Secretariat general

Main tasks

Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, the CDDECS will oversee and co-ordinate the intergovernmental work of the Council of Europe in the fields of social cohesion, human dignity, equality and anti-discrimination, and advise the Committee of Ministers on all questions within its area of competence.

With the aim of securing the full enjoyment of and access to human rights, including social and economic rights, by all members of society, reducing the vulnerability of people and strengthening the fabric of sustainable democratic societies, the CDDECS will contribute to the promotion of solidarity and protection of human dignity, equality and equal opportunities for all, and the prevention and combatting of violence and discrimination on any ground. On the basis of the relevant Council of Europe strategies[1] and taking due account of relevant transversal perspectives, the CDDECS will enhance implementation of the related standards and policies in the member States and co-operate with other structures and bodies as appropriate. In particular, the CDDECS will:

1. oversee, promote and review the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy and Action Plan for Social Cohesion (2010) and develop appropriate tools to promote social cohesion, combat discrimination, marginalisation, social exclusion and poverty, to foster social justice and the social inclusion of vulnerable groups including migrants, to promote social protection, including its health dimension, to support the families and enlarge the provision of social and health care services;

2. support the implementation of the Gender Equality transversal programme, specifically by promoting and keeping under review the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the work of the Organisation; assisting the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy for Gender Equality 2014-2017; and promote measures to prevent and combat all forms of violence against women and to protect and support the victims;

3. support the implementation of the transversal programme “Building a Europe for and with Children” and of the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2012-2015; support the preparation of the Strategy for 2016-2019; and promote measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against children and to protect and support child victims of violence;

4. oversee the promotion, implementation, follow-up and final review of the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015, as well as the development of the Council of Europe post-2015 disability framework;

5. contribute, promote and support in its field of competence the implementation of standards, in particular through the promotion of the relevant Council of Europe conventions and the work carried out by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), supporting States in the exchange of good practice to address the problems highlighted by monitoring mechanisms, taking into account the activities of other international organisations, in particular the European Union, the United Nations and the OSCE;

6. carry out any further tasks on the basis of decisions that may be taken by the Committee of Ministers including with regard to the preparation and follow-up of Council of Europe conferences of ministers responsible for issues falling within its competence, in line with Resolution CM/Res(2011)7 on Council of Europe conferences of specialised ministers;

7. in accordance with decisions CM/Del/Dec(2013)1168/10.2 of the Committee of Ministers, carry out, at regular intervals, within the limits of the available resources and bearing in mind its priorities, an examination of some or all of the Conventions for which it has been given responsibility[2], and contribute to the examination of other Conventions that are relevant for the performance of the CDDECS’ tasks,[3] in co-operation, where appropriate, with other competent steering committees and the relevant convention-based bodies, and report back to the Committee of Ministers.

Pillar/Sector/Programme

Pillars: Human Rights / Democracy

Sectors: Promoting Human Rights / Participation

Programmes: Equality and diversity / Racism and intolerance / Minorities / Children’s rights/ Strengthening social cohesion

Expected results

1. the Council of Europe Strategy and Action Plan for Social Cohesion (2010) are promoted and implemented by member States, and in 2015 reviewed by the Committee;

2. the Council of Europe Strategy for Gender Equality 2014-2017 is promoted and implemented by member States; supervision is ensured in particular of activities aimed at reducing all forms of violence against women and domestic violence in the member States; exchange of good practices are promoted;

3. the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2012-2015 is promoted and implemented by member States, and the Strategy 2016-2019 is submitted to the Committee of Ministers for adoption by 31 December 2015; member States share experiences and examples of good practice on positive parenting and the provision of social and health care services to children and families; member States are supported in developing comprehensive and coherent strategies to eliminate violence against children and strengthening child-friendly mechanisms, services and systems;

4. the 3rd Conference of Ministers responsible for Social Cohesion (Baku, 2015) adopts a political declaration that will serve as a major guideline for future social cohesion policies;[4]

5. the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 is promoted, implemented by member States, and in 2015 reviewed and evaluated by the Committee; a post-2015 disability framework is developed;

6. relevant European conventions, including the European Code of Social Security (ETS No. 48), the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ETS No. 148), the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ETS No. 157), the Revised European Social Charter (CETS No. 163), the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS No. 197), the Convention on the protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201), and the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210) are promoted and their implementation is enhanced.

