specificities of the Principality of Monaco and the values of the Council of Europe; 9.8. in Turkey, the adoption of a framework law to further the settlement of the Kurdish question and the possibility for Turkish citizens residing abroad to vote in the first direct election of the President of the Republic.
10.
At the same time, the Assembly expresses its concern about developments and remaining shortcomings in a number of countries under a monitoring procedure or engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue, which undermine the democratic consolidation in those countries and are at odds with their obligations and accession commitments: 1 0.1. in Albania, the ongoing polarised climate between the opposition and the ruling majority, the shortcomings concerning the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the persistent and widespread corruption at many levels of Albanian life; in Azerbaijan, the high number of reportedly politically motivated prosecutions of, and pressure 1 0.2. exerted on, journalists, civil society activists and opposition supporters, as well as the deterioration in the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms; 1 0.3. in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the lack of any credible efforts to reform the constitution as needed to implement the Sejdi6 and Finci judgment of the European Court of Human Rights and the growing disrespect for the rule of law, with high-level officials and party leadership ignoring and violating legal and constitutional requirements; 2 Resolution 2018 (2014) in Georgia, the pressure exerted on opposition activists and local officials belonging to the 1 0.4. opposition, as well as the allegations of politically motivated prosecution of former government members; in the Republic of Moldova, the ongoing tense political climate and absence of progress with 10.5. regard to constitutional reform; 10.6. in Montenegro, the highly polarised media climate and attacks on journalists; 10.7. in the Russian Federation, the deterioration of the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, its illegal annexation of Crimea, in violation of international law, the Statute of the Council of Europe (ETS No.
1) and accession commitments, its covert support given to the armed insurgents in eastern Ukraine, including reports of direct military intervention in the conflict, as well as its interference in, and pressure exerted on, several neighbouring countries in clear contradiction to its accession commitments; in Ukraine, the escalation of violence and the hard-handed approach of the former authorities in 1 0.8. relation to the Euromaidan protests, as well as the delay in the implementation of crucial reforms, including constitutional reforms; in "the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia", the law on lustration and the decision of the main 1 0.9. opposition members not to accept their mandates in the newly elected parliament and not to recognise the legitimacy of the 2014 presidential election; 10.1 0. j~ Turkey, concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary, as well as the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of assembly.
11.

Consequently, the Assembly urges all the countries that are under a monitoring procedure or engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue to step up their efforts to fully honour all membership obligations and accession commitments to the Council of Europe.
In particular it calls on: the political stakeholders in Albania to enter into a constructive dialogue and refrain from 11.1. boycotting the work of the parliament, and the Albanian authorities to ensure that the many reforms adopted will also be implemented, especially with regard to the fight against corruption and the independence of the judiciary; the parliament and authorities of Armenia to pursue the constitutional reforms in a transparent 11.2. manner and on the basis of consultation and wide political consensus; the parliament and authorities of Azerbaijan to refrain from exerting pressure on civil society 11.3. activists and journalists, to ensure that the justice system is not used for political purposes, and to immediately and unconditionally release all those held in pre-trial detention on politically motivated charges, to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and to fully respect basic human rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly; the parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina to adopt a substantial constitutional reform in order to 11.4. allow the country to become a fully functional democracy and to implement the judgment of the Court in the Sejdic and Finci case by changing the constitution and electoral legislation to remove the ethnicity based regulations on standing for office; the Georgian authorities to ensure an immediate halt to any pressure on opposition activists and 11.5. officials; and to ensure that the legal proceedings against former government officials take place transparently, impartially and in full respect of the country's obligations under Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No.
5); the parliament of the Republic of Moldova to adopt the necessary reforms to the constitution with 11.6. regard to the election of the President of the Republic; the parliament and authorities of Montenegro to take prompt action to end and fully investigate 11.
7. the attacks on journalists and media outlets; the parliament and authorities of the Russian Federation to ensure the respect of the rights of 11.8. freedom of expression, association and assembly; to fully honour, including in practice, their accession commitment "to denounce as wrong the concept of two different categories of foreign countries, whereby some are treated as a zone of special influence called 'the near abroad' and refrain from promoting the geographical doctrine of zones of special interests"; to reverse its illegal annexation of Crimea; to cease 3 Resolution 2018 (2014) any military aid to the insurgents in eastern Ukraine, as well as to withdraw its military forces from that area and the borders of Ukraine; to refrain from any actions that could directly or indirectly escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine; and to fully investigate the circumstances and background of the death of Sergei Magnitsky, and the possible criminal responsibility of all the officials involved; 11.9. the parliament and authorities of Ukraine to adopt without further delay a comprehensive reform of the constitution and electoral legislation and to refrain from any initiatives that could unnecessarily increase tensions between different regions and groups in the country; 11.1 0. the authorities and parliament of Monaco to maintain and foster their dialogue with the Assembly on the implementation of their remaining accession commitments; 11.11. the political parties and parliament of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" to change the polarised and politicised environment, and the parliament and authorities to promptly remedy the shortcomings observed during recent elections and to investigate transparently and impartially the credible allegations of intimidation and pressure on voters, as well as of vote buying; 11.12. the parliament and authorities of Turkey to ensure the independence of the judiciary in law and practice and to pursue the required reform of the constitution with a view to clarifying the separation of powers in the country and to take all necessary measures to overcome the polarisation in society.
12.

The Assembly refers to its Resolution 1953 (2013) in which it resolves to pursue a more general reflection on ways to enhance the efficiency and impact of the Assembly's monitoring procedure with regard to all Council of Europe member States, and commends its Monitoring Committee, and its ad hoc Sub-Committee on the Functioning of the Parliamentary Monitoring Procedure, for the work accomplished in this respect.
It welcomes in particular the decision to establish a periodic review, on a country-by-country basis, on the honouring of membership obligations to the Council of Europe of the 33 countries that are not under the monitoring procedure sensu stricto or engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue.

The Assembly reaffirms that the parliamentary monitoring procedure has played, and continues to play, 13. an important and positive role in the transformation process of many Council of Europe member States.
It has been highly instrumental in the democratisation and institution-building processes in these countries.

14.

The crucial role of the Monitoring Committee in this respect has to be recognised.

The Assembly commends the committee for the work it has carried out in fulfilling its mandate since its establishment in 1997.
The Assembly believes that while all member States are subject to the monitoring of their obligations, 15. those countries which undertook a number of commitments upon accession should undergo specific monitoring until all the commitments have been fulfilled.

It should be stressed that the commitments were meant to help to achieve the membership obligations incumbent on all Council of Europe member States and a formal fulfilment of commitments should therefore be measured by their implementation.

16.
16.

A more rigorous and homogenous assessment of each country under monitoring sensu stricto should be introduced in order to eliminate any feeling of unfairness and increase the transparency of the process.

The Assembly welcomes the initiative ofthe Monitoring Committee to establish, for its own internal use, guidelines for considering the closing or opening of a specific monitoring procedure, which would consolidate the Council of Europe standards.
The time frame of the post-monitoring dialogue should be subject to more rigorous rules.

The Assembly 17. agrees that a negative report on a specific country should include deadlines, established in co-operation with the relevant authorities, for fulfilment of outstanding commitments, and that if the authorities do not comply with this road map, the country should be returned to the full monitoring procedure.
The Assembly recalls that the present statutory measures introduced by Resolution 1936 (2013) provide 18. the Monitoring Committee with a simplified procedure for the monitoring of any Council of Europe member State whenever concerns arise, and it encourages the members of the Assembly to make use of this possibility whenever appropriate.

19.
19.

With a view to ensuring compliance by all Council of Europe member States with their obligations, including those which are not subject to specific monitoring procedures, the Assembly invites the Monitoring Committee to introduce a periodic overview of groups of countries in accordance with its internal working methods, and to launch issue-based, cross-country monitoring in close co-operation with the relevant Assembly committees as a complementary measure to the country-by-country monitoring.
4 Resolution 2018 (2014) In the light of the foregoing, the Assembly decides to amend Resolution 1115 (1997) (as modified by 20.
Resolution 1431 (2005), Resolution 1515 (2006), Resolution 1698 (2009), Resolution 1710 (2010) and Resolution 1936 (2013)) as follows: 20.1. after the third sentence of paragraph 8, add the following sentence: "The political groups are invited to ensure that no more than four members of the same national delegation of a country not under a monitoring procedure or involved in a post-monitoring dialogue sit on the Monitoring Committee"; 20.2. replace paragraph 12.1 by the following paragraph: "The Monitoring Committee shall appoint two of its members as rapporteurs on a member State engaged in the post-monitoring dialogue.
Co rapporteurs on a post-monitoring dialogue shall be appointed according to the same criteria as those established by the present resolution and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly for the appointment of co-rapporteurs for countries engaged in the monitoring procedure", and add the following footnote to the paragraph: "For countries engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue at the moment of the October 2014 part-session, this will take place as from the end of the Assembly's June 2015 part-session, or when the term of the current rapporteur expires, or when a report on the post-monitoring dialogue for that country has been debated in the Assembly, whichever occurs first"; 20.3. in paragraph 12.2 and 12.3, replace the word "rapporteur" by "co-rapporteurs"; 20.4. delete paragraph 15.
21.

Furthermore, the Assembly decides to amend the terms of reference of the Assembly's Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) (as modified by Resolution 1431 (2005), Resolution 1515 (2006), Resolution 1841 (2011) and Resolution 1936 (2013)) as follows: in paragraph 3.ii, delete the second part of the sentence "; in case ... vice-chairperson of the 21.1.
Monitoring Committee"; 21.2. at the end of paragraph 4, add the following sentence: "The Monitoring Committee, with an absolute majority of all members of the committee and subject to confirmation by the Bureau of the Assembly, can decide not to take further action regarding a request to open a monitoring procedure originating under paragraph 3.iii of its terms of reference"; in the second sentence of paragraph 5, delete the following words: "or, in the case of a country 21.3. involved in a post-monitoring dialogue, the rapporteur"; 21.4. after paragraph 7, insert two new paragraphs to read as follows: "In order to ensure compliance with the obligations entered into by member States which are not subject to specific monitoring procedures, the committee will carry out periodic overviews of groups of countries, on a country-by country basis, in accordance with its internal working methods."
And: "Furthermore, as a complementary measure to the country-by-country approach, the committee will carry out issue-based, cross-country monitoring in close co-operation with the relevant Assembly committees, in accordance with its internal working methods"; replace paragraph 11 by the following paragraph: "A report to the Assembly on the post 21.5. monitoring dialogue carried out with a member State shall include a draft resolution which either states that the post-monitoring dialogue should be concluded or establishes concrete deadlines for the fulfilment of outstanding commitments.
In the latter case, the failure to meet those deadlines, if so stated in the following report submitted to the Assembly within the statutory period of three years, would imply the return to the full monitoring procedure."
And add a footnote to the paragraph "For countries engaged in a post-monitoring dialogue at the moment of the October 2014 part-session, the two-report criteria will start at the June 2015 part-session or after the adoption of the next report on the post-monitoring dialogue for that country, whichever comes first".

