Description

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe publishes a volume of adopted texts for each of its four part-sessions and Standing Committee meetings.

The Assembly, or the Standing Committee on its behalf, can adopt three different types of texts : opinions, recommendations and resolutions.

Opinions are mostly expressed by the Assembly on questions put to it by the Committee of Ministers on specifie important decisions, such as the admission of new member states to the Council of Europe, but also on draft conventions, or the budget.

Recommendations contain proposals addressed by the Assembly to the Committee of Ministers, the implementation of which is within the competence of goverments.

Resolutions embody decisions by the Assembly on questions of substance which it is empowered to put into effect or expressions of views for which it alone is responsible. They can also be addressed to national parliaments.

References to committees : the Bureau of the Assembly decides whether motions for recommendations and resolutions, or other decisions, should be referred to the appropriate committee for action, if any. Referrals are then ratified by the Assembly.