Composition

Members:

Governments of member States are invited to designate one representative of the highest possible rank and expertise in the relevant fields, with responsibility at the national level for the planning, development and implementation of policies relevant to the work of the Committee and appointed by their governments to co-ordinate at national level all elements of government policy relevant to the work of the Committee.

The Council of Europe 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).

Member States may send other representatives without defrayal of expenses.

Each member of the committee shall have one vote. Where a government designates more than one member, only one of them is entitled to take part in the voting.

In accordance with decisions CM/Del/Dec(2013)1168/10.2 of the Committee of Ministers, in cases where there is no convention-based body including all the Parties, non-member States are invited to take part, with a right to vote, in the committee meetings pertaining to the conventions to which they are Parties.

Participants:

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and at the charge of their corresponding administrative budgets:

- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;

- Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;

- European Court of Human Rights;

- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights;

- Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe;

- Council of Europe Development Bank;

- Committees or other bodies of the Council of Europe engaged in related work, as appropriate;

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- European Union, including, as appropriate, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND);

- Observer States to the Council of Europe: Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America;

- States Party to the European Cultural Convention that are not member States of the Council of Europe;

- Countries concerned with the Council of Europe policy towards neighbourhood regions;

- United Nations including its specialised agencies, programmes, funds and other entities;

- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);

- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE);

- Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues (NVC) under the aegis of the Nordic Council of Ministers;

- European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and Conference of European Business (EUROBUSINESS) (“social partners”)

Observers:

- Amnesty International;

- Children’s Rights International Network (CRIN);

- Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union (COFACE);

- End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT international);

- European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD);

- European Disability Forum (EDF);

- European Network of Ombudspeople for Children (ENOC);

- European Roma[5] and Travellers Forum (ERTF);

- European Women’s Lobby and Women against Violence in Europe (WAVE)

- European Youth Forum (YFJ);

- Human Rights Watch;

- International Observatory of Juvenile Justice (OIJJ);

- International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates;

- Missing Children Europe;

- Save the Children;

- European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET).

Working methods

Meetings:

48 members, 2 meetings in 2014, 3 days

48 members, 2 meetings in 2015, 3 days

Bureau:

9 members, 3 meetings in 2014, 2 days

9 members, 3 meetings in 2015, 2 days

The rules of procedure of the Committee are governed by Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

The Committee will also appoint a Gender Equality Rapporteur from amongst its members.

Subordinate structure

The CDDECS provides a co-ordinating supervising and monitoring role in the functioning of its subordinate body:

- Committee of experts on the rights of people with disabilities (DECS-RPD) (see separate terms of reference)

- Gender Equality Commission (DECS-GEC) (see separate terms of reference)

- Committee of experts on the Council of Europe strategy for the rights of the child 2016-2019 (DECS-ENF) (see separate terms of reference)

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

2

3

48

138 200

44 400

-

1.25 A ; 1 B

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

2

3

48

138 200

44 400

-

1.25 ; 1 B

CDDECS

12

European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes Relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

13

European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

14

European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance

20

Agreement on the Exchange of War Cripples between Member Countries of the Council of Europe with a view to Medical Treatment

33

Agreement on the Temporary Importation, free of duty, of Medical, Surgical and Laboratory Equipment for use on free loan in Hospitals and other Medical Institutions for purposes of Diagnosis or Treatment

38

European Agreement on Mutual Assistance in the matter of Special Medical Treatments and Climatic Facilities

40

Agreement between the Member States of the Council of Europe on the issue to Military and Civilian War-Disabled of an International Book of Vouchers for the repair of Prosthetic and Orthopaedic Appliances

59

European Agreement on the Instruction and Education of Nurses

64

European Agreement on the Restriction of the Use of certain Detergents in Washing and Cleaning Products

68

European Agreement on Au Pair Placement

78

European Convention on Social Security

78A

Supplementary Agreement for the Application of the European Convention on Social Security