The Assembly invites the Monitoring Committee to pursue its own reflection on ways to reinforce co 22. operation with other Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms.

23.
23.

The Assembly invites the Bureau to consider the possibility of involving in the work of the Monitoring Committee members not belonging to a political group and countries engaged in the partnership for democracy.

5 Resolution 2018 (2014) 24.


The Assembly welcomes the close co-operation between the committee and the election observation missions of the Assembly, especially through the systematic ex officio participation of the committee's rapporteurs in the ad hoc committees that observe the elections as well as in the pre-electoral missions.
It takes note of the intention of the committee to reflect on ways to develop a more structural and integrated relationship between the Monitoring Committee and the election observation missions of the Assembly.

6 lLJ?- Parliamentary Assembly lffl~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~.~ .

.

.

.

.

.

_.mR~RBU.mBmwemew~ammEBBUO~~--as Resolution 2019 (2014)1 Provisional version The honouring of obligations and commitments by Albania Parliamentary Assembly 1.
Albania joined the Council of Europe on 29 June 1995.

Upon its accession, Albania undertook to honour the obligations incumbent on all member States under Article 3 of the Statute of the Council of Europe (ETS No.

1) with regard to pluralist democracy, the rule of law and human rights.
In addition, it undertook to honour a number of specific commitments listed in Opinion 189 (1995) on the application by Albania for membership of the Council of Europe, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on 29 June 1995.

In conformity with the monitoring procedure, as established in Resolution 1115 (1997), the Assembly has regularly assessed Albania's progress with regard to the honouring of its obligations and commitments.

2.
2.

The Assembly welcomes the fact that Albania has recently made marked progress in honouring is obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe.

It regrets in this context that many important reforms including a de facto two-year were delayed, or otherwise negatively affected, by the deep political crisis - boycott of the work of the parliament by the opposition - in the country following the 2009 parliamentary elections.
Recognising the role of Albania as a factor for stability in the region, the Assembly welcomes the conclusions adopted by the European Council on 27 June 2014 to grant Albania candidate status and encourages the country to fulfil the key priorities.

3.
3.

The parliamentary elections in 2009 and, to a lesser extent, 2013, as well as the local elections in 2011, have underscored the continuing tense and polarised political climate in Albania, especially between the two main parties that dominate the political environment.

The Assembly therefore welcomes the electoral reforms that have been implemented, in a generally consensual manner, to strengthen the electoral process and to address shortcomings noted during previous elections.
With regard to electoral reform, the Assembly: calls on all political forces to agree on further consensual electoral reform to address, in line with 3.1. recommendations of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), the remaining concerns and ambiguities that make the election process vulnerable to possible misuse and obstruction; notes that the establishment of specialised centralised vote-counting centres has created long 3.2. delays in the counting of votes, which can negatively affect public perception of the legitimacy of the outcome of the elections.
The Assembly therefore recommends considerably increasing the number of centralised voting centres for future elections; notes that the election administration in reality remains divided along party lines, which hinders 3.3. the effective and impartial conduct of the elections.
It recommends that further reforms be implemented to ensure a genuine non-partisan election administration; 3.4. emphasises that changes to the Election Code alone are not sufficient to resolve the recurrent shortcomings in the conduct of elections.

This can only be achieved if the electoral reforms are accompanied by a change of attitude and practice of the main political stakeholders.

1.

Assembly debate on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting) (see Doc.
13586, report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), co-rapporteurs: Mr Jonathan Evans and Mr Grigore Petrenco).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2014 (35th Sitting).
Resolution 2019 (2014) The Assembly takes note of the parliamentary reforms that were consensually agreed upon between the 4. ruling majority and the opposition with a view to ensuring the proper functioning of the parliament and fostering political dialogue.
However, the Assembly underscores that constructive co-operation between the majority and the opposition, based on mutual respect for each other's proper constitutional role and place in a democratic system, cannot be legislated via the rules of procedure alone.

This also needs a change of attitude and the fostering of a culture of co-operation and democratic values by all concerned.
In that respect, the Assembly regrets the continuing charged rhetoric and interaction between the opposition and governing parties.

It urges the opposition not to resort to boycotting the work of the parliament or its committees and urges the ruling majority not to use its constitutional majority to bypass the opposition, and to seek consensus on important reforms whenever possible.

5.

The Assembly welcomes the diverse and pluralist media environment in Albania.
However, it regrets that the media environment is heavily politicised, including in respect of the public broadcaster.
With regard to the media environment, the Assembly: 5.1. calls on all political forces to further reform of the public broadcaster with a view to ensuring its independence and impartiality and to consensually agree on a composition formula for the National Council of Radio and Television that will foster an independent and pluralist media environment; urges the authorities to ensure that government advertising is not awarded to media outlets on 5.2. the basis of political affiliation; 5.3. welcomes the increased transparency of media ownership in Albania as a result of the establishment of the National Business Registration Centre; 5.4. welcomes the abolition of prison sentences for insult and defamation and the abolishment of special protection against defamation for specific categories of people.
However, it regrets that defamation has not been decriminalised in its entirety, which can still have a chilling effect on journalists and lead them to practise self-censorship.

It therefore calls on the parliament to fully decriminalise defamation in line with Council of Europe standards.

6.

In the view of the Assembly, a non-partisan and impartial civil service is crucial for the functioning of democratic institutions in Albania.
The Assembly takes note of the delay in the implementation of the Law on the Civil Service, which provides Inter alia for strict merit-based rules for the hiring and dismissal of civil servants.

This controversial delay, together with the large-scale personnel changes at all levels of the civil service that were initiated when the new government came into power, are an indication of the politicisation of the civil service and attempts to bring it under party control.
The Assembly regrets the politicisation at all levels of the civil service, and calls on all parties to refrain from action that undermines the effective functioning of government institutions and public trust in their impartiality.

7.

The Assembly welcomes the priority given by the new authorities and the support expressed by the opposition to administrative-territorial reform and the strengthening of local self-government as a main pillar of the democratic consolidation of Albanian society.
It welcomes the establishment of a parliamentary ad hoc committee, on the basis of equal participation of the ruling majority and the opposition, to prepare this reform.

In the view of the Assembly, this should be seen as a signal that the authorities intend to draw up these important reforms on the basis of a wide consensus between the political forces in the country.
In that respect, the Assembly regrets the decision of the opposition to boycott the work of this committee and urges them to reconsider their position.
With regard to the planned administrative-territorial reform, the Assembly: 7.1. welcomes the proposal of the authorities to reduce the number of local government units, with a view to ensuring stronger and more efficient municipalities that are viable units of self-government but notes the concerns expressed by the opposition for the immediate reduction from 373 local government units to 61, gerrymandering, and its potential impact on local democracy; 7.2. encourages the authorities to further develop a comprehensive strategy for the effective functioning of local government units, including on the financing of the services they are expected to deliver, with a view to reducing their dependency on the central government; recommends that the Law on the Organisation and Functioning of Local Government be 7.3. amended to ensure the full accountability of mayors to their city councils; 2 7.4. welcomes, and encourages the authorities to continue, the initiatives to ensure that the administrative-territorial reform is inclusive and consensual, not only between the ruling majority and the opposition, but also between central government and the local authorities concerned.
In this context, it calls on the opposition to fully participate in this work.

Resolution 2019 (2014) The Assembly is concerned that, despite numerous reforms, the independence and impartiality of the 8. judiciary is not sufficiently ensured and that it continues to suffer from political pressure and interference.

Further comprehensive consensual reforms, to ensure the independence of the judiciary and an efficient administration of justice are urgently needed and should be a priority for the authorities.
With regard to the reform of the justice system and the judiciary, the Assembly in particular: including changes to the Constitution, expresses its concern about the widespread and systemic corruption, at all levels of the judiciary, 8.1. which undermines the efficiency and impartiality of this institution; encourages the authorities to reform the Supreme Court and High Council of Justice in line with 8.2. the recommendations of the Venice Commission, especially with regard to disciplinary and appointment procedures; 8.3. urges the authorities to revise the appointment and disciplinary procedures with a view to reducing their vulnerability to politicisation and political interference, which undermines the impartiality of the judiciary; urges the authorities to implement fully and without delay all Constitutional Court and other court 8.4. d0Cisions; 8.5. welcomes the close co-operation sought by the authorities with the Venice Commission in reforming the justice system and the judiciary and urges the authorities to seek in due time its advice on all changes introduced and to quickly implement their recommendations.
9.

The persistent and widespread corruption at many levels of Albanian life undermines the country's democratic and socio-economic development and is a major concern of the Assembly.

In this respect, the Assembly regrets that, despite a recent increase in prosecutions, most indicators show that corruption has actually been increasing instead of diminishing in recent years, which indicates that measures and strategies to fight corruption have until now achieved only limited results.
With regard to the fight against corruption, the Assembly: 9.1. welcomes the adoption of constitutional amendments and changes to the Criminal Procedure Code that limit the immunity of members of government, MPs, judges and high-level State officials, and allow for their investigation and prosecution without prior authorisation.
It urges the authorities to swiftly adopt all further implementing legislation needed to efficiently enforce the constitutional amendments; 9.2. calls on all political forces in Albania to show the commensurate political will to fully and effectively implement a coherent and effective anti-corruption strategy, and to make sufficient resources available for its implementation; regrets the recent developments which call into question the independence of the High 9.3.
Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets.

It welcomes the amendments to the law on the declaration and audit of assets and prevention of public interest in exercising public functions, which aim to increase the transparency of public officials and to strengthen the institutional role of the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets.
The Assembly calls on the authorities to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to this institution, which is an important instrument in the fight against corruption.
In addition, it urges the authorities to ensure that all findings of violations of the Law on the Declaration of Assets are promptly followed up by the prosecution services; 9.4. welcomes the progress reported by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) with regard to the adoption of anti-corruption legislation and urges the authorities to ensure that this legislation is now fully and effectively implemented.

