Praktik og procedurer i forbindelse med den årlige session i Berlin fra 7. til 11. juli 2018

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OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling
Til:
Dato:
Delegationens medlemmer
7. maj 2018
Praktik og procedurer i forbindelse med den årlige session i Berlin fra
7. til 11. juli 2018
Hermed omdeles Practical and Procedural Information samt udkast til rapporter og re-
solutionstekster fra forsamlingens tre komitéer til brug for OSCE’s
Parlamentariske Forsamlings (OSCE PA) årlige session i Berlin den 7. - 11. juli 2018.
Som det fremgår af papiret, er der en række krav og tidsfrister, som I skal overholde,
hvis I ønsker at fremsætte ændringsforslag eller forslag til supplerende resolutioner
(”Supplementary Items”). Jeg har opsummeret krav og tidsfrister i nedenstående skema.
Underskiftsskemaer til brug for eventuelle ændringsforslag bliver omdelt så snart de
modtages fra OSCE PA sekretariatet.
Forslag Krav Frist for modtagelse i
Folketingets sekretariat
Frist for modtagelse i
OSCE PAs sekretariat
Forslag til supplerende
resolutionsudkast
(supplementary items)
Skal som minimum være
underskrevet af 20 med-
lemmer af OSCE PA fra
mindst 4 forskellige lande.
Hvert medlem kan maksi-
malt underskrive 4 sup-
plerende resolutionsud-
kast.
Torsdag den 1.juni 2018
kl.10.00
Lørdag den 2. juni 2018
Kompromisforslag til sup-
plerende resolutionsud-
kast (compromise sup-
plementary items)
Skal som minimum være
underskrevet af forslags-
stillerne og af 10 af under-
skriverne på de supple-
rende resolutionsudkast.
Fredag den 22. juni 2018
kl.10
Lørdag den 23. juni 2018
Ændringsforslag til rap-
portørernes resolutions-
udkast (amendments to
draft resolutions)
Skal som minimum være
underskrevet af 5 med-
lemmer af OSCA PA fra
mindst 2 forskellige lande.
Hvert medlem kan maksi-
malt underskrive 4 æn-
dringsforslag.
Fredag den 22. juni 2018
kl.10
Lørdag den 23. juni 2018
Ændringsforslag til sup-
plerende resolutionsud-
kast (amendments to
supplementary items)
Skal som minimum være
underskrevet af 5 med-
lemmer af OSCA PA fra
mindst 2 forskellige lande.
Hvert medlem kan maksi-
malt underskrive 4 æn-
dringsforslag.
Fredag den 29. juni 2018
kl.10
Lørdag den 30. juni 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del Bilag 23
Offentligt
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Delegationssekretariatet vil koordinere og videreformidle forslag til OSCE PAs Interna-
tionale Sekretariat. Af praktiske hensyn vil den interne tidsfrist for aflevering af forslag til
delegationens sekretariat være fredagen kl. 10.00 før OSCE PAs Internationale Sekre-
tariat skal have dem i hænde.
Forslag til supplerende resolutioner og ændringsforslag fordeles alene elektronisk. Er-
faringerne fra tidligere år viser, at i tiden frem til de anførte tidsfrister kan I forvente et
stort antal henvendelser fra diverse forslagsstillere med anmodning om støtte fra den
danske delegation.
Såfremt I selv ønsker at fremsætte forslag, anbefales det at være ude i god tid før udlø-
bet af tidsfristerne. Maj - juni er typisk en travl tid i de fleste parlamenter, og det kan
derfor være forbundet med visse praktiske problemer at få indsamlet det nødvendige
antal underskrifter. Så sig til i god tid.
Samtidig vil jeg også bemærke, at der maksimalt kan behandles 15 supplementary items
på sessionen i Berlin. Hvis flere end 15 supplementary items har fået det fornødne antal
underskrifter, vil Standing Committee stemme om, hvilke supplementary items, der skal
behandles.