83

European Convention on the Social Protection of Farmers

93

European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers

154

Protocol to the European Convention on Social Security

197

Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

210

Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence

Main tasks

Under the supervision of the European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS), the DECS-GEC will conduct the intergovernmental work in the field of gender equality assigned to it by the Committee of Ministers. The DECS-GEC will:

1. ensure that a gender perspective is maintained in the activities of other committees and bodies of the Organisation;

2. conduct needs’ assessments and advise on the development of standards, co-operation and monitoring activities within its field of competence;

3. provide expertise to member States on the development of legislation, policies, practice, training schemes and awareness material to support implementation of internationally agreed standards at national level;

4. support the implementation of the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy (2014-17);

5. Support a network of national focal points from government, parliaments, local authorities, civil society and business for the purposes of achieving real change on gender equality in member States;

6. annually identify a topic of particular relevance in the field of gender equality and organise an annual thematic conference to exchange experience, good practices and facilitate progress on this topic;

7. advise, through the CDDECS, the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General on appropriate action to be taken and likewise provide advice as requested on such questions as may arise;

8. engage in co-ordination and joint planning at international level with the European Union, UN Women and other intergovernmental organisations and civil society;

9. advise on gender equality issues within the Secretariat of the Organisation;

(x)in accordance with decisions CM/Del/Dec(2013)1168/10.2 of the Committee of Ministers, carry out, at regular intervals, within the limits of the available resources and bearing in mind its priorities, an examination of some or all of the conventions for which it has been given responsibility[6]29, in co-operation, where appropriate, with the relevant convention-based bodies, and report back to the Committee of Ministers.

Pillar/Sector/Programme

Pillar: Human Rights

Sector: Promoting Human Rights

Programme: Equality and Diversity

Expected results

1. gender equality remains a visible priority for the Organisation (internal and external).

2. the 2009 Madrid Declaration and the 2010 Baku Action Plan are being implemented.

3. the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy (2014-17) is being implemented.

4. the implementation of gender equality standards at national level is enhanced.

5. the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (CETS 210) and the Council of Europe Convention Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS 197 are promoted.

6. combating all forms of violence against women and domestic violence is included on the political agendas of the Council of Europe member States and beyond; awareness is raised within public in general, victims are supported and perpetrators are prosecuted.

7. the implementation of relevant Committee of Ministers’ recommendations is reviewed.

8. the visibility of the Council of Europe’s standards is enhanced at United Nations level.

9. co-operation with relevant UN agencies, namely UN Women and relevant UN Special Rapporteurs and participation in relevant meetings (UN Commission on the Status of Women, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Human Rights Committee, events and conferences organised by UN Women), the World Bank, the OAS, OSCE, OECD as well as at the European Union level, by co-operation with the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), with the aim of strengthening equality and enhancing women’s rights as an integral part of universal human rights.

Composition

Members:

Governments of member States are invited to designate one or more representatives of the government of the highest possible rank in the field of gender equality.

Each member of the Commission shall have one vote. Where a government designates more than one member, only one of them is entitled to take part in the voting.

The CDDECS will decide, according to a method that it will determine as the most appropriate and which will ensure rotation, on 16 representatives[7] whose travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe. When deciding, the CDDECS will take account of the equitable geographic distribution amongst the member States and the gender equality dimension.

Participants:
 

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and at the charge of their corresponding administrative budgets:

- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;

- Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;

- European Court of Human Rights;

- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights;

- Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe;

- Committees or other bodies of the Council of Europe engaged in related work, as appropriate.

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- European Union (one or more representatives, including, as appropriate, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE));

- Observer States to the Council of Europe: Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America;

- Representatives of other international organisations: Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) (including ODIHR), United Nations (including UN-Women and other relevant UN agencies).

Observers:

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, European Women’s Lobby and WAVE (Women against Violence in Europe).

Working methods

Meetings:

47 members of which 16 members’ travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe, 2 meetings in 2014, 3 days

47 members of which 16 members’ travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe, 2 meetings in 2015, 3 days

The Gender Equality Commission is an integral part of the Council of Europe Transversal Programme on Gender Equality. With a view to fulfilling its main tasks, the GEC will maintain close links with other elements of the Transversal Programme, notably with the National Focal Points on gender equality.

