Strasbourg, 16 May 2013CAHROM (2013)13

 

AD HOC COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA ISSUES (CAHROM)

 

5th meeting, Strasbourg, 14-16 May 2013

 

 

ABRIDGED MEETING REPORT (LIST OF DECISIONS) as approved by the Committee

 

 

1. The Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM) held its 5th meeting in Strasbourg on 14-16 May 2013 and adopted its agenda (see Appendix 1).

 

Roma-related recent developments at international level

 

2.The Committee heard presentations from the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma Issues about recent developments at the level of the Council of Europe, from the CEB Coordinator for Roma issues, from the European Commission (DG EAC) and ROMED Secretariat on the results and main conclusions of the ROMED Congress (Brussels on 17-18 January 2013), from the European Commission (DG Justice) and the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union (FRA) regarding recent developments at the level of the European Union, including the outcome of recent meetings of the EU National Contact Points on Roma integration.

 

The representative of the Croatian Presidency of the Decade for Roma Inclusion referred to its recent activities and the future of the Decade for Roma Inclusion, whilst the OSCE regional coordinator of the OSCE-ODIHR project “Best practices for Roma Integration” presented recent regional activities and good practices identified in the field of anti-discrimination.

 

3. The Committee was informed of a new CD presenting the database on Roma-related policies and good practices set up by the Council of Europe. The Committee members took note of the Secretariat’s invitation to register themselves as experts in the experts’ directory of the database, as well as to circulate information about this database and provide, where appropriate, examples of good practices.

 

Roma-related recent developments at national level concerning the Dosta! campaign and on newly adopted national strategies for Roma inclusion

 

4.The Committee heard presentations from Lithuania and Spain about recent national launches of the Council of Europe Dosta! campaign and future related activities in these countries. The Committee took note of the intention of the Slovak Republic to launch Dosta! in the near future and of the interest in the Dosta! campaign and its material expressed by Belgium and France.

 

5. The representatives from Portugal, the Russian Federation and Ukraine presented their recently adopted national strategies or action plans for Roma inclusion to the Committee.

 

6.Referring to previous interventions, as well as to the CM Declaration on the rise of anti-Gypsyism and racial violence against Roma in Europe from February 2012 and the CM Recommendation (2008)5 on policies for Roma and/or Travellers in Europe, the Committee encouraged member states, wherever necessary, to include an anti-discrimination chapter in their national strategy for Roma inclusion and to finance awareness raising action addressing prejudice and stereotypes, such as the Dosta! campaign.

 

Recent developments regarding the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion and the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on Roma issues

 

  1.                 The Committee heard a presentation by the Secretariat of the Congress about the launch of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion (Strasbourg, 20 March 2013) and the Congress’ work on Roma-related issues in general. It also heard an example of local practice from Serbia identified as a good practice under the OSCE-ODIHR project “Best practices for Roma Integration”.

 

  1.                 The Committee welcomed the recent developments concerning the Alliance, notably as regards the ROMACT project, as well as ongoing efforts to enhance international coordination among the Council of Europe, the European Commission, UNDP, the World Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank, FRA, OSF and EEA & Norway Grants.

 

Direction and thematic priorities of the CAHROM’s work

 

  1.                 The Committee thanked Poland for having generated a lively discussion over the last two CAHROM meetings through its non-paper on working methods and priorities of the Committee. Many points in this document received wide support such as the need to take into account the diversity of situations (different Roma communities with different traditions, different legal systems and policies) and the importance of an integrated and comprehensive policy approach. The Committee also agreed that the CAHROM in its work should address both the responsibility of Roma parents and families (e.g. regarding school enrolment of children, girls in particular) and the responsibilities of state and local authorities to guarantee that all basic conditions are met for Roma to fully exercise their rights.

 

  1.             The Committee underlined that through its past and future thematic work and agenda items addressing substantive and controversial issues, the CAHROM is already responding to some of the issues and proposals raised in the Polish non-paper.

 

  1.             The Committee endorsed two concrete proposals for future thematic work, namely:

 

 

  1.             The Committee took note of other proposals for thematic work and tasked the Secretariat and the Bureau with contacting countries concerned so as to explore the possibility to set up future thematic groups in those areas:

 

 

  1.             The Committee also took note of lessons learnt from previous thematic groups and agreed to plan for the Autumn CAHROM meeting an agenda item on follow-up developments in both requesting and partner countries following the endorsement of the first six thematic reports.

 

Appointment of a CAHROM member in charge of mainstreaming gender issues in the work of the Committee

 

  1.             The Committee appointed the Finnish member to have special responsibility for mainstreaming gender issues in the work of the CAHROM.