Reglerne for valg til posterne i forsamlingen er desuden beskrevet i de vedlagte infor-
mationer, ligesom det fremgår, hvilke poster der er på valg.
I Berlin skal der således vælges:
 1 Præsident
 4 vicepræsidenter
 Formand, næstformand og rapportør for hver af de tre komitéer
Med venlig hilsen
Eva Esmarch,
delegationssekretær


AS (18) RP 3 E
Original: English
REPORT
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni
Cyprus
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 23
Offentligt
1
REPORT FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS
Rapporteur: Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus)
In 2017 the human rights situation continued to deteriorate throughout the OSCE area. Old
crises have deepened, new crises have emerged and the commitment to values enshrined in the
Helsinki Final Act seems to have weakened. With the exception of only a few encouraging
signs of human rights protection in the OSCE area in 2017, the exacerbation of human rights
abuses poses a real threat to the post-World War II human rights system. How best can the
OSCE PA and national member Parliaments contribute to reversing this negative trend and to
ensure participating States’ enhanced commitment to their human rights obligations?
Human Rights in Conflict Areas
The unspeakable humanitarian tragedy in Syria which has been at the heart of a new “cold
war” environment, pervasive in the OSCE, constitutes a blow to our collective conscience. The
unabated atrocities perpetrated against civilians, among them innocent children, point at the
cynical predominance of geostrategic interests over human life and dignity, but also over the
UN, as the primary guardian of international peace and security.
The conflict in Ukraine has continued to claim many lives and cause much suffering,
unfortunately with no sign of abating. Effective investigations into the serious human rights
violations committed in the country, including in Crimea, are necessary. The issues of
internally displaced persons and of missing persons need to be addressed. Freedom of
movement, as well as freedom of the media, must be restored in conflict areas.
Protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus, which continue to have a devastating humanitarian
impact, are a permanent source of concern and must remain a high priority for the OSCE.
Parliamentary dialogue must be further enhanced regarding these issues, eventually in a more
regular OSCE PA framework.
Escalating tensions and polarization in the Western Balkans are yet another source of grave
concern. The needs of many victims of wartime crimes remain neglected. The forces of
aggressive nationalism and revisionism are becoming more vocal. The region is fragile, and
the OSCE should continue to engage there actively.
In light of the above, it is essential to recall that international humanitarian law must be upheld
during armed conflicts. Equally essential is that in areas under foreign military occupation,
human rights be applicable in their entirety, irrespective of pending political negotiations that
might hopefully restore international legality. Citizens in occupied territories across the
OSCE area are deprived of their basic human rights. Their rights of enjoyment of their property,
access to their homelands, free movement, their educational rights, fundamental freedoms, such
as the freedom of conscience, are all being tampered with. At the same time, ghost towns have
been created as a result of military aggression, forcing their lawful population to become
internally displaced persons or refugees. Areas entangled in protracted conflicts, as well as
territories under occupation in the OSCE area, do certainly fall within the remit of Helsinki
commitments and in the OSCE PA’s scope of scrutiny.
2
Human Rights Under the State of Emergency
Turkey, a major actor in the Syrian conflict and the Eastern Mediterranean region, has been
waging, since the failed coup of July 2016, “purging operations” against alleged terrorists
within and beyond its boundaries.
The OSCE PA has joined the international community in condemning, time and again, the
failed coup, as a blatant affront to Turkey’s constitutional order and in stressing its support to
the democratically elected Turkish Government. At the same time, the OSCE PA has stressed
the high importance of the protection and respect of the rule of law and human rights and of
making appropriate and proportionate use of the extraordinary measures provided by the state
of emergency. Furthermore, the OSCE PA has been eloquent in commending on many
occasions Turkey’s significant contribution to global efforts aimed at dealing with the
unprecedented refugee and migrant crisis, through hosting more than three million refugees.
