SECRETARIAT

AS/Bur (2024) CB 02

29 January 2024

To the Members of the Bureau of the Assembly

Synopsis

of the meeting held in Strasbourg on 26 January 2024

The Bureau of the Assembly, meeting on Friday 26 January 2024, in Strasbourg, with Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, in the Chair, as regards:

- Communication: took note of the statement by the President of the Assembly;

- Follow-up to the first part-session of 2024 (Strasbourg, 22-26 January): approved the follow-up proposals made by the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly to texts adopted by the Assembly, as set out in Appendix 1;

- Follow-up to the Reykjavik Summit: took note of the information provided by the Director of Committees - Human Dignity and Sustainable Development and held an exchange of views;

- Standing Committee in Paris (7 March 2024): took note of the preliminary draft agenda;

- References and transmissions to committees: approved the references and transmissions as set out in Appendix 2, subject to ratification by the Assembly through the Progress report;

- Elections observation

o North Macedonia: Presidential and parliamentary elections (24 April and 8 May 2024 - tbc): approved the list of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections (Appendix 3) and appointed Mr Alfred HEER (Switzerland, ALDE) as its Chairperson;

- Ad hoc committee on The situation of the children of Ukraine: took note of the minutes of the meeting and decided to declassify this document;

- Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee (26 January-14 April 2024): appointed Ms Petra BAYR (Austria, SOC) as rapporteur;

- Composition of the Monitoring Committee and of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

o Monitoring Committee: on the basis of proposals by

- the EPP/CD Group, nominated Ms Ana TSITLIDZE (Georgia) as a member;

- the Group EC/DA, nominated Ms Eka SEPASHVILI (Georgia), Ms Ester MIELI (Italy), Mr Graziano PIZZIMENTI (Italy) and Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI (Poland) as members;

o Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights: on the basis of proposals by the EPP/CD Group, nominated Mr Pablo HISPÁN (Spain) and Ms Christine PASQUIER-CIULLA (Monaco) as members;

- Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2024: approved the proposals (Appendix 4);

- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) - List of candidates in respect of Albania: approve the list of candidates in respect of this country to be forwarded to the Committee of Ministers;

- Meetings elsewhere than Strasbourg and Paris: authorised

o The Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights to hold a joint meeting with the Panel members in Vienna, on 13 May 2024;

o the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to hold a meeting in Oslo, on 30-31 May 2024;

- Dates and places of next meetings:

Thursday 7 March 2024, 9 am, Paris

Monday 15 April 2024, 8 am, Strasbourg (part-session)

Friday 19 April 2024, 8.30 am, Strasbourg (part-session)

Isild Heurtin / Greta Faggiani

Copy to:

Secretary General of the Assembly

Director and all staff of the Secretariat of the Assembly

Secretaries of National Delegations and of Political Groups of the Assembly

Secretaries of observer and partner for democracy delegations

Secretary General of the Congress

Secretary to the Committee of Ministers

Directors General

Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights

Director of Communication

Permanent Representations to the Council of Europe

Appendix 1 – Follow-up to the first part-session of 2024 (Strasbourg, 22-26 January)

Debate on Recent developments in the Middle East: Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s response

v Follow up: decided to seize the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report on “Situation in the Middle East”

Debate on A democratic future for Belarus

v Follow up:

- decided to seize the Committee on Political affairs and Democracy for report, and the Committee on Legal Affairs for opinion on “Situation in Belarus”

- invited the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to adopt the new Terms of Reference of General Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus

- instructed the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly to prepare a memorandum on modalities of participation of a representative delegation of Belarusian democratic forces in the work of the Assembly

Debate on Situation of the Children of Ukraine

v Follow up: invited the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development to continue to follow the matter

Appendix 2 – References and transmissions to committees

- For a ban on so-called conversion therapies Doc. 15883: reference to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination for report

- An urgent call to Europe and its partners: envisioning immediate and long-term policy solutions and support for the displaced people of Ukraine Doc. 15909: reference to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for report

- Bureau decision, Situation in the Middle East: Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy for report

- Bureau decision, Situation in Belarus: Committee on Political affairs and Democracy for report, and Committee on Legal Affairs for opinion

Appendix 3 – List of members of the ad hoc committee for the observation of the Presidential and parliamentary elections in North Macedonia (24 April and 8 May 2024 – tbc)

Chairperson / Président-e : Alfred HEER (Switzerland / Suisse, ALDE/ADLE)

Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group / Groupe des socialistes, démocrates et verts (SOC)

