Ministers' Deputies
CM Documents

CM(2000)111 29 August 2000
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724 Meeting, 4 October 2000
6 Social cohesion

6.2 European Population Committee (CDPO)
Abridged report of the 25th meeting (Strasbourg, 21-23 June 2000)

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1. The European Population Committee (CDPO) held its 25th meeting in Strasbourg from 21 to 23 June 2000. The list of participants and the agenda appear in Appendices 1 and 2 respectively.

2. As regards the proposed restructuring of the Population sector, the CDPO regretted that it had not been possible to ask it to discuss the principle of such a radical measure rather than the manner in which it would be implemented. Nevertheless, considering that the proposed new structures would substantially reduce budgetary costs whilst ensuring, at least to some degree, the continuation of intergovernmental co-operation in population matters, it agreed to react positively to the new circumstances and to accept the proposed new structures, i.e.:

- an open-ended 15 member (+ Chairperson) ad hoc committee of experts (called "European Population Committee" (in abbreviation CAHP), which would take up the functions of the present CDPO and those of its Groups of specialists;

- a rotation system allowing all the member States to be represented in that committee within a period of five years;

- a web-site based European Population Network (EPN) (involving little or no cost) in which all the member States would be represented;

- a policy-oriented European Population Conference, financed by voluntary contributions, meeting at appropriate intervals, subject to the decisions of the Committee of Ministers.

3. The CDPO adopted the terms of reference of the new European Population Committee (CAHP) as they appear in Appendix III and submitted them to the Committee of Ministers for adoption. It also agreed on a rotation system (Appendix IV) as well as on the aims, membership, working methods and duration of the European Population Network, as appended to the CAHP terms of reference, which it also submits to the Committee of Ministers for adoption.

4. The CDPO welcomed the proposal to develop a much closer co-operation between the new CAHP and the European Committee on Social Cohesion (CDCS), and expressed willingness to respond positively to any request for co-operation and technical expertise in the area of demographic and social indicators.

5. As regards the activities on "Fertility and new types of households and family formation in Europe" and "Trends in mortality and differential mortality", the CDPO was presented with the respective reports from the two Groups of specialists (PO-S-FF and PO-S-MT) which dealt with these projects, and considered that the studies prepared by the consultants were to be published in the Population Studies series.

6. As concerns the activities on "The demographic characteristics of immigrant populations", "The demographic consequences of economic transition in countries of Central and Eastern Europe" and "The demographic implications of social exclusion", the CDPO took note of the state of progress of the work of the three respective Groups of specialists (PO-S-MIG, PO-S-TEC and PO-S-ES), whose terms of reference will expire on 31 December 2001.

7. With respect to the 2000 issue of the report "Recent demographic developments in Europe", the CDPO noted that a draft common questionnaire designed to collect demographic data from the National Statistical Offices of all the European countries had been drawn up by a working group comprising representatives from the Council of Europe, Eurostat, the UN/ECE and UNSD, in order to alleviate the burden of national statistical administrations and to harmonise international concepts and methods in the collection and publication of demographic data.

8. With reference to the future activities of the new European Population Committee (CAHP), the CDPO noted that 2001 would be a transition year, in which that committee would meet only once and the three Groups of specialists (PO-S-MIG, PO-S-TEC and PO-S-ES) would conclude their work in compliance with their terms of reference. As regards subsequent years, the CDPO made a number of suggestions concerning possible areas of activity, which that committee would discuss at its first meeting in 2001 (5-7 February).