1 0.
1 0.

The Assembly takes note of the high number of cases pending against Albania with the European Court of Human Rights.

They have revealed a persistent and structural deficiency with regard to the enforcement of domestic court decisions and a lack of effective remedy.

In this respect, the Assembly welcomes the recent adoption of an action plan to implement the general measures demanded by the pilot judgement in the case of 3 Resolution 2019 (2014) Manushaqe Puto and Others v. Albania.
It urges the authorities to explore all possibilities to reduce as much as possible the delay in the implementation ofthis action plan, as also called for by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

The Assembly welcomes the marked progress made with regard to strengthening human rights 11. protection mechanisms in Albania, as well as the signing and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GETS No.

210).
210).

It asks the competent authorities to take all appropriate measures to counter the recent increase in blood feuds and revenge killings, which are a cause for concern.

12.

The Assembly welcomes the efforts of the authorities to improve prison conditions and reduce overcrowding.

However, it is deeply concerned by reports of ill-treatment of detainees by the police during questioning and by the appalling conditions in detention facilities in police establishments.
It calls on the Albanian authorities to urgently remedy this situation.

13.
With regard to the protection of minority rights and combating discrimination, and recognising the overall improvements achieved in this respect, the Assembly: recommends that the Albanian Parliament adopt a more flexible and adequate system for the 13.1. recognition of national and ethnic minorities; 13.2. urges the parliament to adopt a comprehensive law on minorities; 13.3. welcomes the adoption of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law and encourages the authorities to consistently and coherently implement its provisions; regrets that Albania has neither signed nor ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority 13.4.
Languages (ETS No.

148), despite this being an explicit accession commitment.

The Assembly calls on the authorities to honour this accession commitment without further delay.

The Assembly welcomes the active and effective role played by the national Ombudsperson in Albania.

14.
14.

It calls on the authorities to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to his office to carry out its work and asks the Albanian Parliament to systematically and consistently place both special and statutory reports of the Ombudsperson on the parliamentary agenda for debate.

15.
15.

Despite the progress achieved in the honouring of Albania's membership obligations and accession commitments, serious concerns remain, in particular with regard to the impartiality of democratic institutions and the civil service, the independence of the judiciary and the fight against endemic corruption in Albania.

Concrete action by all stakeholders, the authorities and the opposition is needed to ensure that all the membership obligations and accession commitments are fully honoured.
In this respect, the Assembly emphasises that it is crucial that the many reforms and legislative packages that have been adopted also be actually implemented in order to effectively address the concerns noted by, inter alia, the Assembly.

Against this background, the Assembly resolves to continue to monitor the honouring of obligations and commitments by Albania.
4 ~ Parliamentary Assembly mL~ Assemblee parlementaire '-'"~ ~~~~ru&amamBEGamaa.em~amDREBEBma~~aw~~em-=mm Resolution 2020 (2014)1 Provisional version The alternatives to immigration detention of children Parliamentary Assembly 1.

The Parliamentary Assembly is very concerned that the immigration detention of children is a growing phenomenon in the Council of Europe member States.
Despite improvements in legislation and practice in some European countries, tens of thousands of migrant children still end up in detention every year.

The practice is contrary to the best interests of the child and a clear and unequivocal child rights violation.

2.

Migrant children are frequently detained in member States simply because they do not have the right .

immigration documents.

'·They have committed no crime.


Yet they may be subjected to criminal penalties, prison-like conditions, be separated from the support and protection of their families, and be denied a number of fundamental rights, such as access to health care, education and play.

3.

The Assembly recalls its position expressed in Resolution 1810 (2011) "Unaccompanied children in Europe: issues of arrival, stay and return", stating that unaccompanied children should never be detained.
The detention of children on the basis of their or their parent's immigration status is contrary to the best interests of the child and constitutes a child rights violation as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

4.

The Assembly is particularly concerned that detention, even for very short periods of time and in relatively humane conditions, has severe negative short- and long-term effects on children's physical and mental health.
Children in immigration detention are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of detention and can be severely traumatised.

Also, there is a high risk of detained children being subjected to different forms of violence.

In addition to deprivation of liberty, children in immigration detention are frequently deprived of other 5. fundamental rights, such as the right to family unity, the right of access to education and the right to adequate health care.

6.
6.

The Assembly welcomes the promotion by some European countries of alternative solutions to the detention of migrant children.

Such alternatives to detention, when implemented properly, are more effective, cheaper, better protect the rights and dignity of children, and promote better health and well-being outcomes for migrant children.

7.
7.

The Assembly notes with satisfaction that a number of member States, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, have taken steps towards ending the immigration detention of children.

In these States, migrant children are either not detained or there is a provision for the release of migrant children from detention in law, policy or practice.
However, although the legislation of most member States provides for the introduction of alternatives to 8. detention, the majority of these countries are not applying them in practice.

1.

Assembly debate on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting) (see Doc.

13597, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, rapporteur: Ms Tinatin Bokuchava).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting).

See also Recommendation 2056 (2014).

Resolution 2020 (2014) 9.


The Assembly considers that it is urgent to put an end to the detention of migrant children and that this requires concerted efforts from the relevant State authorities.
The Assembly therefore calls on the member States to: acknowledge that it is never in the best interests of a child to be detained on the basis of their or 9.1. their parent's immigration status; introduce the prohibition of the detention of children for immigration reasons into this legislation, 9.2. if it has not yet been done, and ensure its full implementation in practice; 9.3. refrain from placing unaccompanied or separated children in administrative detention; ensure that children are treated as children first and foremost, and that persons who claim to be 9.4. children are treated as such until proven otherwise; 9.5. develop child-friendly age-assessment procedures for migrant children; 9.6. continue their efforts to bring their aliens legislation into conformity with the best international standards, while taking into account the best interests of a child as enshrined in Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and promoting various forms of internationally recognised alternatives to detention; 9.7. adopt alternatives to detention that fulfil the best interests of the child and allow children to remain with their family members and/or guardians in non-custodial, community-based contexts while their immigration status is being resolved; 9.8. provide necessary resources in order to develop alternatives to the detention of migrant cilildren; 9.9. seek to develop and implement non-custodial, community-based alternatives to detention programmes for children and their families, using the "Child-sensitive Community Assessment and Placement (CCAP) Model"; raise the awareness of all public officials, including the police and migration prosecutors and 9.1 0. judges, on international human rights standards, with a certain focus on the rights of children and alternatives to detention; 9.11. share best practices on alternatives to the detention of migrant children across the member States; 9.12. encourage collaboration between governments of the member States, the Council of Europe, United Nations organisations, intergovernmental organisations and civil society organisations to end child immigration detention and implement non-custodial, community-based alternatives to detention for children and their families.
2 t Parliamentary Assembly Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~~~~·~~~me~~~maanmm~~um~~~~~~&E~~~- Resolution 2021 (2014)1 Provisional version Towards optimum breast cancer services across Europe Parliamentary Assembly 1.

Breast cancer is still the most common cancer in European women and has the highest mortality of any cancer in women, despite significant scientific advances in detection and treatment in the last 20 to 25 years.
Progress in fighting breast cancer- and the stigma still attached to it in some countries- has neither 2. been linear nor universal across Europe, for many reasons.

Access to quality screening programmes and modern treatment is not yet understood as a right across all of Europe, leaving many women to be subjected to unnecessary mutilating surgery andlor futile aggressive treatment.
Providing breast cancer services and care of guaranteed quality leads in the medium and long term to 3. improved survival rates, to savings for the health-care system and to a better quality of life for patients.

It is thus not just in the interest of the individual patient that the fight against breast cancer be at the top of member countries' health agendas.

4.
The Parliamentary Assembly therefore recommends that Council of Europe member States: 4.1. keep the fight against breast cancer at the top of their health agendas; 4.2. ensure that women have access to quality-controlled, organised national mammography screening programmes set up in accordance with European guidelines, as well as to accurate, evidence based information on the potential benefits and risks of participating in them, so that they can make an informed decision on their participation; 4.3. ensure that all breast cancer patients have effective access, wherever their place of residence, to quality-assured diagnosis and treatment in multidisciplinary breast units, which are linked up with the national screening programmes, are set up in accordance with European guidelines, and encourage shared decision-making between patients and medical teams; 4.4. establish and maintain national cancer registries providing reliable data on the situation in the member States and task them with, inter alia, informing and raising awareness in the media and the general public of the proper interpretation of this data; outlaw any discrimination against breast cancer patients on the basis of their disease status, in 4.5. particular in the employment and insurance spheres; encourage researchers in all Council of Europe member and observer States to work together to 4.6. further the understanding of the disease and to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment techniques with the goal of reducing mortality rates and improving the quality of life of individual patients as well as reducing overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and, ultimately, to find a cure for breast cancer.
1.

Assembly debate on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting) (see Doc.

13572, report of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, rapporteur: Ms Stella Kyriakides).

Text adopted by the Assembly on 3 October 2014 (36th Sitting).
DEBATE ON THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE • 01110/2014 • Session c There needs to be a permanent and durable ceasefire in Ukraine, together with the unconditional and complete withdrawal of foreign troops from the countly, said Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) opening today's current affairs debate on the crisis in Ukraine.

He called for the restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and borders, while urging ongoing dialogue between Ukraine and its neighbour Russia to resolve the conflict.
He also called for the full investigation of any war-crimes perpetrated so far, and warned that Ukraine was "on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe".

The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muiznieks, who recently visited Crimea, reported to the Assembly on the human rights situation there.

Recent intrusive raids on the Crimean Tatars had shattered this community, he said, and should be stopped.
So-called "self-defence forces" in Crimea had also been involved in serious human rights violations including abductions, the Commissioner said, while there were also concerns about media freedom: a number of critical outlets had been shut down, and journalists had received warnings or had equipment confiscated.

He too appealed for urgent aid from the intemational community to help Ukraine deal both with short-term humanitarian needs and longer-term reconstruction.
Nearly sixty parliamentarians put their names down to speak in the debate.

