As a result of the pandemic, the Bureau and the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will meet in a videoconference on Thursday 30 April.
For the Bureau, the main issue will be to decide on whether or not to hold the summer part-session which is scheduled from 22 to 26 June. The physical presence of delegates in Strasbourg is unlikely. Dematerialisation is an option, but it will be necessary to define the modalities. As for outright cancellation, which was already adopted in April, this remains a possibility in the eyes of some national delegations. The Bureau will have to make a decision on Thursday morning.
If it is still held, this summer session will be largely devoted to the health crisis, as reflected in the draft agenda submitted for approval by the Bureau and the Standing Committee. A motion for a Resolution has already been tabled by the French Liberal Jennifer de Temmerman under the title “Covid-19 – an effective and human rights-compliant response” and three other specific reports are in preparation: one covering democracy issues (Political Affairs Committee), one on the defence of the Rule of law (Legal Affairs Committee) and one on domestic violence (Committee on Gender Equality).
As of this Thursday at 3 p.m., a current affairs debate requested by the Chair of the political groups is due to be held within the framework of the standing committee meeting. Entitled “Response of the Council of Europe member States to the Covid-19 pandemic with respect to human rights, democracy and the Rule of law”, it will address health, political and legislative responses and it can be followed on the Council of Europe website. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)