Ministers’ Deputies

Notes on the Agenda

CM/Notes/920/4.3   10 March 2005[1]

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920 Meeting, 23 March 2005
4 Human rights

4.3 Ad hoc Committee on action against trafficking in human beings (CAHTEH)

a. Abridged report of the 8th meeting (Strasbourg, 22-25 February 2005)

b. Draft Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings

Reference documents
CM/Del/Dec(2005)916/1.3, 917/4.3, CM(2005)32 and Addenda 1 and 2

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Action In the light of the debate to be held in this respect at the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, on 18 March 2005 and of the discussions in progress within the European Community, to resume consideration of: - the abridged report of the 8th CAHTEH meeting (CM(2005)32) with a view to taking note thereof, - the draft Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings, with a view of its adoption (CM(2005)32-Add 1) and, - the draft explanatory report, with a view to taking note thereof (CM(2005)32-Add 2).

a. Abridged report of the 8th meeting of the CAHTEH (Strasbourg, 22-25 February 2005)

b. Draft Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings

1.         The CAHTEH held its 8th meeting in Strasbourg from 22 to 25 February 2005.  The abridged report of this meeting appears in document CM(2005)32.

2.         During this meeting, the CAHTEH:

2.1        examined Opinion No 253 (2005) of the Parliamentary Assembly on the draft Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings and adapted the draft accordingly;

2.2        agreed to submit for decision by the Committee of Ministers the following questions:

● in view of its importance and of the fact that it is currently under discussion in the European Community, the Parliamentary Assembly's proposed amendment concerning the recovery and reflection period (for this to be a minimum of 30 days), which was unable to obtain, in the CAHTEH, the majority required for it to be approved;

● the proposals presented by the European Community, represented by the Commission of the European Communities.

These proposed amendments in their entirety appear in the footnotes to the draft convention as transmitted to the Committee of Ministers (CM(2005)32-Add 1);

2.3        concluded the examination of the draft explanatory report (CM(2005)32-Add 2).

3.         All the points discussed and decisions taken appear in the abridged report of the 8th meeting of the CAHTEH (CM(2005)32), of which the Committee of Ministers is invited to take note. 

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4.         It is recalled that following the decision taken at their 916th meeting (23 February 2005) (CM/Del/Dec(2005)916/1.3), the Deputies carried out a preliminary examination of this item at their 917th meeting (2 March 2005).

5.         In this framework, they were informed of the Parliamentary Assembly’s request that examination of the draft Convention be postponed to the present meeting, in order to allow the Committee of Ministers to take into account the results of the urgent debate to be held at the Standing Committee of the Assembly, on 18 March 2005 (see the letter dated 3 March 2005, from the President of the Parliamentary Assembly to the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, as appended). It was also pointed out that discussions were in progress within the European Community on the subject.

6.         Taking account of the above and of the result of the discussions to be held, the Deputies are invited to take note of the abridged report of the CAHTEH’s 8th meeting, to examine the draft Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings with a view to its adoption (CM(2005)32-Add 1) and to take note of the draft explanatory report relating thereto (CM(2005)32-Add 2).

Financing assured: YES

DRAFT DECISIONS

920th meeting – 23 March 2005

Item 4.3

Ad hoc Committee on action against trafficking in human beings (CAHTEH)

a. Abridged report of the 8th meeting (Strasbourg, 22-25 February 2005)

(CM/Del/Dec(2005)916/1.3, 917/4.3, CM(2005)32 and Addenda 1 and 2)

Decision

The Deputies took note of the abridged report of the 8th meeting of the Ad hoc Committee on action against trafficking in human beings (CAHTEH).

b. Draft Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings

(CM/Del/Dec(2005)916/1.3, 917/4.3, CM(2005)32 and Addenda 1 and 2)

[Decision[2]

1.         adopted the Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings as it appears in document CM(2005)32-Add 1;

2.         agreed to open it for signature at ............... on .........................;

3.         took note of the explanatory report on the draft Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings (CM(2005)32-Add 2).]
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