There is no repmt for a current affairs debate, and no text is adopted.
Vella John at Parlament-MT From: Sent: Subject: BECARMIN Catherine [Catherine.BECARMIN@coe.int] 29 September 201413:54 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize 2014 awarded to Anar Mammadli /) ~RES~J~ELEASE "' Council of Europe ~ Parliamentary Assembly [____QJ \0,"'-ll\ D\ H\)f..'Ol'\ COt~('rl 01 H IJlOP{ T +33388413193 F +33390214134 htto://assembly.coe.int pace.com@coe.int PACE 171 (2014) Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize 2014 awarded to Anar Mammadli Strasbourg, 29.09.2014 -The second Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize -which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights - has been awarded to Azerbaijani human rights defender Anar Mammadli.
As Mr Mammadli is currently in prison, the €60 000 prize was presented to his father, Asaf Mammadov, at a special ceremony today at the Palais de I'Europe in Strasbourg, on the opening day of the autumn plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Presenting the trophy, PACE President Anne Brasseur, chair of the selection panel, said: "Mr Mammadli's commitment lies in the area of promoting democratic institutions and civil and political rights.
Annar Mammadli is our long-standing partner who shared with our Assembly, but also with other bodies of the Council of Europe, including its Commissioner for human rights, his valuable expertise on the situation in his country."

Mr Mammadll Is the founder and chairperson of an influential and experienced organisation in Azerbaijan dedicated to observing elections.

Since 2001, his Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS) has been carrying out independent election monitoring in Azerbaijan.
He contributed to programmes and events on monitoring of elections, participation and education of voters, as well as the design of materials and reports during 13 elections in Azerbaijan.

He was arrested in December 2013 on charges of "abuse of power" and other matters, and sentenced to five and a half years in prison in May 2014.
Representatives of the two other shortlisted nominees -the B'Tselem Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories and Malta's Jesuit Refugee Service also received diplomas during the ceremony.

"All three nominees merit our highest consideration," the President said.

In 2014, 56 nominations were received which fulfilled the criteria for the Prize.
Information on the shortlisted nominees Vaclav Havel Prize website Note to editors *** The Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly, in partnership with the Vaclav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation, to reward outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights in Europe and beyond.
The Prize is awarded in memory of Vaclav Havel, playwright, opponent of totalitarianism, architect of the Velvet Revolution of 1989, President of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic and an enduring symbol of opposition to despotism.

Nominations of any individual, non-governmental organisation or institution working to defend human rights are taken into consideration.

The Prize consists of a sum of € 60 000, a trophy and a diploma.

1 • . '
1 • . '

The Assembly brings together 318 members from the national parliaments of the 4 7 member states.

President: Anne Brasseur (ALDE)- Secretary General of the Assembly: Wojclech Sawicki.