The Gender Equality Commission will engage in a regular exchange of views with the CM Thematic Co-ordinator on Equality and Trafficking (TC-ET) and Gender Equality Rapporteurs appointed by the respective steering committees and/or monitoring bodies of the Council of Europe.

The rules of procedure of the Committee are governed by Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

The Chair or Vice–Chair of DECS-GEC may be invited to attend the meetings of the CDDECS and its Bureau in order to inform them on progress with its work.

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

2

3

47[8]

54 700

-

-

2 A ; 1.5 B

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

2

3

47

54 700

-

-

2 A ; 1.5 B

DECS-GEC

197

Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

210

Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence

Main tasks

Under the supervision of the European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS), the Committee on the Council of Europe strategy for the Rights of the Child 2016-2019 is entrusted with:

1. the preparation of a report on the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child 2012-2015;

2. the draft Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child 2016-2019 to be submitted to the Committee of Ministers for adoption by 31 December 2015.

3. building on the knowledge and experience of the Council of Europe Network of National Focal Points on the Rights of the Child;

4. conducting a consultation with the Council of Europe member States, international organisations and partners, experts and NGOs working in the area of the rights of the child with the view of fostering synergies and complementarity.

Pillar/Sector/Programme

Pillar: Human Rights

Sector: Promoting Human Rights

Programme: Children’s Rights

Expected results

1. Take stock of the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2012-2015).

2. Undertake consultation to assess needs and opportunities in the field of children’s rights and advise on action to be taken by the Council of Europe in this area.

3. Agree on a draft Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2019) to be presented to the Committee of Ministers for adoption by 31 December 2015.

Composition

Members:

Governments of member States are invited to designate one or more representative of the highest possible rank, with wide expertise and high responsibilities in the field of children’s rights.

Each member of the Committee shall have one vote. Where a government designates more than one member, only one of them is entitled to take part in the voting.

The CDDECS will decide, according to a method that it will determine as the most appropriate, on 16 representatives whose travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe. When deciding, the CDDECS will take account of the equitable geographic distribution amongst the member States and the gender equality dimension.

Participants :

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and at the charge of their administrative budgets:

- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;

- Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the of the Council of Europe;

- European Court of Human Rights;

- European Committee of Social Rights;

- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights;

- relevant Council of Europe intergovernmental committees;

- Conference of INGOs.

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- Observer States to the Council of Europe: Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America;

- European Union: one or more representatives, including the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), European Working Group on Children;

- Other international organisations including: United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR); World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (UN SRSG VAC), International Organisation of the Francophonie’s (OIF), Council of the Baltic States (CBSS).

Observers:

The following (non-exhaustive list) may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- Belarus;

- Countries concerned with the Council of Europe policy towards neighbourhood regions;

- Eurochild;

- European Network of Ombudspeople for Children (ENOC);

- Children’s Rights Information Network (CRIN);

- Inter-agency Panel on Juvenile justice (IPJJ);

- End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT international);

- Save the Children;

- SOS Children’s Villages;

- Missing Children Europe;

- Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union (COFACE);

- International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates;

- Other civil society and representatives of professional communities (to be determined).

Working methods

Meetings:

47 members of which 16 members’ travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe, 1 meeting in 2014, 2 days

47 members of which 16 members’ travel and subsistence expenses will be borne by the Council of Europe, 2 meetings in 2015, 2 days

The Committee is an integral part of the Council of Europe Transversal Programme “Building a Europe for and with Children”. With a view to fulfilling its main tasks, the Committee will maintain close links with other elements of the Transversal Programme, notably with the Network of National Focal Points on the Rights of the Child;

The Committee will also appoint a Gender Equality Rapporteur from amongst its members.