Yet, the human rights and rule of law situation in Turkey has not ceased to deteriorate ever
since and has been impacted by the prolonged state of emergency (renewed for the sixth time
in January 2018). This has also been affirmed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR) in its relevant Report for 2017. In its Recommendations, the OHCHR
states that, even during states of emergency, there are non-derogable rights which must be
upheld at all times and that derogations regarding certain human rights, which are linked to a
state of emergency, must strictly comply with proportionality and necessity in terms of
duration, geographic coverage, and material scope. The OHCHR’s Recommendations point to
the immediate steps that Turkey must take towards the restoration of the human rights situation
and of the political and civic space, in compliance with its obligations under international
human rights law. The OSCE and the OSCE PA must keep following the situation closely and
act in their respective capacity and in complementarity towards Turkey’s implementation of
the OHCHR’s Recommendations. The OSCE PA can be instrumental in promoting regular
dialogue with the Turkish Parliament and in exploring the possibility of an OSCE/OSCE PA
assessment and verification mechanism/field mission.
At the same time, while we acknowledge that there are no specific OSCE commitments
requiring the abolition of the death penalty, in the Vienna Document and in the 1990
Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the
OSCE, participating States agreed that the death penalty could be imposed only for the most
serious crimes and only in line with international commitments, while they agreed to consider
the potential abolition of the death penalty, to exchange information toward that end, and to
make information on the use of the death penalty available to the public. Considering that the
death penalty fails to deter criminal behaviour and renders any miscarriage of justice which is
inevitable in any legal system irreversible, the Parliamentary Assembly urges participating
States to abolish it while it considers that debates for its reintroduction in States where it has
already been abolished, are a step backwards.
The Rights of Refugees and Migrants
International efforts to deal comprehensively and effectively with the refugee and migrant
crisis continue. The EU shifted its migration control efforts to Libya, with horrific human
rights consequences. Albeit understandable, the desire of many States to reduce irregular
migration and refugee flows must comply with their international obligations. Particularly
regarding refugee flows, the principle of non-refoulement must be upheld. Regrettably, many
3
OSCE countries have maintained excessively restrictive migration policies and emergency
measures, thus causing unnecessary hardship for thousands of migrants detained in Libya in
awful conditions. The situation regarding the slave trade in Libya being out of control is a
highly alarming phenomenon. The OSCE PA and its member Parliaments must enhance efforts
towards the protection of refugees’ and migrants’ human rights in accordance with
international law and standards, particularly their right to freedom from arbitrary detention.
This Assembly must also make a greater contribution towards further promoting co-operation
with countries of origin regarding their own controls of migratory flows. Furthermore, we must
place greater focus on refugees’ and migrants’ integration in host societies, including through
ensuring respect of their right to family reunification and also of the rights of unaccompanied
minors. Certain important steps can be taken domestically by host countries, such as treating
migrants involved in prostitution as victims of trafficking, preventing the misuse of the internet
for trafficking purposes, as well as prosecuting purchasers of commercial sex1
.
Trafficking in Human Beings
While a cause and effect relationship between human trafficking and exacerbated migration
flows has been established, human trafficking has long been on the OSCE and the OSCE PA
agenda, as a lucrative organized-crime activity (mainly for the purpose of labour and/or sexual
exploitation) which entails gross violations of fundamental human rights, modern slavery,
physical and psychological violence and a fierce assault on human dignity. The adoption by an
increasing number of States of legislation broader in scope and with heavier sentences on
offenders, is an encouraging sign. Yet, the global picture remains gloomy, as 40.3 million
people are enslaved worldwide, with women and girls making up 71% of the victims, while
one in four victims of modern slavery is a child.
Building upon their previous work in the field, the OSCE and the OSCE PA must further
promote co-operation towards States’ adequate enforcement and strengthening of existing
legislation, with particular emphasis on prevention, to end human traffickers’ impunity.
The fact that the overwhelming majority of victims of human trafficking are women and girls
brings us to various other kinds of ill-treatment, from family violence and forced marriages to
sexual harassment. The magnitude of these problems confirms the need for greater efforts to
combat patriarchal privilege, gender stereotypes and discriminatory behavior and to further
promote women’s rights and gender equality, particularly focusing on equal education
opportunities. The role of Parliaments is crucial in this regard towards the adoption of
appropriate legislation and its further strengthening, as well as in holding Governments to
account regarding their effective implementation of related policies.