Political groups: SOC (Socialist Group); EPP/CD (Group of the European People's Party); EDG {European Democrat Group); ALOE {Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe); UEL (Group of the Unified European Left).
2 E SECRETARIAT ASIMon (2014) CB 08 6 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg on 29 and 30 September and 2 October 2014 The Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), meeting in Strasbourg, on 29 and 30 September and 2 October 2014 with Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) in the Chair: • on Monday 29 September 2014 at 2 p.m., as regards: Georgia (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Michael Aastrup Jensen, Denmark, ALOE and Mr Boriss Cilevics, Latvia, SOC): approved an addendum to the report on the functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia and adopted amendments to the draft resolution on behalf of the committee; The progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure (October 2013-September 2014) (rapporteur: Mr Stefan Schennnach, Austria, SOC): approved an addendum to the report and adopted amendments to the draft resolution on behalf of the committee; . '
Ukraine (Co-rapporteurs: Ms Mailis Reps, Estonia, ALOE, and Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin, Sweden, EPPICD): held an exchange of views on recent developments; • on Tuesday 30 September 2014 at 2 p.m., as regards: Ukraine (Co-rapporteurs: Ms Mai/is Reps, Estonia, ALOE, and Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin, Sweden, EPPICD): continued the exchange of views on recent developments; decided to ask the Venice Commission for an opinion on the Lustration Law and agreed to hold an exchange of views with representatives of the Ukrainian parliament in the framework of a future meeting of the ad hoc sub Committee on Russia's Neighbourhood Policy with regard to other Council of Europe Member States; Georgia (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Michael Aastrup Jensen, Denmark, ALOE and Mr Boriss Cilevics, Latvia, SOC): took position on amendments to the draft resolution on the functioning of democratic institutions in Georgia; • on Thursday 2 October 2014 at 8.30 a.m., as regards: The progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure (October 2013-September 2014) (rapporteur: Mr Stefan Schennnach, Austria, SOC): took position on amendments to the draft resolution; Bosnia and Herzegovina (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Egidijus Vareikis, Lithuania, EPPICD and Mr Roger Gale, United Kingdom, EC): heard an oral report by Mr Rouquet on the pre-electoral mission (17-20 September 2014); France (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi, Republic of Moldova, EPPICD, and Mr Stefan Schennach, Austria, SOC): heard an oral report by Mr Schennach on the fact-finding visit to Paris (11- 12 September 2014 ); Ad hoc Sub-Committee on Russia's Neighbourhood Policy with regard to other Council of Europe Member States: heard on oral report by the Chairperson on the meeting held in Vienna on 22 September 2014, held an exchange of views, decided that the ad hoc sub-committee would meet in Berlin and left it to the Chair to decide on the date after consultation with the German Bundestag; • on Thursday 2 October 2014 at 2 p.m., as regards: Albania (Co-rapporteurs: Mr Grigore Petrenco,
 Republic of Moldova, UEL and Mr Jonathan Evans, United Kingdom, EC): took position on amendments to the draft resolution on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Albania; Republic of Moldova (Co-rapporteurs: Ms Lise Christoffersen, Norway, SOC, and Mr Piotr Wach, Poland, EPP/CO): heard an oral report by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit (23-26 September 2014) and held an exchange of views; Post-monitoring dialogue with Monaco (Rapporteur: Mr Jordi Xucla, Spain, ALOE): heard an oral report by the rapporteur on recent developments; in the light of the information provided by the authorities, decided to organise, at its next meeting, an exchange of views with Mr Jacques Ritt, Chairperson of the Special Committee on modification of the law on the organisation and functioning of the National Council of Monaco, and agreed for the rapporteur to carry out a fact-finding visit to Strasbourg and Monaco; Authorisation of fact-finding visits: authorised visits to Armenia and Monaco; Next meetings: Paris, 14 November 2014 Paris, 11 December 2014 Strasbourg, 26-30 January 2015 (during the Assembly part-session) Ad hoc Sub-Committee on Russia's Neighbourhood Policy with regard to other Council of Europe Member States: Berlin, 1 December 2014 (date to be confirmed).
Caroline Ravaud, Bas Klein, Sylvie Affholder cc.
Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Directors and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe ~ Parliamentary Assembly lffL~ Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~ :rlf!
!flij'l]t'm'f£m'mlli<!miml!llillll ___________________ CONSEIL DE ~EUROPE SECRETARIAT AS/Pol (2014) CB 07 6 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014 The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, meeting in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014, with Ms Theodora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD), Mr Mike Hancock (United Kingdom, ALDE) and Mr Tadeusz Iwinski (Poland, SOC) in the Chair: Monday.
29 September 2014.
14:00 -15:00, as regards: Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as "IS": violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities (Rapporteur: Ms Theodora Bakoyannis, Greece, EPP/CD): approved a change in the title which was previously "Threats posed by the 'Islamic Stale' (IS) and violence against humanity'~ held a hearing with the participation of Mr Gert Westerveen, Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the European Institutions in Strasbourg, and Mr Salih Muslim Muhammad, Chairman of the Democratic Union Party of Syria; Tuesday.
30 September 2014, 8:30 10:00, as regards: Call for candidates for report: • • called for candidates for the reports on the Political consequences of the crisis in Ukraine; on the Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan (title recommended by the Bureau); and on Corruption as governance regime: a barrier to institutional efficiency and progress; agreed to proceed to the designation of three Rapporteurs at its meeting on Wednesday afternoon; agreed to take a decision on the title recommended by the Bureau, Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan, at its meeting on Wednesday afternoon; Counteraction to manifestations of neo-Nazism (Rapporteur: Ms Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin, Sweden, EPPICD): took position on the 10 amendments to the draft resolution and on the 3 amendments to the draft recommendation; Enlarged Debate on the Activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): held an exchange of views with delegations of the national Parliaments of OECD member States which are not members of the Council of Europe: Chile, Israel, Japan, Korea, and Mexico; AS/Pol (2014) CB 07 Tuesday, 30 September 2014, 14:00-15:00, as regards: Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as "IS": violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities (Rapporteur: Ms Theodora Bakoyannis, Greece, EPP/CD): considered a draft report and adopted unanimously a draft resolution and a draft recommendation; Wednesday, 1 October 2014.
14:00-15:30, as regards: Future Work: • • • appointed Ms Kristyna Zelienkova (Czech Republic, ALOE) as Rapporteur on the Political consequences of the crisis in Ukraine and heard from her a declaration of absence of any conflict of interest; appointed Mr Michele Nicoletti (Italy, SOC) as Rapporteur on Corruption as governance regime: a barrier to institutional efficiency and progress and heard from him a declaration of absence of any conflict of interest; appointed Mr Robert Walter (United Kingdom, EC) as Rapporteur on Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan and heard from him a declaration of absence of any conflict of interest; rejected a proposal to take no further action on the reference and rejected a proposal for a change of title to the report; External Relations: held an exchange of views with Ambassador Manuel Jacoangeli, Permanent Representative of Italy to the Council of Europe, Chairperson of the Rapporteur Group on External Relations (GR-EXT) of the Committee of Ministers; heard a presentation by Mr Zoltan Taubner, Director of the Directorate of External Relations of the Council of Europe, on a draft resolution on co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe, to be tabled at the 69th session of the UN general Assembly later this year; heard a statement by Mr Jose-Maria Beneyto (Spain, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on External Relations, and agreed to a meeting of the Sub-Committee at the United Nations in New York from 19 to 21 November 2014, subject to the authorisation by the Bureau of the Assembly*; Report on the meeting of the Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab World of 30 September 2014: heard a statement by Lord Donald Anderson (United Kingdom, SOC), Chairperson of the Sub-Committee, and agreed to a visit of the Sub-Committee to Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 28 November to 1 December 2014, on the basis of an invitation by the Palestinian Delegation, and subject to the receipt of an invitation by the Israeli Delegation as well as the authorisation by the Bureau of the Assembly*; Thursday.
2 October 2014, 8:30-10:00, as regards: Threats against humanity posed by the terrorist group known as "IS": violence against Christians and other religious or ethnic communities (Rapporteur: Ms Theodora Bakoyannis, Greece, took position on 4 amendments to the draft resolution and 1 amendment to the draft EPP!CD): recommendation; also took position on an oral amendment from the Rapporteur to the draft resolution; Activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2013-2014 (Rapporteur: Mrs Cheryl Gillan, United Kingdom, EC): took note that no amendment had been tabled; Situation in Hungary following the adoption of Assembly Resolution 1941 (2013) (Rapporteur: Mr Robert Walter, United Kingdom, EC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on his visit to Budapest on 17- ·;g June 20·14, and agreed io his proposal io hold an exchange of views with the Hungarian delegation at one of its next meetings; World Forum for Democracy (Strasbourg, 3-4 November 2014): took note of the updated programme of the Forum and appointed the following additional members to the ad hoc Committee of the Bureau: • • • • Lord Donald ANDERSON (United Kingdom, SOC), Mr Brian BIN LEY (United Kingdom, EC), Mr Mike HANCOCK (United Kingdom, ALDE), Mr Jacob LUND (Denmark, SOC), 2 AS/Pol (2014) CB 07 • • • Ms Marietta DE POURBAIX-LUNDIN (Sweden, EPP/CD), Mr Rene ROUQUET (France, SOC), Ms Kristyna ZELIENKOVA (Czech Republic, ALDE); Work programme: took note: • • of the motion for a resolution referred to the Committee for information on The application of sanctions against Armenia for its armed occupation of Azerbaijani territories; of the motion for a resolution referred to the Committee for information on Parliamentary co-operation with Kazakhstan; Changes in the composition of Sub-Committees: approved the following changes: • Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab World Mr Jordi Xucla (Spain, ALDE) becomes an ex-officio member in his capacity as Chairperson of the Group; Ms Ana Catarina Mendonga (Portugal, SOC)
 becomes alternate to Mr Mota Amaral (Portugal, EPP/CD) following the departure of Francisco Assis (Portugal, SOC) from the delegation; • Sub-Committee on External Relations Ms Ana Catarina Mendonga (Portugal, SOC) becomes member of the Sub-Committee for the same reason (Mr Joiio B. Mota Amaral remains the alternate member); Authorisations by the Committee: • • • approved the request by Mr Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), Rapporteur on the Situation in Belarus, to participate in the Nordic Council/Baltic Assembly seminar on Belarus in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 15 October 2014, in the framework of the preparation of his report; approved the request by Mr Robert Walter (United Kingdom, EC), Rapporteur on the Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan, to carry out a fact-finding mission to the region in the framework of the preparation of his report; approved the request by Ms Kristyna Zelienkova (Czech Republic, ALDE), Rapporteur on the Political consequences of the crisis in Ukraine, to carry out a fact-finding mission to Ukraine and Brussels in the framework of the preparation of her report; Other business: took note of, and endorsed, a statement drafted by Mr Mike Hancock (United Kingdom, ALDE) on the situation in Ashraf and Liberty Camps in Iraq; Next meetings: took note of the forthcoming meetings as follows: End of year 2014: • • 3 November 2014 (from 9am to 1 pm), Strasbourg (tbc) 8 December 2014, Paris.
Senat Dates for 2015 (dates and place to be confirmed): • • • • • 18 March 2015, 29 May 2015, 4 September 2015, 4 November 2015, 8 December 2015.
3 AS/Pol (2014) CB 07 The Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab World (of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy), meeting in Strasbourg, on 30 September 2014, with Lord Donald Anderson (United Kingdom, SOC) in the Chair, as regards: Visit to the Middle-East: took note that a formal invitation from the Palestinian Delegation had been sent to the Sub-Committee and that an invitation was under preparation by the Israeli Delegation; decided that the dates retained were 28 November to 1st December 2014, subject to the agreement of the Committee and subsequent approval by the Bureau of the Assembly'; took note that the focus would be on the situation in Gaza, the recent events during the summer of 2014, the present situation and the prospects for the future and that it would also deal with the Palestinian reconciliation and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process; held an exchange of views with the Israeli and Palestinian delegations and took note of proposals for the preparation of the programme; The situation in Gaza: heard statements by the Israeli and Palestinian delegations.
D. Chatzivassiliou, J. Ary, P. Chevtchenko, S. Arzilli cc.
Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Director and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe The Bureau of the Assembly gave 1ts authonsat1on on 3 October 2014.
4 t Parliamentary Assembly Assemblee parlementaire ~~ ~~ dim!Ifl~'l!A#I",i.lt\l!®i!i:luilllllllllllil _________________ _ CONSEIL DE tEUROPE SECRETARIAT AS/Mig (2014) CB 07 6 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg on 30 September, 1 and 2 October 2014 The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, meeting in Strasbourg, with first Mr Thierry Mariani (France, EPP/CD) and then Ms Anne-Mari Virolainen (Finland, EPP/CD) in the Chair, • on Tuesday, 30 September 2014 at 8.30 a.m., as regards: The situation of refugees and internally displaced persons of Ukraine (Rapporteur: Mr Jim Sheridan, United Kingdom, SOC): held a hearing with the participation of Mr Gert Westerveen, UNHCR Representative to the European Institutions in Strasbourg, Ms Marina Leksina, Member of the Civic Assistance Committee, Moscow and Ms Natali Sevidova, Head of the NGO "Bridge Ukraine-EU"; was informed by the rapporteur of his intention to make a statement on "missing persons in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation" with regard to the conflict and authorised him to carry out a fact-finding visit to Ukraine and the Russian Federation; Humanitarian consequences of the threats posed by the terrorist group called "Islamic State": considered and approved a draft motion for a resolution presented by the Committee with a view to its tabling, appointed Mr Jean-Marie Boeke!
(France, EPP/CD), Rapporteur, and authorised him to carry out a fact-finding visit to Turkey, Germany and Switzerland, subject to the referral of the motion to the Committee by the Bureau; European standards and guidelines to address protection gaps of unaccompanied children in Europe: heard a statement by Ms Tineke Strik (Netherlands, SOC), held a hearing with the participation of Ms Martine Goeman, Programme Manager, Defence for Children on the standards elaborated by her organisation as well as with Ambassador Drahoslav Stefimek, Chair of the Rapporteur Group on Human Rights (GR-H) of the Ministers' Deputies on the possible follow up to be given; for guardians • on Wednesday, 1 October 2014 at 2 p.m., as regards: Closing the protection gap of unaccompanied children in Europe: Following the hearing on "European standards and guidelines for guardians to address protection gaps of unaccompanied children in Europe", heard a statement by Ms Tin eke Strik (Netherlands, SOC) and was informed of her intention to prepare a motion for a resolution on this subject; Organised crime and migrants (Rapporteur: Mr lrakli Chikovani, Georgia, ALOE): considered a memorandum and held an exchange of views with Ms Giulia Falzoi, Head of Migration Management Unit, International Organization for Migration {I OM), Rome, and authorised the rapporteur to carry out a fact-finding visit to Italy; Democratic participation for migrant diaspora (Rapporteur: Mr Andrea Rigoni, Italy, ALOE): in the absence of the rapporteur, took note of a preliminary draft report; AS/Mig (2014) CB 07 Criminalisation of irregular migrants: a crime without victim (Rapporteur: Mr /onuf-Marian Stroe, Romania, ALOE): in the absence of the rapporteur, decided to postpone the consideration of a memorandum until its next meeting; Follow-up to Resolution 2000 (2014) on "The large-scale arrival of mixed migratory flows on Italian shores" (Rapporteur: Mr Christopher Chope, United Kingdom, EC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur and held an exchange of views with the