Albania/Albanie : Mr Fatmir DEMNERI, Expert, Migration Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Andorra/Andorre : -

Austria/Autriche : Mr Richard GISSER, Population Statistics Division, Statistics Austria

Belgium/Belgique : Prof. Dr. Robert L. CLIQUET (Chairman/ Président)

Prof. Dr. Thérèse JACOBS, Director, Population and Family Study Centre (CBGS)

M. Marc DEBUISSON, Attaché scientifique, Service des Etudes et de la Statistique, Ministère Région Wallonne

M. André DONEUX, Institut National de Statistique

Bulgaria/Bulgarie: Mme Penka Ivanova NAYDENOVA, Prof. Dr., Directeur Adjoint, Institut de démographie, Académie des Sciences

Croatia/Croatie: Mme Snjezana MRDJEN, Professeur de Géographie, Faculté de Philosophie de Zadar, Département de Géographie

Cyprus/Chypre : Mrs Ioanna CHAPPA, Senior Statistics Officer, Statistical Service, Ministry of Finance

Czech Republic/République tchèque : Mr Zdenek PAVLIK, Professor, Charles University, Faculty of Sciences

Denmark/Danemark : Prof. Poul Christian MATTHIESSEN, Carlsbergfondet

Estonia/Estonie : Professor Kalev KATUS, Director, The Estonian Interuniversity Population Research Center (Vice-Chairman/Vice-Président)

Finland/Finlande : Mr Mauri NIEMINEN, Senior Adviser, Statistics Finland

France : M. Pierre-Alain AUDIRAC, Chef du Bureau des questions démographiques, Direction de la Population et des Migrations, Ministère de l’emploi et de la solidarité

M. Jacques VERON, Délégué aux Relations Internationales, Institut national d’études démographiques (INED)

Georgia/Géorgie : -

Germany/Allemagne : Mrs Prof. Dr Charlotte HÖHN, Director, Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung

Mrs Dr Marie Luise STREECK, Bundesministerium des Innern

Greece/Grèce : Mrs Lemonia ANDRITSOPOULOU, Population Division, National Statistical Service, Ministry of National Economy

Hungary/Hongrie : Dr Andras KLINGER, President, Demographic Committee, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Iceland/Islande : -

Ireland/Irlande : Mr Aidan PUNCH, Senior Statistician, Central Statistics Office

Italy/Italie : Professor Raimondo CAGIANO DE AZEVEDO, Università di Roma, Facoltà di Economia e Commercio, Dipartimento di Statistica

Latvia/Lettonie : Professor Edvins VANAGS, Dr. hab. oec., Director, Latvian Statistical Institute

Liechtenstein : apologized for absence/excusé

Lithuania/Lituanie : Mrs Virginija EIDUKIENE, Head, Demographic Statistics Division, Lithuanian Department of Statistics

Luxembourg : (apologized for absence/excusé)

Malta/Malte : Mr Reno CAMILLERI, Central Office of Statistics

Moldova : Mr Lilian DARII, Third Secretary, Department for European Integration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Netherlands/Pays-Bas : Mr Nico van NIMWEGEN, Deputy Director, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)

Norway/Norvège : Mr Lars OSTBY, Director of Research, Section for Demography and Living Conditions, Statistics Norway

Poland/Pologne : Mrs Ewa FRATCZAK, PhD. Associate Professor, Academic Teacher, Institute of Statistics and Demography, Warsaw School of Economics

Mr Andrzej OCHOCKI, Secretary General, Governmental Population Council

Portugal : Mme Maria-José CARRILHO, Directeur adjoint, Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, Gabinete de Estudos/Area Demografica e Social

Romania/Roumanie : Mrs Aura Mihaela ZAMFIRESCU, Director, Office for Demographic Studies and Projections, National Commission for Statistics

Russian Federation/Fédération de Russie: -

Slovak Republic/République slovaque : Mr Peter GURAN, Director General, Family Policy Section, Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Slovenia/Slovénie : Mme Milivoja SIRCELJ, Demographer, Statistical Office

Spain/Espagne : -

Sweden/Suède : Mr Hans LUNDSTROEM, Senior Statistician, Statistics Sweden (Statistiska Centralbyraan)

Switzerland/Suisse : M. Werner HAUG, Vice-Directeur, Chef de la Division de la population et de l'emploi, Office fédéral de la statistique, Département de l'intérieur

«The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia»/«l'Ex-République yougoslave de Macédoine»: Mrs Marina MIJOVSKA, Head of the Department of Vital Statistics, Statistical Office, Migration and Population Projections