Mr / M .Jone BLIKRA, Norway / Norvège

Mr / M. Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria / Autriche*

Mr / M. Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland / Suisse

Ms / Mme Aurora FLORIDA, Italy / Italie**

Mr / M. Antonio GUTIERREZ-LIMONES, Spain / Espagne

Ms / Mme Klotilda BUSHKA, Albania / Albanie

Substitutes / suppléant.e.s

Mr / M. Givi MIKANADZE, Georgia / Géorgie

Mr / M. Yunus EMRE, Türkiye

Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) / Groupe du Parti populaire européen (PPE/DC)

Mr / M. Christian BUCHMANN, Austria / Autriche

Ms / Mme Jorida TABAKU, Albania / Albanie

Mr / M. Cristian-Augustin NICULESCU-ȚÂGÂRLAȘ, Romania / Roumanie**

Mr / M. Chris SAID, Malta / Malte*

Substitutes / suppléant.e.s

Mr / M. Branislav BORENOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bosnie et Herzégovine

Mr / M. Corneliu-Mugurel COZMANCIUC, Romania / Roumanie**

Ms / Mme Iva DIMIC, Slovenia / Slovénia

Mr / M. Ioannis OIKONOMOU, Greece / Grèce**

Mr / M. Georgios STAMATIS, Greece / Grèce**

European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance (EC/DA) / Groupe des Conservateurs européens et Alliance démocratique (CE/AD)

Mr / M. Harald WEYEL, Germany / Allemagne**

Mr / M. Armen GEVORGYAN, Armenia / Arménie**

Mr / M. Simone BILLI, Italy / Italie* **

Mr / M. Jose Maria SANCHEZ GARCIA, Spain / Espagne**

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) / Alliance des démocrates et des libéraux pour l’Europe (ADLE)

Mr / M. Alfred HEER, Switzerland / Suisse*

Ms / Mme Liliana TANGUY, France

Ms / Mme Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine

Substitutes / suppléant.e.s

Mr / M. Dean PREMIK , Slovenia /Slovénie

Ms / Mme Rian VOGELS, Netherlands / Pays-Bas

Mr / M. Christoph HOFFMANN, Germany / Allemagne

Mr / M. Mehmet AKALIN, Türkiye

Ms / Mme Denisa NEAGU, Romania / Roumanie

Ms / Mme Yuliia OVCHYNNIKOVA, Ukraine

Ms / Mme Diana STOICA, Romania / Roumanie

Mr / M. Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania / Lituanie

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL) / Groupe pour la gauche unitaire européenne (GUE)

Ms / Mme Selivay ÇELENK ÖZEN, Türkiye*

Substitutes / suppléant.e.s

Mr / M. George LOUCAIDES, Cyprus / Chypre**

Co-rapporteur.e.s AS/MON (ex officio)

Ms / Mme Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland / Suisse (SOC)**

Mr / M. Joseph O’Reilly, Ireland / Irlande (EPP/CD- PPE/DC)

* members of the pre-election delegation / membres de la délégation préélectorale

**awaiting non-conflict of interest declaration for North Macedonia / en attente de la déclaration de non-conflit d’intérêt pour la Macédoine du nord

All candidates for ad hoc committees will have to submit PACE declaration of interest for the year 2024 before 29 February 2024, to take part in election observation missions / Tous les candidats des commissions ad hoc devront avoir soumis leur déclaration d’intérêt APCE pour l’année 2024 avant le 29 février 2024, pour participer aux missions d’observation d’élection.

Appendix 4 - Institutional representation of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2024