 participation of Mr Gert Westerveen, UNHCR Representative to the European Institutions in Strasbourg and Mr John Dalhuisen, Programme Director, Europe and Central Asia Programme, Amnesty International; 150'" Anniversary of the ICRC: was informed by Mr Roger Ruffy, Representative of the ICRC to the European Institutions in Strasbourg of the ceremony of commemoration in the presence of Mr Peter Maurer, President of the ICRC, to be held in Strasbourg on 2 December 2014 and appointed a delegation composed of Mr Thierry Mariani (France, EPP/CD), Mr Philippe Bies (France, SOC), Mr Jean-Marie Bockel (France, EPP/CD), Mr Rene Rouquet (France, SOC) and Mr Eric Voruz (Switzerland, SOC), to represent the Committee at this occasion subject to the availability of financial resources by the Assembly; • on Thursday, 2 October 2014 at 2 p.m., as regards: The alternatives to immigration detention of children (Rapporteur: Ms Tinatin Bockuchava, Georgia, EPP/CD): was informed that there was no amendment to the draft resolution and the draft recommendation; took note of the invitation to support the Global Campaign to End Child Immigration Detention launched by the UN Human Rights Council and decided to come back to this question at one of its forthcoming meetings; Humanitarian situation in Ashraf/Liberty refugee camps: held a hearing with representatives of the National Council of Resistance for Iran: Ms Dowlat Nowrouzi, NCRI UK representative, Ms Elaheh Azimfar, NCRI Representative for International Organisations, Mr Hossain Abedini, Member of the NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee, and with the participation of Mr Gert Westerveen, UNHCR Representative to the European Institutions in Strasbourg and proposed to hold a joint hearing with the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy during one of the forthcoming part-sessions; Forced migration: a new challenge (Rapporteur: Mr Philippe Bies, France, SOC): considered a memorandum and took note of the proposal of the rapporteur to hold
 a hearing at one of the next meetings of the Committee; Resettlement of refugees: promoting greater solidarity (Rapporteur: Mr Eric Voruz, Switzerland, SOC): considered and approved amendments to the draft resolution and the draft recommendation proposed by the Rapporteur on behalf of the Committee and aimed to update the texts for adoption; Composition of the sub-committees: approved the following changes: Sub-Committee on Co-operation with non-European countries of origin and transit • Mr Mika Raatikainen (Finland, NR) to become a titular member • Mr lukasz Zbonikowski (Poland, EC) to become a titular member • Ms Marietta Karamanli (France, SOC) to become an alternate member Sub-Committee on Detention • Mr Mika Raatikainen (Finland, NR) to become a titular member Work programme: Appointment of a rapporteur for report The Mediterranean Sea: a front door to irregular migration: in her absence appointed Ms Daphne Dumery (Belgium, NR) subject to a declaration of absence of conflict of interest at the next meeting; 2 Sub-Committee on Co-operation with non-European countries of origin and transit considered a draft programme of the Seminar on "The new migration policy of Morocco and European experience: new challenges in the integration policies and practices" (Rabat, Morocco, 23-24 October 2014); Plenary Committee (Bucharest, Romania, 27-28 November 2014): considered a draft programme; AS/Mig (2014) CB 07 Representation of the Committee appointment: Mr Manlio Di Stefano (Italy, NR) to participate in the conference on "Addressing social cohesion and effects of migrants' integration in Europe and Asia" organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore and the Konrad Adenauer-Foundation on 3-4 November 2014 in Singapore, at no cost to the Assembly; statement: "Global Forum on Statelessness" organised by the UNHCR on 15-17 September 2014 in The Hague: statement by Mr Manlio Di Stefano
 (Italy, NR); Consideration of the priorities of the Committee for 2015: held an exchange of views; Next meetings: • Rabat, 23-24 October 2014, Sub-Committee on Co-operation with non-European countries of origin and transit • Bucharest, 27-28 November 2014 • Strasbourg, during the 1st part-session 2015 (26-30 January) Agnieszka Nachilo, Agnes Nollinger, Olga Kostenko cc: Secretary General of the Assembly Director Genei-al, Directors and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe 3 AS/SOC (2014) CB 06 7 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg from 30 September to 2 October 2014 The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, meeting in Strasbourg: • on Tuesday, 30 September 2014 at 8.30 am, with Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD), Chairperson, in the Chair, as regards: Mr Jim Dobbin: paid tribute to a former member, former Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Public Health, and former Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize, who had passed away on 7 September 2014; Protection of the right to bargain collectively (Rapporteur: Mr Andrej Hunko, Germany, UEL): held a hearing on the basis of an introductory memorandum with the participation of Mr Klaus Lorcher, former Legal Adviser to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and former Legal Secretary of the Civil Service Tribunal of the European Union, Germany, and agreed to change the title to "Protection of the
 right to bargain collectively including the right to strike" as suggested by the rapporteur; Towards a new European Social Model (Rapporteur: Ms Maria de Be/em Roseira, Portugal, SOC): closely linked to the previous item, with which it was initially foreseen for a joint debate, and based on a special request put forward by the Chairperson (in the rapporteur's absence and on her behalf), agreed to submit to the Bureau a request for an extension of the reference until 15 June 2015; Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water (Rapporteur: Ms Milica Markovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC): considered an outline report and authorised the rapporteur to carry out fact-finding visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan, including in particular the area surrounding the Sarsang reservoir; Europe Prize: heard a presentation by the Secretariat on the Europe Pr'1ze system and paid tribute to the longstanding work of Ms Marie-Anne Menger, who had been in charge of the Europe Prize Section and who was soon to retire from the Council of Europe; • on Thursday, 2 October 2014 at 8.30 am, with Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, and Ms Ana Gutu (Republic of Moldova, ALDE), Chairperson of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, in the Chair, as regards: 20'" meeting of the PACE Network of Contact Parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children and joint meeting with the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media: - heard a statement by Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on the state of play of the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE Campaign; - held an exchange of views on "Over-sexualisation of children in society" with: Ms Lucy Emmerson, Coordinator, Sex Education Forum (United Kingdom); Ms Nadine Schirtz, Chief Editor and Project Manager, BEE SECURE, National Youth Service
 (Luxembourg); • on Thursday, 2 October 2014 at 2 pm, with Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD), Chairperson, in the Chair, as regards: Towards optimum breast cancer services across Europe (Rapporteur: Ms Stella Kyriakides, Cyprus, EPPICD): noted that no amendments to the report had been tabled and held an exchange of views with Ms Karen Benn, Head of Public Affairs, Europa Donna; The impact of increasing social exclusion on democratic institutions and participation: need for strong action (Rapporteur: Mr Mike Hancock, United Kingdom, ALOE): considered a draft report, changed the title to "Social exclusion - a danger for Europe's democracies" and unanimously adopted a draft resolution and a draft recommendation with a view to a debate at the November 2014 Standing Committee meeting; Road safety in Europe as a public health priority (Rapporteur: Ms Naira Karapetyan, Armenia, EPP!CD): considered an outline report; Committee's work programme and priorities: - appointed rapporteurs as follows: For report: Involuntary placement and treatment of people with psychosocial disability: need for a new paradigm: Ms Guguli Magradze (Georgia, SOC); and heard from her a declaration on the absence of a conflict of interests; - appointed its representatives to external events as follows (subject to availability of funds): IPU - gth meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Committee), 9-11 September 2014, Strasbourg: Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Moldova, EPP/CD)- retroactively; (Inter-Parliamentary Union) meeting on water governance and climate change, - 14-15 October 2014, Geneva (at no cost to the PACE): Lord John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC) and Mr Luc Recordon (Switzerland, SOC); - United Nations Climate Change Conference, 1-12 December 2014, Lima (Peru), including a Parliamentary Meeting, organised by the IPU, on 8 December 2014 (at no cost to the PACE; participation
 limited to the last week of the conference): Lord John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC); - 6~ plenary meeting of the Committee on Bioethics (DH-810), 12-14 November 2014, Strasbourg: left it to the Chairperson to appoint a representative; -Other invitations pending: left it to the Chairperson to appoint a representative; -authorised fact-finding visits to Geneva (19-20 November 2014) and London (dale to be determined in 2015) in the framework of the report on "Protecting patients and public health against undue influence of the pharmaceutical industry", as requested by the Rapporteur, Ms Liliane Maury Pasquier (Switzerland, SOC); - heard a statement by Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/DC) who took part in the General Assembly and Youth Meeting of the Association of Towns Awarded the Europe Prize, held in Ankara (Turkey) on 5 - 8 September 2014 and in the 9th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Committee) held in Strasbourg on 9-11 September 2014; 2 - took note of the reply of the Committee of Ministers to PACE recommendation on "Towards a Council of Europe convention to combat trafficking in organs, tissues and cells of human origin"; Changes to the membership of Sub-Committees: approved the changes in its Sub-Committees as follows: Sub-Committee on Public Health Mr David Crausby (United Kingdom, SOC) has replaced Mr Jim Dobbin (United Kingdom, SOC) as titular member Mr Jim D'Arcy (Ireland, EPP/CD) has left the Sub-Committee Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize Mr John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC) has replaced Mr Jim Dobbin (United Kingdom, SOC) as titular member Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter Ms Andreja Crnak Meglic (Slovenia, SOC) has left the Sub-Committee Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) has now become a titular member Mr Jim D'Arcy (Ireland, EPP/CD) has left the Sub-Committee Sub-Committee on the Environment and Energy Mr Jakob
 Presecnik (Slovenia, EPP/CD) has now left the Sub-Committee Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter: heard a report by the Chairperson on the meeting held on 30 September 2014 (in the absence of the Sub-Committee Bureau and of the first Vice-Chairperson, Mr Hunko (Germany, UEL), who had chaired that meeting); Sub-Committee on Environment and Energy: heard a report by the Chairperson on the meeting held on 30 September 2014 (in the absence of the Sub-Committee Chairperson, Lord John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC)); World Forum for Democracy: took note of the information on the Forum and appointed two more members on behalf of the Committee - Mr Andre Bugnon (Switzerland, ALOE) and Mr Igor Kolman (Croatia, ALOE); Date and place of next meetings: Plenary committee: Tuesday, 2 December 2014, Paris (Council of Europe Office); PACE network of contact parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children: First part-session 2015 of the Assembly, 26-30 January 2015, Strasbourg (date to be confirmed); Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter: Friday 17 and Saturday 18 October 2014, Turin (Italy), including participation in the High-level Conference on the European Social Charter; Parliamentary seminar on 10 November 2014, Paris (Council of Europe Office).
"Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions", Monday, **** 3 The Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter, meeting in Strasbourg on 30 September 2014, with Mr Andrej Hunko (Germany, UEL), first Vice-Chairperson of the plenary Committee, in the Chair, as regards: High-level Conference on the European Social Charter, Turin (Italy), 17-18 October 2014: prepared its meeting to be held in the framework of this Conference, including by holding an informal exchange of views with Mr Michele Nicoletti, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly and designated General Rapporteur of the High-level Conference; Parliamentary seminar on "Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions", Paris, 10 November 2014: prepared the seminar and took note of the fact that relevant invitations to Chairpersons of national parliamentary committees dealing with social rights had just been sent out and the designation of their that members of delegations concerned were representatives; invited to follow up on Work Programme of the Sub-Committee: postponed the in-depth discussion on this item and any proposals for the upcoming work programme in 2015 to its next meeting in Turin on 17-18 October 2014; Date and place of the next meetings: Friday 17 and Saturday 18 October 2014, Turin (Italy); Monday 10 November 2014 in Paris (Council of Europe Office) for the second edition of the capacity-building seminar on the implementation of social rights on "Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions".
**** The Sub-Committee on Environment and Energy, meeting in Strasbourg on 30 September 2014, with Lord Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC), Chairperson, in the Chair, as regards: Water governance and related legal frameworks: held an exchange of views with Mr Jean-Benoit Charrin, Executive Director of WaterLex International, and took note of the preparations for participation in the IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) meeting on water governance on 15 October 2014 in Geneva- in the run-up to the ih World Water Forum from 12 to 17 April 2015 in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, the Republic of Korea; Global negotiations on tackling climate change: heard a statement by its Chairperson on the latest developments and discussed its contribution to the parliamentary meetings, organised by the IPU, on 14 October 2014 in Geneva and on 8 December 2014 in Lima, Peru (during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP20/CMP10, from 1 to 12 December 2014); Work programme of the Sub-Committee: took note of its revised work programme; Date and place of the next meeting: to be confirmed.
Tanja Kleinsorge, Aisle Ramanauskaite, Maran Lambrecht-Feigl, Ay§egul Elveri§ cc: Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Directors and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe 4 SECRETARIAT AS/Cult (2014) CB 06 6 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg on 30 September, 1 and 2 October 2014 The Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, meeting in Strasbourg on 30 September, 1 and 2 October 2014, with Ms Ana Gulu (Republic of Moldova, ALDE) and Lady Diana Eccles (United Kingdom, EDG) in the Chair, • on Tuesday 30 September 2014 from 8.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m., as regards: Sub-Committees: approved the changes in the membership of its Sub-Committees; 1 Good governance and enhanced quality in education (Rapporteur: Mr Paolo Corsini, Italy, SOC): took position on 3 amendments to the draft resolution and took note of the fact that there were no amendments to the draft recommendation; Raising the status of vocational education and training (Rapporteur: Mr Piotr Wach, Poland, EPP/CD): took note of the fact that there were no amendments to the draft resolution; Freedom of religion and religious practices (Rapporteur: Mr Rafael Huseynov, Azerbaijan, ALDE): held an exchange of views with Rabbi Moche Lewin, Executive Director of the Conference of European Rabbis, and Ms Elizabeta Kitanovic, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Communication of the Church and Society Commission, Conference of European Churches (CEC); • on Wednesday 1 October 2014 from 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m., as regards: World Forum for Democracy (Strasbourg, 3-5 November 2014): appointed Mr Francesco Maria Giro (Italy, EPP/CD) to take part in the forum; Protection of media freedom in Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Gvozden Sre6ko Flego, Croatia, SOC): considered a preliminary draft report; 1 Sub-Committee on Culture.
Diversity and Heritage: Ms Sub-Committee; Sub-Committee on Education.