Turkey/Turquie : Mr Cem BEHAR, Professor, Bogaziçi University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Economics

Ukraine: Dr Alexander TSVIETKOV, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

United-Kingdom/Royaume Uni : Mrs Judith WALTON, Divisional Director, Population and Vital Statistics Division, Office for National Statistics

*

* *

Professor Hans-Joachim HOFFMANN-NOWOTNY, Soziologisches Institut der Universität Zürich

Dott. Antonella PINNELLI, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Dipartimento di Scienze Demografiche

M. Jean-Paul SARDON, Observatoire démographique européen, Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Mr Tapani VALKONEN, University of Helsinki, Department of Sociology, Population Research Unit

M. Jacques VALLIN, Directeur de Recherche, Institut National de Recherches Démographiques (INED)

*

* *

CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE (CLRAE) / CONGRES DES POUVOIRS LOCAUX ET REGIONAUX DE L’EUROPE (CPLRE) : Mrs Sandra BARNES, Councillor, Towcester, Northants

*

* *

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION/CONSEIL DE L’UNION EUROPEENNE: apologised for absence/excusé

EUROPEAN COMMISSION/COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

M. Fernando GIL-ALONSO, Commission Européenne, Direction Générale Emploi et Affaires sociales

OBSERVERS/OBSERVATEURS :

Armenia/Arménie: Madame Narine NIKOLIAN, Chef de la Division des Relations Bilatérales, Département Européen, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères de la République d’Arménie

Azerbaijan/Azerbaïdjan: Mr Shamsaddin KHANBABAYEV, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population

Belarus: Ms Elena SHAKURO, Second Secretary, Department of Humanitarian Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Bosnia and Herzegovina/Bosnie et Herzégovine: -

Holy See/Saint-Siège : M. Jean-Didier LECAILLON, Professeur de Sciences Economiques

Japan/Japon : -

United States of America/Etats-Unis d’Amérique :

European Association for Population Studies/Association européenne pour l’étude de la population (EAPS): Mr Nico van NIMWEGEN, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI)

Mr Franco MILLICH, Head of the Population Division/Chef de la Division de la Population, Directorate General III-Social Cohesion/Direction Générale III-Cohésion sociale, Directorate of Social Affairs and Health/ Direction des Affaires sociales et de la Santé (Secretary to the Committee/Secrétaire du Comité)

Mr José CREMADES, Principal Administrative Officer/Administrateur principal, Directorate General III-Social Cohesion/Direction Générale III-Cohésion sociale, Directorate of Social Affairs and Health/ Direction des Affaires sociales et de la Santé, Population Division/Division de la Population (Co-Secretary to the Committee/Co-Secrétaire du Comité)

Mrs Hélène DOYTCHINOV, Assistante administrative/Administrative Assistant, Directorate General III-Social Cohesion/Direction Générale III-Cohésion sociale, Directorate of Social Affairs and Health/ Direction des Affaires sociales et de la Santé, Population Division/Division de la Population

Mrs Michèle GASPARATO, Secretary/Secrétaire, Directorate General III-Social Cohesion/Direction Générale III-Cohésion sociale, Directorate of Social Affairs and Health/ Direction des Affaires sociales et de la Santé, Population Division/Division de la Population

i. Opening of the meeting

ii. Adoption of the agenda

iii. Communication by the chair and the secretariat

iv. Fertility and new types of households and family formation in Europe

v. Trends in mortality and differential mortality

vi. Future activities

vii. 2000 and 2001 issues of the report "recent demographic developments in Europe"

viii. The demographic characteristics of immigrant populations

ix. The demographic consequences of economic transition in countries of central and eastern Europe

x. The demographic implications of social exclusion

xi. Glossary of demographic terminology

xii. Reports on the demographic situation in the new council of Europe member states

xiii. Any other business

xiv. Date and place of the first meeting of the new European population committee (CAHP)

European Population Committee (CAHP)