 

Revised Terms of Reference of the CAHROM

 

  1.             The Committee decided to grant observer status to the Financial Mechanisms Office (EEA and Norway Grants) and requested the Secretariat to contact some organisations having an observer status and which do not participate in CAHROM meetings to check whether they are still interested and able to contribute to the Committee’s work.

 

  1.             The Committee adopted draft revised Terms of Reference (see Appendix 2) and decided to submit them to the Committee of Ministers once the Legal Advice Unit has checked the revised text.

 

Thematic report on encampment areas and other issues relating to Travellers (with Belgium as a requesting country and France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as partner countries)

 

17.After introductory presentations and feedback by the requesting and partner countries of this thematic group, the Committee endorsed the experts’ thematic report [document CAHROM (2013)6] and decided to transmit it to the Committee of Ministers for information.

 

18. The Committee invited other CAHROM members from countries with nomadic or semi-nomadic Roma or Travellers to provide additional information which will be introduced in the Addendum to the thematic report.

 

ERTF Charter on the Rights of Roma

 

  1.             The Committee heard an introductory presentation from the ERTF President who recalled the background of this document adopted in 2009. Following discussion regarding the feasibility and suitability of transforming this Charter into a legally-binding document and observations by the Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities on the rights of Roma so far protected under the FCNM and from the DLAPIL about procedures for adopting a legally-binding instrument in the Council of Europe, the CAHROM agreed that Committee members will seek the views of their authorities to see whether their governments would support the idea of a legally-binding instrument on Roma rights that could be inspired by the ERTF Charter. The Committee further agreed that there will be a tour de table on this subject at the next meeting.

 

Genocide of Roma (Samudaripen/Pharrajimos)

 

  1.             The Committee heard introductory presentations from Mr Wolfgang Wipperman from the Friedrich-Meinecke Institute in Berlin and Mrs Karen Polak from Anne Frank House and Head of the Sub-Committee on the Genocide of Roma of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), as well as the ERTF President on the ERTF proposal to assign a European commemoration day on 2 August for the genocide of Roma and Sinti during World War II.

 

  1.             Following discussion on the ERTF proposal, the Committee agreed to examine at its next meeting a draft declaration to be prepared by the Secretariat which would address two main issues: a) the need for recognition of the genocide of Roma and its inclusion in school curricula at national level and b) an invitation to member states to commemorate this genocide annually and as appropriate. The Committee took note of the Congress’ proposal to have the proposed CM Declaration made public on 2 August 2014, 70 years after the massacre of almost 3,000 Roma and Sinti in Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in one night.

 

Exchange of views with Council of Europe bodies and committees

 

  1.             The Committee heard presentations from the President of the European Committee on Social Rights, from the ECRI Secretariat, from the Secretariat of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, from the GRETA Secretariat, from the Secretariat of the Division “Gender Equality, Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” on the Istanbul Convention, as well as from the Secretariat of the Lanzarote Committee on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

 

  1.             As regards the issue of forced and early marriages in relation to trafficking, the Committee heard feedback from the GRETA Conference on human trafficking and its workshop on Roma as a group at risk (Sofia, Bulgaria, 4-5 December 2012) and from a Secretariat meeting with the Dutch CAHROM member in Strasbourg on 13 May 2013.

 

  1.             The Committee agreed to keep this topic on the agenda of its next meeting and asked its members to provide the Secretariat by the end of June 2013 with relevant information on national situations and legislation, in particular regarding the inclusion of forced and/or early marriages in criminal law, on any relevant case-law, on law enforcement and on whether Roma mediators are involved in prevention against trafficking, and in addressing forced and/or early marriages.

 

Thematic report on school attendance of Roma children, with specific focus on Roma girls (with Finland as a requesting country and Latvia, Norway and Sweden as partner countries)

 

  1.             After introductory presentations and feedback by the requesting and partner countries of this thematic group, the Committee endorsed the experts’ thematic report [document CAHROM (2013)5], decided to transmit it to the Committee of Ministers for information and invited CAHROM participants to provide additional information by the beginning of June which will be included in an Addendum.

 

  1.             The Committee heard from the Secretariat a preliminary comparison between the two CAHROM thematic reports addressing school attendance, school drop-out and absenteeism. Experts from the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, Romania and the Slovak Republic have accepted to further analyse these reports and propose a list of concrete measures for authorities.

 

Pre-school education of Roma children

 

  1.             The Committee heard a presentation from Mrs Maria Giannakaki, member of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination on the PACE Resolution and report “Ending Discrimination against Roma Children through Inclusive Early Childhood Development and Basic Education”, agreed that pre-school education would be a suitable topic for its thematic work, and took note of the OSCE-ODIHR proposal to come up with a joint statement of various international institutions referring to inclusive education and to the use of Structural Funds for that purpose.