Youth and Sport: Ms Ivana Dobesova (Czech Republic.
ALDE) becomes a member; Ms Deirdre Clune (Ireland, EPP/CD), Ms Iva Dimic (Slovenia, EPP/CD) and Ms Polonca Komar (Slovenia, ALOE) withdraw from the SubRCommittee; Sub-Committee on Media and Information Society: Mr Margus Hanson (Estonia, ALOE) and Ms Naira Zohrabyan (Armenia, EDG) become members; Ms Deirdre Clune (Ireland, EPP/CD) and Ms Polonca Komar (Slovenia, ALOE) withdraw from the Sub-Committee, Iva Dimic (Slovenia, EPP/CD) withdraws from the ~ ' . '
' Increasing transparency of media ownership (Rapporteur: Ms GO/san Bi/gehan, Turkey, SOC): considered a background report by, and held an exchange of views with, Professor Peggy Valcke, Catholic University of Leuven; Student mobility (Rapporteur: Mr Christian Bari/aro, Monaco, ALOE): considered a draft report and held an exchange of views with Mr Emanuel Alfranseder, member of the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe; • on Thursday 2 October 2014 from 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m., as regards: Towards a European framework of competences for democratic citizenship, human rights and intercultural dialogue (Rapporteur: Mr Gerard Terrier, France, SOC): in the absence of the rapporteur, considered a background report by Mr David Kerr, Citizenship Foundation, United Kingdom, and held an exchange of views with Ms Pascale Mompoint-Gaillard, representative of the Ad Hoc Group on Competences for Democratic Culture and Intercultural Dialogue of the Council of Europe; Promoting city diplomacy in the field of culture (Rapporteur: Alexander, The Earl of Dundee, United Kingdom, EDG): considered a background report by Mr Philip Wood, expert in local community development and cultural relations, United Kingdom, and agreed on the rapporteur's one day fact-finding visit to the global city network "Agenda 21 for culture" in Barcelona (Spain); Cultural heritage in crisis and post-crisis situations (Rapporteur: Ms lsmeta Dervoz, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPPICD): considered a preliminary draft report; Educational and cultural networks of communities living abroad (Rapporteur: Mr Pierre-Yves Le Borgn', France, SOC): heard a statement by the rapporteur and approved the rapporteur's proposal to send a questionnaire to relevant organisations in the member states; References to the committee and appointment of rapporteurs: appointed Mr Gvozden Sre6ko Flego (Croatia, SOC) as rapporteur on "Access to school and education for all children" (Doc.
13533), subject to his declaration of absence of conflict of interest; appointed Mr Andre Schneider (France, EPP/CD) as rapporteur on "Rethinking the anti-doping strategy" (Doc.
13534) and heard his declaration of absence of conflict of interest; heard the declaration of absence of conflict of interest of Mr Axel E. Fischer (Germany, EPP/CD) appointed on 4 June 2014 as rapporteur on "Intellectual property rights in the digital era"; Replies from the Committee of Ministers: took note of the reply from the Committee of Ministers (Doc.
13580) to Recommendation 2033 (2014) on "Internet and politics: the impact of new information and communication technology on democracy" and asked the Sub-committee on Media and Information Society to analyse this reply and to submit to the committee, if required, proposals for the follow-up to this recommendation; Committee work programme: Reports on recent meetings: was informed by: Ms lsmeta Dervoz (Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD) on the experts' meeting on technical in post-crisis situations, cooperation and Consultancy programme concerning cultural heritage organised in co-operation with the DG Democracy of the Council of Europe on 22 and 23 July 2014 in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Mr Rafael Huseynov (Azerbaijan, ALOE) on the Council of Europe 2014 exchange on religious dimension of intercultural dialogue held on 1 and 2 September 2014 in Baku (Azerbaijan); 2 Designation of representatives for forthcoming events: designated, subject to the availability of funds: • Mr Gvozden Sre6ko Flego (Croatia, SOC), rapporteur on "Protection of media freedom in Europe", for the 3'' United Nations inter-agency meeting on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity on 4 November 2014 in Strasbourg; Ms Vesna Marjanovi6 (Serbia, SOC), rapporteur on the Council of Europe Museum Prize, for the European Museum Forum jury meeting for the Prize on 22 November 2014 in Paris; Mr Khalid Chaouki (Italy, SOC), committee representative to the European Commission against h plenary meeting of the ECRI from 9 to 12 December 2014 • Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), for the 651 in Strasbourg; designated, with no costs for the Assembly: Ms lsmeta Dervoz (Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD), in the framework of the follow-up to her report on "Industrial heritage in Europe", for the meeting on "Local communities shaping the European dimension of Heritage" from 13 to 17 October 2014 in Baku (Azerbaijan); Mr Jean-Yves Le Deaut (France, SOC), General rapporteur on Science and Technology Impact Assessment, for the EPTA conference and Council meeting on 27 and 28 October 2014 in Oslo (Norway); Mr Gvozden Sre6ko Flego (Croatia, SOC), rapporteur on "Access to school and education for all children", for the 2"' Annual Conference in South East Europe "Inclusive education in practice" on 28 and 29 October 2014 in Zagreb (Croatia); Mr Rafael Huseynov (Azerbaijan, ALDE), rapporteur on "Freedom of religion and religious practices", for the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Advisory Forum on 30 and 31 October 2014 in Baku (Azerbaijan); !
Mr Gvozden Sre6ko Flego (Croatia, SOC), rapporteur on "Protection of media freedom in Europe", as well as Sir Roger Gale (United Kingdom, EDG) and Ms GOlsOn Bilgehan (Turkey, SOC) -Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-committee on Media and Information Society- for the Seminar and Inter-Regional Dialogue on the Protection of Journalists on 3 November 2014 in Strasbourg; Other business: None Next meeting: decided to hold its next meeting as follows: Paris, 4-5 December 2014.
***** 3 The Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media and the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, meeting jointly in Strasbourg on 2 October 2014, with Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD) and Ms Ana Gu!u (Republic of Moldova, ALDE) in the Chair, in the framework of the PACE Network of Contact Parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children: heard an update on the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE Campaign by Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe; held an exchange of views on the theme "Over-sexualisation of children in society" with the participation of Ms Lucy Emmerson, Coordinator, Sex Education Forum, United Kingdom, and Ms Nadine Schirtz, chief editor and project manager, BEE SECURE, National Youth Service, Luxembourg.
***** The Sub-Committee on Education, Youth and Sport (of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media), meeting (in camera) in Strasbourg on 30 September 2014, from 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m., with Mr Michael Connarty (United Kingdom, SOC), Vice-Chairperson, and Ms Fatma Pehlivan (Belgium, SOC) in the Chair, as regards: The reform of football governance: held a hearing with the participation of Ms Heidi Blake, Assistant Editor, The Sunday Times, and of Mr Jonathan Calvert, Insight Editor, The Sunday Times; Next meeting: decided to hold its next meeting as follows: Strasbourg, 1" part-session (26-30 January 2015).
Roberto Fasino, Rudiger Dassow, Dana Karanjac, Angela Garabagiu cc: Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Director and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe 4 SECRETARIAT ASIEGAICB (2014) 07 7 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014 The Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, meeting in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014, first with Ms Gisela Wurm (Austria, SOC) and then Ms Mechthild Rawer!
(Germany; SOC) in the Chair, as regards: • on Monday 29 September 2014, from 2 to 3 pm: Tackling intolerance and discrimination in Europe with a special focus on Christianity (Rapporteur: Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi, Republic of Moldova, EPPICD): heard a statement by the Rapporteur following his fact-finding visit to the Netherlands (25-26 August 2014) and considered a preliminary draft report; Recognising and preventing neo-racism (Rapporteur: Ms Milena Santerini, Italy, NR): heard a declaration by the Rapporteur on the absence of conflicts of interest and considered an outline for a report; No Hate Parliamentary Alliance: heard a statement by its Chairperson who took note that the following national delegations had not appointed a member; Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Georgia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, « The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia >> and Ukraine ; o on Tuesday 30 September 2014, from 8.30 to 10 am: Women's rights and prospects for Euro-Mediterranean co-operation (Rapporteur: Ms Fatiha Saidi, Belgium, SOC): took note that no amendments to the draft resolution and recommendation had been tabled; Equality and inclusion for people with disabilities (Rapporteur: Ms Carmen Quintanilla Barba, Spain, EPPICD): considered a memorandum; Equality and shared parental responsibility: the rights of fathers (Rapporteur: Ms Franr;oise Hetto-Gaasch, Luxembourg, EPPICD): considered an outline for a report; Work programme: considered the work programme and decided to request to the Bureau of the Assembly an extension of the reference on "Equality and non-discrimination in the access to justice" (Rapporteur: Mr Viorel Riceard Badea, Romania, EPP/CD) until 31 May 2015; This document is available on the Parliamentary Assembly Extranei website (restricted area for PACE Members) httn:llassemblv.
coe.

