Ministers' Deputies
Notes on the Agenda



692 Meeting, 15 [-16] December 1999
10 Legal Questions

10.1 Ad hoc Committee of experts on the legal aspects of territorial asylum, refugees and stateless persons (CAHAR)

1. Abridged report of the 48th meeting (Strasbourg, 13-15 October 1999)
2. Draft Recommendation No R (99) ... of the Committee of Ministers to member States on family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of international protection

Notes(99)1038 (restricted) 8 December 1999

Reference documents:

- CM(99)163
- Addendum to CM(99)163

Action

The Deputies are invited (under a.) to approve the modifications made by CAHAR to its work programme for 2000 and (under b.) to adopt the draft Recommendation on family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of international protection.

The Ad hoc Committee of experts on the legal aspects of territorial asylum, refugees and stateless persons (CAHAR) held its 48th meeting in Strasbourg on 13-15 October 1999. The abridged report of the meeting will be found in CM(99)163.

At that meeting, CAHAR completed its initial examination of the draft recommendation on temporary protection, which it forwarded to its subordinate Committee CAHAR-TP for finalisation of the drafting, and decided to consult the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG), the European Committee on Migration (CDMG) and the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) about the situation of women refugees in Europe, on the basis of Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1374 (1998) and a decision of the Committee of Ministers.

CAHAR also examined proposals for activities to be carried out in 2000 and beyond and determined its priorities. In this connection, it noted:

- that it had completed its work on family reunion by adopting the draft Recommendation and hence it was no longer necessary to include this item in the CAHAR programme for 2000; on the other hand, the work on temporary protection which had not been completed should still be included;

- the situation of women refugees in Europe, on which CAHAR had been asked for an opinion, would not require the involvement of a working group; instead CAHAR proposed that the funds already provided be re-allocated to the priority theme of detention of asylum-seekers;

- finally, CAHAR proposed that the theme of subsidiary protection should also be given priority treatment by a CAHAR working group.

Given that these proposals for reprioritisation will have no effect on the budget, CAHAR proposes that the Deputies adopt them and that they be incorporated into the final version of the programme of activities for 2000.

The Committee of Ministers is also invited to take note of the abridged report of the meeting as a whole (CM(99)163).

b. Draft Recommendation No R(99) .. of the Committee of Ministers to member States on family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of international protection

CAHAR approved the draft recommendation on family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of international protection, which it submits to the Committee of Ministers for adoption (CM(99)163 Addendum). The Deputies are also invited to authorise publication of the corresponding explanatory memorandum.

10.1

(CM(99)163 and Addendum)

The Deputies

1 approved the modifications made by CAHAR to the activities included in the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities for 2000 and whose implementation it ensures;

2 taking into account decision 1 above, took note of the abridged report of the 48th meeting of CAHAR as a whole (CM(99)163).

10.1

(CM(99)163 and Addendum)

The Deputies adopted Recommendation No. R (99) … on family reunion for refugees and other persons in need of international protection, as it appears in Appendix .. to the present volume of Decisions <cf. CM(99)163 Addendum> and authorised publication of the corresponding explanatory memorandum.