Strasbourg, 14 November 2014

CDDECS-BU(2014)RAP 2

 

 

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL COHESION,

HUMAN DIGNITY AND EQUALITY

(CDDECS)

 

BUREAU

 

DRAFT ABRIDGED REPORT

2ND MEETING

 

26. September 2014

 

 

 

1. OPENING OF THE MEETING, ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND OF THE 1st MEETING REPORT

 

1.The Bureau of the European Committee for Social Cohesion, Human Dignity and Equality (CDDECS) held its 2nd meeting from 25 to 26 September 2014 in Paris.

2.The 1st meeting report is adopted with some amendments proposed by a member. The list of participants is in Appendix 1. The agenda was adopted as set out in Appendix 2.

 

2. DECISION ON THE MEMBERS OF THE DECS-ENF

 

3.The Bureau decided by consensus that the next 16 representatives of the Committee of Experts on the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the child (DECS-ENF) whose travel and subsistence expenses are to be borne by the Council of Europe in 2014 and 2015 are those from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Switzerland.

 

 

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CDDECS WORK PROGRAMME PRIORITIES

 

4.The Bureau examined the work programme and subsequent actions that have to  be taken by the Committee with regard to establishing priorities for its work.  In the ensuing debate, the Bureau underlined the difficulty in identifying topics given the CDDECS broad mandate and the necessity to avoid overlapping with the activities of the three subordinate committees. Some members stressed the importance of ensuring that the questions of social cohesion are given due attention and other members highlighted the importance to be given to examining the human rights standards with which the CDDECS has been entrusted. To conclude the Bureau decided to instruct the secretariat to send out a questionnaire to all members asking them to identify short and long terms priorities as well as possible themes for future exchange of views. In doing so, the members are invited to consult their national colleague in DECS-RPD, DECS-ENF and DECS-GEC. Replies have to be sent to the secretariat by 31 October 2014. The Bureau also decided to invite the three Chairs of the sub-committees for an exchange of views about the priority actions selected by the Committee.

 

4. PREPARATION OF THE 2ND CDDECS MEETING

 

4.1.Priorities of the thematic collection of recommendations, opinions and findings

 

5.Having examined the document prepared by the secretariat, the Bureau considered that a collection of information might be a difficult exercise in absence of clarity about the objective pursued and clear instruction about the adequate format. Some members underlined the necessity to avoid duplication with existing data already available. In view of a future discussion on this item, it might be useful to have a preliminary draft document presenting some examples of collection of recommendations on a specific subject.

 

4.2.Report from the 2014 Conference “Social cohesion - achievements and challenges in times of crisis”

6.The Chair, the Vice-Chair and one member of the Bureau, who participated at the Baku Conference, made oral reports.

 

4.3.Topics and possible speakers for the future Panel Discussions during CDDECS meetings

 

7.    The Bureau decided to invite the President of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment (CPT) for an exchange of views at the next CDDECS meeting in November 2014. Focus will be put on the situation of children in institution.

 

4.4.Draft questionnaires on child friendly health care and on child-friendly social services

 

8.The Bureau took note of the two Surveys prepared by the Childrens Rights’ Division, respectively on child friendly health care and on child-friendly social services. Some members made comments about the questions which are considered too vague. The Bureau decided to send for comment these two documents to all members in order to prepare the revised versions of the Surveys to be examined at the November meeting.

 

4.5.CDDECS participation in other Working Groups and Committees of the CoE

 

9.The Bureau decided that the nomination of CDDECS members, in case CDDECS is invited by other Council of Europe bodies to be represented in working groups, committees or other events, will be decided at the November meeting.

 

5. ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE 2ND CDDECS MEETING

 

10.The Bureau adopted a preliminary draft agenda for the 2nd CDDECS meeting on 18-20 November 2014.

 

 

6. TASKS AND WORKING METHODS OF THE BUREAU

 

11.The bureau confirmed the decisions taken during its 1rst meeting.

 

 

7. DRAFT REPLIES TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE MINISTERS

 

12.As regards the Recommendation.2045 (2014) on “Combating sexual violence against children: towards a successful conclusion of the ONE in FIVE Campaign”, the Bureau noted that the Committee of Ministers has already decided to prolong the Campaign and that no reply is needed.

 

13.As regards the Recommendation 2048(2014) on “Violence in and through the media” and the Recommendation 2050(2014) on “Europe’s public administrations in flux: public service under threat?” the Bureau decided that the secretariat will send the two draft replies to the Bureau members for comment. A revised version will be prepared by the Secretariat and send to all members for additional comments and then for adoption ad referendum before 31 October 2014 (deadline fixed by the Committee of Ministers).

 

 

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

14.The Bureau took note of the following future events on which additional information will be provided at the November meeting.

 

-High-level Conference on the European Social Charter in Turin on 17-18 October 2014

-Sami Event in Finland on 28-29 November 2014

-Conference on the “Best interest of the child” under the Belgian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe on 9-10 December 2014

 

9. DATES OF THE NEXT MEETINGS

 

15.The Bureau decided to hold its 3rd meeting on 20 November 2014 (during the CDDECS meeting) and the 3rd CDDECS meeting on 27-29 May 2015. 

 

Appendix I

 

 

Appendix 2

AGENDA

• Priorities of the thematic collection of recommendations, opinions and findings

 

• Report from the 2014 Conference “Social cohesion - achievements and challenges in times of crisis”

 

• Topics and possible speakers for the future Panel Discussions during CDDECS meetings

 

 

• Draft questionnaire on child friendly health care

 

-          CDDECS participation in other Working Groups and Committees of the CoE

 

ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE 2ND CDDECS MEETING

TASKS AND WORKING METHODS OF THE BUREAU

DRAFT REPLIES TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE MINISTERS

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

DATES OF THE NEXT MEETINGS