Body / *Organe*	who represents the Assembly / qui représente l'Assemblée	reference	2024
I. Council of Europe bodies / Organes du Conseil de l'Europe
European Commission for Democracy through Law Venice Commission Commission européenne pour la démocratie par le droit - Commission de Venise	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau to attend the sessions of the Commission Représentants de l'Assemblée désignés par le Bureau pour assister aux sessions de la Commission	Article 2.4 of the Venice Commission Statute (Res CM (2002) 3) Article 2.4 du statut de la Commission de Venise (Rés CM (2002) 3)	Members: Mr Tiny KOX (Netherlands, UEL) Appointment by the President Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ LIMONES (Spain, SOC) (AS/Jur) Substitute: Mr Sergiy VLASENKO (Ukraine, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur)
Council for Democratic Elections of the Venice Commission Conseil des élections démocratiques de la Commission de Venise	Representatives of AS/Pol, AS/Jur and AS/Mon approved by the Bureau of the Assembly Représentants de l’AS/Pol, l’AS/Jur et l’AS/Mon approuvés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée	Bureau decision of 10 March 2003 Décision du Bureau du 10 mars 2003	Members: Mr Michael Georg Link (Germany, ALDE) (AS/Pol) Mr Pablo HISPÁN (Spain, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur) Ms Laura CASTEL (Spain, UEL) (AS/Mon) Substitutes: Mr Corneliu-Mugurel COZMANCIUC (Romania, EPP/CD) (AS/Pol) Ms Octavie MODERT (Luxembourg, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur) Ms Blerina GJYLAMETI (Albania, SOC) (AS/Mon)
European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity – North-South Centre Centre européen pour l’interdépendance et la solidarité mondiales – Centre Nord-Sud	Two members of the Executive Council - appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly Deux membres du Conseil exécutif - désignés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée	Article 4.2 (b) of the North-South Centre revised Statute (Res CM (2011) 6) Article 4.2 (b) du statut révisé du Centre Nord-Sud (Rés CM (2011) 6)	Members: Ms Edite ESTRELA (Portugal, SOC) (AS/Cult) Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) (AS/Soc) Substitutes: Ms Eka SEPASHVILI (Georgia, EC/DA) (AS/Cult) Ms Carmen Leyte (Spain, EPP/CD) (AS/Soc)
European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance – ECRI Commission européenne contre le racisme et l’intolérance – ECRI	Representatives of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau (representatives of the following three committees: AS/Pol, AS/Ega and AS/Cult) Représentants de l’Assemblée désignés par le Bureau (représentants des trois commissions suivantes : AS/Pol, AS/Ega et AS/Cult)	Article 5 of the ECRI Statute (Res CM (2002) 8) Article 5 du statut de l’ECRI (Rés CM (2002) 8)	Members: ZZ (AS/Pol) Ms Mia KARAMEHIĆ-ABAZOVIĆ (Bosnia and Herzegovina, NR) (AS/Cult) Ms Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) (AS/Ega) Substitutes: ZZ (AS/Pol) ZZ (AS/Cult) Mr Fourat BEN CHIKHA (Belgium, SOC) (AS/Ega)
Group of States against Corruption – GRECO Groupe d'états contre la corruption - GRECO	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau Un représentant de l'Assemblée désigné par le Bureau	CM decision of 717th meeting in 2000 in accordance with Article 7.2 of the Statute of the GRECO Décision du CM lors de la 717ème réunion en 2000 selon l'Article 7.2. du Statut du GRECO	Member: Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER (Austria, SOC) (AS/Jur) Substitute: ZZ (AS/Jur)
Committee for Works of Art (C-ART) Comité des œuvres d'art (C-ART)	Two members appointed by the Bureau of the Assembly (at present AS/Cult Committee member and Museum Prize rapporteur) Deux membres désignés par le Bureau de l’Assemblée (actuellement un membre de l'AS/Cult et le rapporteur du Prix du musée)	CM decision of 482nd meeting in 1992 Décision du CM lors de la 482ème réunion en 1992	Member: Mr Constantinos EFstathiou (Cyprus, SOC) (AS/Cult) Substitute: Mr David MORRIS, (United Kingdom, EC/DA) (AS/Cult)
MONEYVAL	A representative of the Assembly appointed by the Bureau Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par le Bureau	Article 4.1 of Resolution CM/Res (2010) 12 Article 4.1 de la Résolution CM/Res (2010) 12	Member: Ms Maria-Gabriela Horga (Romania, EPP/CD) (AS/Jur) Substitute: Ms Klotilda BUSHKA (Albania, SOC) (AS/Jur)
Committee of Experts on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law (PC-ENV) Comité d’experts sur la protection de l'environnement par le droit pénal (PC-ENV)	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; Peuvent envoyer des représentants sans droit de vote et à la charge de leurs budgets administratifs respectifs : – l’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe ;	CM/Res(2021)3	Members: Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU (Cyprus, SOC) (AS/Jur) Yuliia OVCHYNNYKOVA (Ukraine, ALDE) (AS/Soc) Substitutes: ZZ (AS/Jur) Mr Stefan SCHENNACH (Austria, SOC) (AS/Soc)
Committee on offences relating to cultural property (PC-IBC) / Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) Comité sur les infractions visant les biens culturels (PC-IBC) / Comité directeur de la culture, du patrimoine et du paysage (CDCPP)	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; Un représentant de l’Assemblée désigné par le Bureau;	STCE n°221 CM(2017)32, Chapter V, Article 23.1 SG/Inf(2012)12	Mr Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) (AS/Cult)
II. Others / Autres
EUROPA NOSTRA Pan-European Federation for Heritage EUROPA NOSTRA - Fédération paneuropéenne du patrimoine	One member (and substitute) to be nominated by the Assembly - to attend the Federation Council meetings as observer Un membre (et son/sa suppléant/e) qui seront désignés par l'Assemblée pour assister aux réunions du Conseil de la Fédération en tant qu'observateurs	Article 21.4 of the Statute of Europa Nostra	Member: ZZ (AS/Cult) Substitute: ZZ (AS/Cult)