 

Housing-related issues

 

  1.             The Committee held a preliminary discussion on the  legalisation of Roma settlements/houses following the visit to Tirana, Albania (requesting country) of a team of experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (partner countries) on 15-17 April 2013. The final report will be presented at the next CAHROM meeting. Following a suggestion made by members of the group of experts, the Committee agreed to change the title of the thematic report into “social housing for Roma and legalisation of Roma settlements and houses”.

 

Roma refugees, asylum seekers and stateless Roma

 

  1.             The Committee heard presentations on developments in these areas from the Office of the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights and the UNHCR Office in Strasbourg, as well as statements from “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” on recent developments concerning Roma refugees and from the ERTF on the issue of stateless Roma.

 

  1.             The Committee reiterated its view that the operation of border controls should fully respect the rights of Roma and should not be in contradiction with the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant UN conventions. The Committee took note of UNHCR recommendations on statelessness and decided to put this item on the agenda of one of its future meetings.

 

Bilateral cooperation in the field of Roma migration

 

  1.             The Committee heard presentations from CAHROM members on existing forms of bilateral cooperation in the field of Roma migration, decided to keep this item on the agenda of one of its next meetings and encouraged individual member states to provide information on this topic to the Secretariat.

 

Roma women and youth

 

  1.             The Committee took note of information provided by Finland and the Secretariat on the agenda and participants of the 4th International Roma Women’s Conference to be held in Helsinki on 16-17 September 2013, as well as from the Youth Directorate on recent developments regarding the Roma Youth Action Plan and other Roma-related activities in the youth sector. The Committee agreed to include on the agenda of its next meeting a presentation of the conclusions of the Helsinki Conference. The Committee welcomed the initiative of the Croatian Presidency of the Decade for Roma Inclusion to include Roma youth as one of the priorities for the Decade and took note of the invitation to the CAHROM to nominate a Committee member to join the Informal Contact Group for the Roma Youth Action Plan.

 

Arrangements for the next meeting and items to be included in the agenda

 

  1.             The Italian representative confirmed that Italy will host the next CAHROM meeting in Rome, 28-31 October 2013. The Committee thanked the Italian authorities for their invitation.

 

  1.             Among the issues to be on the agenda of its 6th meeting, the Committee agreed to include:

 

  1.             The CAHROM took note of the invitation by Bosnia and Herzegovina to host a CAHROM meeting in 2014.

 

Adoption of the abridged report (list of decisions)

 

36.The Committee adopted the abridged report (list of decisions) of its 5th meeting.

 

---------------

 


Appendix 1: MEETING AGENDA

 

Strasbourg, 14 May 2013

 

  1. Opening of the 5th CAHROM meeting and adoption of the agenda

 

  1. Recent developments
  1. Recent developments at international level
  2. Recent developments at national level concerning the Dosta! campaign
  3. Recent developments at national level on newly adopted national strategies for Roma inclusion

 

  1. The role of local and regional authorities
    1. Recent developments regarding the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma Inclusion and the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in the field of Roma
    2. Example of a good practice at local level

 

  1. Discussion about the direction and priorities of the CAHROM’s work
    1. Direction and priorities of the CAHROM’s work
    2. Appointment of a CAHROM member in charge of mainstreaming gender issues in the Committee
    3. Terms of Reference of the CAHROM

 

  1. Halting sites for Travellers
    1. Thematic report on encampment sites for Travellers and relating issues (with Belgium as a requesting country and France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as partner countries)
    2. Brief presentations by CAHROM members and observers

 

Strasbourg, 15 May 2013

 

  1. ERTF Charter on the Rights of Roma

 

  1. Genocide of Roma (Samudaripen/Pharrajimos)

 

  1. Exchange of views with Council of Europe bodies and committees

 

  1. Roma education and housing
    1. Thematic report on school attendance of Roma children, with specific focus on Roma girls (with Finland as a requesting country and Latvia, Norway and Sweden as partner countries)
    2. Education of Roma children, including pre-school education
    3. Preliminary discussion on legalisation of Roma settlements and houses (with Albania as a requesting country and Bosnia and Herzegovina and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” as partner countries)
    4. Roma and housing developments

 

Strasbourg, 16 May 2013

 

  1. Roma refugees, asylum seekers and stateless Roma
    1. Introduction to the topics and developments at international level
    2. Roma refugees, asylum seekers and stateless Roma
    3. Bilateral cooperation in the field of Roma migrants

 

  1. Roma women and youth

 

  1. Arrangements for the next meeting and items to be included in the agenda

 

  1. Adoption of the abridged report (list of decisions)

_________


Appendix 2: DRAFT REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE CAHROM

 

 

 

Draft Revised Terms of reference of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma issues (CAHROM), as adopted by the CAHROM at its 5th meeting (Strasbourg, 14-16 May 2013) and following comments received from the Legal Advice Unit

 

 

1.