The rules of procedure of the Committee are governed by Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

1

2

47[9]

26 300

-

-

0.5 A ; 0.5 B

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

2

2

47

37 600

-

-

1 A ; 1 B

Main tasks

Under the supervision of the European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS), the DECS-RPD shall:

1. assist member States in the promotion, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the national measures taken in pursuance of Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation Rec(2006)5: “Council of Europe Action Plan to promote the rights and full participation of people with disabilities in society: improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in Europe 2006-2015” (‘Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015’), the anti-discriminatory provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5), the European Social Charter and in particular of Article 15 of the revised European Social Charter (ETS No. 163), and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), by developing and strengthening relevant targeted and mainstream policies and standards founded on the social and human rights-based model of disability, with particular focus on the issues of empowerment of people with disabilities and their participation in the life of society;

2. provide a platform for the exchange of information, experience, knowledge and examples of innovative practices in a structured way, and for the development of co-operation and technical assistance projects;

3. effectively co-ordinate relevant intergovernmental and intra-institutional co-operation in this area, as well as co-operation with interested international organisations and observers, including civil society, and in particular organisations of and for people with disabilities;

4. identify opportunities for Council of Europe input and/or complementary action and programmes, taking into account the activities of other international organisations, in particular the European Union, the United Nations and the OSCE;

5. elaborate proposals for the Council of Europe post-2015 five-year disability framework (post Disability Action Plan frame) based on the evaluation of the implementation of the Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 in member States.

Pillar/Sector/Programme

Pillar: Human Rights
Sector: Promoting Human Rights
Programme: Equality and Diversity

Expected results

Targeted policies and standards are established or strengthened to improve the protection of the rights of

people with disabilities, notably through:

1. evaluation of the implementation of the Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 and establishment of priority fields of action for the period from 2016 until 2020.

2. exchange of good practices in the national implementation of the Disability Action Plan, in particular of Action Lines No. 1 (Participation in political and public life) and No. 12 (Legal protection) and Recommendation CM/Rec(2011)14 on the participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life.

3. promotion of independent living and participation of people with disabilities in cultural life in the light of the Disability Action Plan’s Lines No. 2 (Participation in cultural life), No. 6 (The built environment), No. 7 (Transport), No. 8 (Community living), and of a forthcoming Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation on ensuring full, equal and effective participation of persons with disabilities in culture, sports, tourism and leisure activities (to be adopted by the Committee of Ministers’ in late 2013 or early 2014).

Standards and analyses of policies concerning people with disabilities, in particular vulnerable groups such as women, children and young people with disabilities, are promoted and disseminated to relevant stakeholders.

Composition

Members:

Governments of member States are invited to appoint representatives with the relevant qualifications and/or responsibility in the field of protection and promotion of the rights of people with disabilities. The competencies of member States’ representatives to the Committee should correspond to the comprehensive multidisciplinary nature of the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015, and to the objectives to be reached during the years 2014-2015.

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

Member States may send other representatives without defrayal of expenses.

Each member of the committee shall have one vote. Where a government designates more than one member, only one of them is entitled to take part in the voting.

Participants:

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and at the charge of their corresponding administrative budgets:

- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;

- Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;

- European Court of Human Rights;

- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights;

- Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe.

- Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter and of the European Code of Social Security;

- Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS);

- Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB);

- Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH);

- European Committee on Legal Cooperation (CDCJ);

- Joint Council on Youth (CMJ);

- Gender Equality Commission (DECS-GEC);

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

- Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP);

- Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI);

- Other Council of Europe intergovernmental committees as appropriate.

The following may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- The European Union (including as appropriate the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA));

- Observer States to the Council of Europe: Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America;

- United Nations Organisation (UN);

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

- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);

- World Health Organization (WHO);

- International Labour Organisation (ILO);

- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);

- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR);

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

- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);

- Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues (NVC) under the aegis of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Observers:

The following organisations may send representatives, without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses:

- European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD);

- European Disability Forum (EDF);

- Rehabilitation International (RI).

Working methods

Meetings:

48 members, 1 meeting in 2014, 3 days

48 members, 1 meeting in 2015, 3 days

The Committee will also appoint a Gender Equality Rapporteur from amongst its members.

The Committee may appoint other rapporteurs or a drafting committee or both, in particular with a view to defining new priorities in the field of disability-related policies for the period from 2016 to 2020.

The Committee’s work shall include relevant transversal perspectives, inter alia, on children, youth, gender and ageing of people with disabilities, in all areas of their work.

The rules of procedure of the Committee are governed by Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

1

3

48

66 400

-

39 300

1.25 A ; 1 B

Meetings

per year

Number

of days

Members

Plenary

€

Bureau

€

Subordinate structures/
Working groups

Secretariat
(A, B)

1

3

48

66 400

-

39 300

1.25 A ; 1 B