inVextranet F,: ~7Q75 stiasbAJ..I!t.f~_ex i' assembly@coe.int I tel:"f-33 3 m!
:ttt®tu:r 1 Fax: f33 3 88 41"--?733 ASIEGAICB (2014) 07 Replies from the Committee of Ministers: took note of the replies from the Committee of Ministers to Assembly recommendations 2021 (2013) on "Tackling discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity", 2032 (2014) on "A strategy to prevent racism and intolerance in Europe" and 2040 (2014) on "The situation and rights of national minorities in Europe"; Appointment of representatives: appointed: - Mr Jose Mendes Bola (Portugal, EPP/CD) to participate in the conference on "Human Trafficking, Prostitution and Modern Slavery in Europe - from a Human Rights Perspective" organised by the University of Uppsala and Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers on 15 October 2014 in Uppsala (Sweden) (subject to the availability of funds) and in a conference on the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), organised by the NGO "Centre for Women War Victims - ROSA", on 21 October 2014 in Zagreb (at no cost for the Assembly); - Mr Robert Biedron (Poland, SOC) to participate in the XXVII International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) World Conference, from 27 to 28 October 2014, in Mexico City, subject to the authorisation of the Bureau (travel costs covered by the Assembly); - and Ms Maria Giannakaki (Greece, SOC) to participate in the 8th Meeting of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM), from 28 to 31 October in Sarajevo (subject to the availability of funds); Reporting back: heard statements by: - Ms Guguli Magradze (Georgia, SOC), on the participation of the Ad hoc sub-committee in the Conference "Safe from fear, safe from violence.
Celebrating the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention", which took place on 18 and 19 September 2014 in Rome; - Mr Jose Mendes Bola (Portugal, EPP/CD) on his participation in the Nordic Seminar on "Best practices in combating violence against women", which took place on 25 September 2014 in Reykjavik; - and Mr David Davies (United Kingdom, EC) on his participation in the 64th meeting of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on 17-20 June 2014 in Strasbourg; Other business: - authorised Ms Deborah Schembri (Malta, SOC) to conduct fact-finding visits to Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom in the framework of the preparation of her report on "Discrimination against transgender people in Europe"; - decided to accept the invitation to hold a meeting of the Sub-Committee on gender equality and the Parliamentary Network "Women Free from Violence" on 9 December 2014 at the House of Commons in London, subject to the authorisation of the Bureau; - agreed to the Chairperson's proposal to delegate Ms Mechthild Rawer!
(Germany, SOC), in her capacity as Chairperson of the Sub-committee on disability and inclusion, to chair the Committee meeting on Thursday; Next meetings: confirmed its next meetings as follows: - Paris, 3 December 2014; - London, 9 December 2014, Sub-Committee on Gender Equality and Parliamentary Network "Women Free from Violence"; - Strasbourg, during the 1st Part-Session 2015 of the Assembly (26-30 January).
2 AS/EGAICB (2014) 07 • on Tuesday 30 September 2014, from 2 to 3.30 pm, holding a meeting of the Parliamentary Network "Women Free from Violence": heard a statement by Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe; 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (25 November- 10 December): heard a statement by Mr Jose Mendes Bola (Portugal, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur on violence against women, proposing coordinated activities of the members of the Network for the 16 days of activism; Sexual violence against women in armed conflicts: held a hearing with the participation of: Ms April Pham, GenCap Advisor at the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (Switzerland); Ms Monika Hauser, Director of Medica Mondiale and recipient of the 2012 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe, Cologne (Germany); and Ms Han a Ayele, Member of the NGO Survivors Speak OUT (United Kingdom); • • on Wednesday 1 October 2014, from 2 to 3.30 pm, holding a joint meeting with the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs, held a hearing on "Gender dimensions of corruption" with the participation of: Mr Matthias Kopetzky, Member of the Board of Institute Internal Audit, Leader of the Anti-Fraud Study Group, Austria; and Ms Helena Lisuchova, GRECO Gender Equality Rapporteur and Bureau Member, Head of International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Justice, Czech Republic; on Thursday 2 October 2014, from 1.30 to 3.30 pm, Ms Mechthild Rawer!
(Germany, SOC) and Mr Dimitris Nikolsky, President of the Council of Europe's Committee of experts on the rights of persons with disabilities (DECS-RPD) in the chair, held a joint meeting with the DECS-RPD and a hearing on "One of us?
The right of persons with disabilities to live in the community" with the participation of: Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe; Mr Nils MuiZ:nieks, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe; Ms Karina Chupina, Senior trainer for the Council of Europe Youth Sector, President of the Federation of hard of hearing young people; and Professor Gerard Quinn, Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway, Ireland.
Sonia Sirtori, Giorgio Loddo, Elise Cornu, Elodie Fischer and Geraldine Grenet Cc.
: Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Directors and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe 3 SECRETARIAT AS/Juri (2014) CB 06 3 October 2014 To the members of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Synopsis of the meeting held in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014 The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Strasbourg from 29 September to 2 October 2014, with Mr James Clappison (United Kingdom, EDG) in the Chair, as regards: • on Monday 29 September 2014 at 2pm, Azerbaijan's Chairmanship of the Council of Europe: What follow-up on Respect of Human Rights?
(Rapporteur: Mr Pedro Agramunt, Spain, EPP/CD): heard a statement by the Rapporteur and agreed to postpone the consideration of this item on the basis of a memorandum by the Rapporteur until the next meeting of the Committee in Madrid on 30 October 2014; Access to justice through online instruments: (Rapporteur: Mr Jordi Xuc/a, Spain, ALOE): considered an introductory memorandum and agreed to change the title of the report to "Access to justice and the Internet: potential and challenges".
Authorised a hearing to be held at the next meeting of the Committee in Madrid with the participation of two experts, subject to the availability of funds; How to prevent inappropriate restrictions on NGO activities in Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Yves Cruchten, Luxembourg, SOC): considered a revised introductory memorandum, agreed to authorise the participation of three experts in a hearing at the next meeting in Madrid on 30 October 2014 (subject to the availability of funds) and authorised a questionnaire to be sent to the European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD).
Authorised fact-finding missions to be carried out in Azerbaijan, Hungary and the Russian Federation and agreed to declassify the revised introductory memorandum.
; Refusing impunity for the killers of Sergei Magnitsky (Rapporteur: Mr Andreas Gross, Switzerland, SOC): considered an information note and agreed to transmit it to the President of the Assembly, asking her to transmit the note, Resolution 1966 (2014), Recommendation 2031 (2014), the report and addendum to the Presidents of the Parl'laments of all Council of Europe member States and of the European Parliament, and to indicate to the President that in view of recent contacts between the Rapporteur and the chair of the Russian delegation, the Committee would appreciate if she could postpone the transmission of these documents to the intended recipients until after the Committee's meeting on 10 December 2014 in order to give the Committee the opportunity to modify its position if any new developments justify this.
on Tuesday 30 September 2014 at 2pm, Replies from the Committee of Ministers to recommendations emanating from the Committee: took note of the replies from the Committee of Ministers and of the Rapporteur's comments on the following recommendations on "Accountability of international organisations for human rights violations", "The European Convention on Human Rights: the need to reinforce the training of legal professionals" and "Access to nationality and the effective implementation of the European Convention on Nationality".
Heard a statement by Mr Beneyto (Spain, EPP/CD) on further follow-up to be given to l '' his report on "Accountability of international organisations for human rights violations" following the Committee of Ministers' reply.
; Drones and targeted killings: the need to uphold human rights (Rapporteur: Mr Arcadia Diaz Tejera, Spain, SOC): held a hearing with the participation of: Mr Ben Emmerson, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion & protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, London; Ms lrmina Pacho, Head of Strategic Litigation Programme, Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Warsaw; Mr Markus Wagner, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Miami, Florida, USA; Other business: • The situation of human rights defenders in Azerbaijan: upon a proposal by Ms Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALOE), in her capacity as rapporteur on "Strengthening the protection and role of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member states", adopted unanimously a statement deploring the recent arrests and convictions of human rights defenders and NGO leaders in Azerbaijan; .
Sub-committees: took note that on the Sub-Committee on Crime Problems and the Fight against Terrorism, Mr Bernd Fabritius (Germany, EPP/CD) would be the alternate to Mr Volker Ulrich (Germany, EPP/CD), that on the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Ms Liv Holm Andersen (Denmark, ALOE) would replace Ms Lone Loklindt (ALOE), and that Mr Andrej Sircelj (Slovenia, EPP/CD) would replace Ms Romana Tome (Slovenia, EPP/CD) on the Sub-Committee on Crime Problems and the Fight Against Terrorism as well as on the Sub-Committee on Rule of Law; • Invitation to Armenia 2015: accepted the official invitation received from the head of the Armenian delegation for the Committee to hold a meeting in Yerevan on 21-22 May 2015 (subject to authorisation by the Bureau); • World Forum on Democracy: nominated Mr Konstantinos Triantafyllos (Greece, SOC) to the ad hoc committee of the Bureau attending the Forum on 3-5 November 2014 in Strasbourg; • on Thursday 2 October at 8.30am, Sub-Committee on Human Rights: heard a statement by the Chair with regard to the Sub Committee's meeting held in Strasbourg on 1 October 2014 and endorsed the proposals of the Sub Committee concerning the list of candidates to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) submitted by the Irish parliamentary delegation; Other business (continuation): - Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights: heard a statement by the Chair of the Sub-Committee regarding the proposal of the Sub-Committee to the Assembly; - How to prevent inappropriate restrictions on NGO activities in Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Yves Cruchten, Luxembourg, SOC): agreed to the request of the Rapporteur to invite a fourth expert to the hearing on this report in Madrid on 30 October, subject to the availability of funds; Next meetings: took note of meetings to be held until the end of the year and confirmed the meeting in Paris on 10 December 2014; Plenary Committee: Madrid, 30 October 2014 (followed by a parliamentary seminar on 31 October 2014) Paris, 10
 December 2014 (Council of Europe Office) Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights: Paris, 15-16 January 2015, tbc 2 ***** The Sub-Committee on Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights), meeting in Strasbourg on 1 October 2014 at 2pm, with Ms Meritxell Mateu Pi (Andorra, ALDE), in the Chair, as regards: European Committee recommendation on the list of candidates to the CPT in respect of Ireland; the Prevention of Torture for (CPT): considered and made a Recent human rights developments: heard a presentation by Mr Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Programme Director for Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Programme; Next meeting: during the Assembly's January 2015 part-session.
***** The Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights), meeting in Strasbourg on 1 October 2014 at 2.30pm, with Lord John Tomlinson (United Kingdom, SOC), in the Chair, as regards: Submission of candidatures: held a discussion on the current state of play of candidatures and made a proposal to the Assembly regarding the list of candidates in respect of the Slovak Republic; Next meeting: 15-16 January 2015 (Council of Europe Office, Paris) tbc.
Andrew Drzemczewski, Gunter Schirmer, Agnieszka Szklanna, Anne-Katrin Speck cc: Secretary General of the Assembly Director General, Directors and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations Secretary General of the Congress Secretary to the Committee of Ministers Directors General Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Director of Communication Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe 3