Name of Committee:

Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma[1] Issues (CAHROM)

 

2.

Type of Committee:

Ad hoc Committee

 

3.

Source of terms of reference:

 

Committee of Ministers

 

4.

Terms of reference:

 

 

Having regard to:

 

-

Resolution Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods;

 

-

the Strasbourg Declaration adopted during the High Level Meeting on Roma held on 20 October 2010;

 

-

the Declaration and the Action Plan of the Third Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe adopted at the Warsaw Summit (CM(2005)80 final, 17 May 2005) where the member states “confirmed [their] commitment to combat all kinds of exclusion and insecurity of the Roma communities in Europe and to promote their full and effective equality”;

 

-

the Ministers’ Deputies decision (572nd meeting, 5 September 1996) to launch a “Council of Europe Project on Roma/Gypsies in Central and Eastern Europe” and subsequent decisions to extend the project;

 

-

the Partnership Agreement signed between the Council of Europe and the European Roma and Travellers Forum on 15 December 2004;

 

-

Recommendation Rec(2000)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the education of Roma/Gypsy children in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation Rec(2001)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on improving the economic and employment situation of Roma/Gypsies and Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation Rec(2004)14 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the movement and encampment of Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation Rec(2005)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on improving the housing conditions of Roma and Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation Rec(2006)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on better access to health care for Roma and Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on policies for Roma/and Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the education of Roma and Travellers in Europe;

 

-

Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)9 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on mediation as an effective tool for promoting respect for human rights and social inclusion of Roma in Europe;

 

-

the Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the rise of anti-Gypsyism and racist violence against Roma in Europe adopted on 1 February 2012;

 

-

the Recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in the field of Roma, in particular 563 (1969), 1203 (1993), 1557 (2002), 1633 (2003), 1924 (2010), 1941 (2010) and 2003 (2012), and Parliamentary Assembly Resolutions 1740 (2010), 1760 (2010) and 1768 (2010);

 

-

Resolutions 125 (1981), 249 (1993), 16 (1995) and 44 (1997) and Recommendations 11 (1995) and 315 (2011) of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;

 

-

Council of Europe conventions, resolutions and recommendations relevant to Roma, including:

 

-the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

-the European Social Charter and the Revised European Social Charter;

-the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities;

-the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;

-the recommendations of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, in particular General Policy Recommendations No. 3, 7, 10 and 13.

 

 

Within the framework of the Council of Europe bi-annual Programme and Budget 2014-2015, under the programme “Roma: Promoting social inclusion and respect for human rights”, the Committee is instructed to:

 

i.

study, analyse and evaluate the implementation of policies (national programmes and/or action plans) and identify good practices of member states concerning Roma, with a view to promoting implementation of relevant Council of Europe standards and contributing to the European database on policies/good practices for the integration of Roma set up by the Council of Europe;

 

ii.

exchange information, views and experience on member states’ policies, good practices and measures relating to Roma at national, regional and local level, and in the context of relevant instruments of the Council of Europe, in order to assist member states in the development and implementation of effective policies for Roma integration, with due regard to the relevant standards and instruments of the Council of Europe and bearing in mind the specific situation in each member state;

 

iii.

prepare recommendations, advice and opinions for the Committee of Ministers, including ad hoc opinions on emerging issues requiring urgent attention;

 

iv.

draw up guidelines for the development and/or implementation of policies which promote the rights of the Roma, taking into account the findings of the relevant monitoring and other mechanisms of the Council of Europe;

 

v.

keep under review the situation of Roma in member states in the light of relevant legal instruments of the Council of Europe, without pursuing activities relating to monitoring;

 

vi.

prepare, review and evaluate its programme of activities and working methods and report back to the Committee of Ministers; receive reports and opinions from the relevant Council of Europe bodies and structures on any matter falling within these terms of reference.

 

 

The Committee will seek synergies with the work of other international organisations active in this area, in particular with the European Union.

 

5.