Ad hoc Committee of Experts

Committee of Ministers

With reference to the statutory aim of the Council of Europe to achieve greater unity among its members and to promote economic and social progress, the European Population Committee acting in co-operation with other Council of Europe bodies, and in particular the European Committee on Social Cohesion (CDCS), is entrusted with the task of implementing the Intergovernmental Programme of Activities in the population field. It shall in particular:

i. organise the annual publication of the report "Recent demographic developments in Europe";

ii. collect, in co-operation with the European Union and the United Nations, population data and demographic indicators from the National Statistical Offices of member States;

iii. analyse the main demographic trends in Europe and their interaction with social cohesion policies, notably in such areas as family and fertility, the labour market, migration and integration of migrants, health and mortality, the elderly, minorities;

iv. organise, in co-operation with other international organisations and at appropriate intervals, subject to the Committee of Ministers’ decisions, policy-oriented European population conferences;

v. make proposals for defining and carrying out technical assistance programmes in the area of population for countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.

a. The Committee consists of 15 members (+ Chairperson) with the following qualifications: senior national officials responsible for analysing population trends or other specialists called upon to advise governments on demographic questions. The members are appointed by the member States, for a two-year term on the basis of a fair rotation system. Their travel and subsistence expenses are met by the Council of Europe budget.

The other member States may send representatives with the same qualifications as above, to participate in the Committee meetings.

b. The Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) may send a representative to the meetings of the Committee.

c. The Council of the European Union and the European Commission may send a representative, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses, to meetings of the Committee.

d. The following observers with the Council of Europe may send a representative without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses to meetings of the Committee:

Canada

Holy See

Japan

Mexico

United States of America.

e. The following observers with the Committee may send representatives, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses ² :

* Armenia (2)

* Azerbaijan (3)

* Belarus (1)

* Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Revised: (1) See CM/Del/Dec(96)555, item 6.1 and CM(95)169, Appendix III.

(2) See CM/Del/Dec(96)557, item 2.1

CM/Del/Dec(98)615, item 6.2 and Appendix 3.

(3) See CM/Del/Dec(99)655, item 2.1.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Regional Office for Europe of the World Heath Organisation (WHO)

International Planned Parenthood Federation – Europe Region (IPPF)

European Association for Population Studies (EAPS)

International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP)

Committee for International Co-ordination of National Research in Demography (CICRED).

The Committee shall meet twice a year. It may call on the services of consultants.

The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by the Committee for a one-year term. They can be re-elected once.

The Committee and the European Population Network (EPN), the aims, composition and working methods of which are herewith appended, shall work in close co-operation with each other for the fulfilment of these terms of reference.

At the end of its first period of 3 years, the Committee shall prepare an assessment report of its activities and performance, for the attention of the Committee of Ministers.

These terms of reference shall apply for a period of three years, from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2003. They can be renewed by the Committee of Ministers.

A European Population Network (EPN), operating through modern telecommunication means, is set up with the following functions:

- to circulate, among its members, information, documentation and publications relating to the intergovernmental programme of activities in the field of population;

- to make it possible for its members to give opinions and advice regarding issues addressed by the CAHP and to reply to any requests for opinions, information and participation to the activities in progress, stemming from that Committee or the Secretariat;

- to facilitate, by virtue of the rotation system, the participation, in turn, of the government representatives of all the member States in the work of the CAHP.

The governments of the member States shall appoint their representatives on the Network.

The Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) may join the Network.

The Council of the European Union and the European Commission, as well as the States, international organisations and institutions having observer status with the CAHP, may also join the Network.

The Network operates via an internet site set up at the Council of Europe Headquarters (Directorate of Social Affairs and Health). The site is accessible to all its members through a password and contains all the documentation concerning Council of Europe activities in the population field as well as the list of all the Network members. It is regularly updated.

The Network is set up for a trial period of three years, from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2003. It may be renewed.

Country-specific timetable

1 Subject to decisions of the member States concerned, to ensure continuity with the work of the CDPO, in 2001 the 7 members of the last Bureau of the CDPO will be members of the CAHP for a one year term.

2 Subject to specific rules applicable to States marked by*.

3 The four remaining seats could be filled by possible new member States.