Composition of the Committee:

 

5.A

Members

 

 

Governments of member states are entitled to appoint representatives of the highest possible rank and with the following qualifications:

 

  • have specialised knowledge of the various issues relating to Roma (legal status, discrimination, health, education, employment, housing, social policy and political participation);

 

  • have direct experience of the Roma populations, their culture and way of life;

 

  • have a deep knowledge of the policies on Roma in their country and have a good knowledge of policies in other member states;

 

  • be in a position to serve as focal points between the Council of Europe and the authorities of their countries about any decisions, documents or recommendations drafted or adopted by the Committee;

 

 

  • be in close contact in their country with the Roma populations and the NGOs working in this area;

 

  • be able to speak and read in at least one of the official languages of the Council of Europe.

 

If a government designates more than one member, only one of them is entitled to take part in the voting.

 

The Council of Europe budget will bear the travel and subsistence expenses of one representative from each member state (two in the case of the state whose representative has been elected chair).

 

5.B

 

Participants

 

i.

 

The following committees may each send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of the corresponding CoE budget sub-head:

 

-the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH);

-the European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS);

-the Steering Committee for Education Policy and Practice (CDPPE);

-the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ);

-the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR);

-the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities;

-the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

 

ii.

 

The Parliamentary Assembly may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

 

iii.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

 

iv.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

 

v.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

 

vi.

The Council of Europe Development Bank may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

 

vii.

 

The Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of the sending body.

 

viii.

 

The European Union and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

 

ix.

 

The states with observer status with the Council of Europe (Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America) may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

 

x.

 

The following intergovernmental organisations may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses:

 

-the International Organisation for Migration (IOM);

-the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR);

 

-the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);

-the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);

-the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR);

-the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO);

-the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);

-the International Labour Organisation (ILO);

-the World Bank.

 

xi.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and/or Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe (UNICE) (“social partners”) may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

 

5.C

Observers

 

 

Having regard to the Partnership Agreement signed between the Council of Europe and the European Roma and Travellers Forum (ERTF) on 15 December 2004, the ERTF may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote. The Council of Europe budget will bear the travel and subsistence expenses of one ERTF representative, in derogation from Paragraph 9 of Resolution CM/Res(2011)24. This ERTF representative shall be designated by the President of the Forum.

 

The following non-governmental organisations may send (a) representative(s) to meetings of the Committee without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses:

 

-the European Roma Information Office (ERIO);

-the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC);

-the Open Society Foundations (OSF);

-the Decade of Roma Inclusion Secretariat Foundation;

-the Forum of European Roma Young People (FERYP);

-the Roma Education Fund (REF);

-the International Step by Step Association (ISSA);

-Amnesty International (AI);

-the Financial Mechanisms Office (EEA and Norway Grants).

 

6.

Working methods and structures:

 

 

In derogation from Article 6 of appendix 1 to Resolution CM/Res(2011)24, and in conformity of Article 17 of the same appendix, in addition to the official working languages of the Organisation (English, French), interpretation will be provided into the Romani language and the agenda translated into Romani for regular meetings whenever necessary and within the limits of available budgetary appropriations. Any adopted pertinent texts (e.g. opinions adopted by CAHROM or recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers) will be translated into Romani.

 

The Bureau of the Committee comprises three members, including the chair, the vice-chair and one other member of the Committee.

 

In order to pursue its tasks, the Committee may have recourse to ad hoc meetings of limited numbers of its members (usually the members of the Bureau), small groups of experts with specific tasks to be fulfilled between regular meetings, drafting committees, rapporteurs, consultants, hearings and, at the invitation of member states, field visits, within the budgetary resources available.

 

In particular, the Committee may form small thematic groups to study, analyse and evaluate, through an exchange of experiences, specific issues or areas identified by the Committee. Each thematic group is composed of one or two experts from countries wishing to benefit from the experience of other member states (requesting country) and a small number of experts (usually three or four) from countries wishing to transmit their experience in this area (partner countries). Experts of the thematic group are CAHROM members of the countries concerned or experts appointed by them. The requesting country, through the Secretariat of the Committee, invites the thematic group of experts to visit the country. Within the limits of available budgetary resources, these visits are organised in close collaboration between the requesting country and the Secretariat of the Committee. Thematic reports of the expert group are discussed by the Committee, which decides on their transmission for information to the Committee of Ministers.

 

The Committee holds two regular meetings a year, one of which should be possibly hosted by a member state. Arrangements with the host country shall ensure that the meeting will not entail additional costs for the Council of Europe.

 

7.

Duration:

 

 

These terms of reference will take effect on 1 January 2014 and will expire on 31 December 2015.

 

 

 

[1] The term “Roma” used at the Council of Europe refers to Roma, Sinti, Kale and related groups in Europe, including Travellers and the Eastern groups (Dom and Lom), and covers the wide diversity of the groups concerned, including persons who identify themselves as Gypsies.