1 Statistics are alarming about the extent of exploitation of migrant populations. Last year the International Organization for
Migration estimated that 80% of girls arriving in Italy from Nigeria showed signs of being victims of human trafficking,
namely sex trafficking, forced labor, and trafficking for the purpose of organ removal. The percentage of migrants showing
these signs were even higher among Gambians, Ghanaians, Guineans, and Ivorians, especially youth. A study by the London
School of Economics on the OSCE Region a few years back concluded that in countries where the purchase of prostitution is
legal and demand for commercial sex has increased, the social stigma against buying sex is lower. Such policies ultimately
contribute to the creation of a market for prostituted women and girls who are victims of trafficking. Some countries have
criminalized the purchase of commercial sex.
4
Children’s and Young People’s Rights
The OSCE’s advocacy should particularly be addressed to youth and children, as a strategic
priority, in order to ensure that a critical mass of people will have the willingness and ability
to defend the human rights acquis enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act. A long-term strategic
approach is therefore necessary. Of particular concern is the fact that children and youth have
been more severely affected by conflicts, as well as the economic crisis, in many countries. If
we do not address these ills effectively, what can we expect of future generations? What will
the OSCE principles mean to them, if anything?
A core strategic goal should be inclusive education. Regrettably, too many children are
deprived of access to mainstream education or receive substandard education in separate
institutions, special classes or special schools. In many OSCE countries, Roma children,
children with disabilities, migrant children, and economically disadvantaged children are kept
in separate classes or schools, away from their peers and mainstream education. This certainly
does not contribute to a diverse and inclusive society.
Another strategic goal should be citizens’ education based on the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. In the light of States’ diverging perceptions, interpretations and
implementation of human rights, there is an urgent need to find common ground in this field.
It is therefore highly significant that education based on the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, including adequate training for teachers, be incorporated in participating States’
educations systems and curricula. The role of Parliaments is crucial in terms of enacting
pertinent legislation and overseeing the smooth integration of human rights at the core of
Governments’ education policies.
The increasing number of violations particularly of children’s rights is highly alarming. Such
violations, which may occur in the family, school or in the public environment, from family
violence and girls’ forced marriages to bullying, child pornography and pedophilia, may carry
severe consequences for the mental and physical health of children, who will be tomorrow’s
citizens. This will mean a real threat to societies’ cohesion and stability. National policies in
accordance with international legal instruments must be adopted and effectively implemented.
They should encompass rigorous legislation, as well as appropriate welfare policies for the
highest protection and to the greatest benefit of the child.
Drugs trafficking is another lucrative criminal activity which poses a major threat, particularly
for our youth, but also to the sustainability of our societies, due to implications on the health
and well-being of citizens. It is essential to adopt common strategies to disrupt the entire chain
and business model of cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs. It is also very
significant to further promote synergies towards enhanced networking and information
exchange, in co-operation with international organizations active in this field and with the
participation of competent authorities and stakeholders.
At the same time the human rights of drug users must be reinforced and their treatment and
care must be ensured. Furthermore, treatment through the national health care systems as an
alternative or addition to conviction must be considered in the legislative framework of
participating States, while the rehabilitation and reintroduction of users into their social and
familial environment, must be facilitated by relevant policies.
5
The State of Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the OSCE Area
The growing tide of nationalism and populism has acquired even more alarming proportions,
as these phenomena are often associated with or result in restrictions targeting democratic
institutions and citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms. Redoubling efforts to safeguard and
further promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the OSCE area is central in
efforts to keep the ultimate goal of a security community alive. Such a community must be
based on democratic institutions, primarily impartial and independent judiciaries and on
inclusive societies underpinned by fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of
expression, freedom of assembly and association and freedom of religion. We can certainly not
turn a blind eye to those countries where security concerns are invoked to serve political
expediencies and to justify a crackdown on free speech or to undermine the judiciary. What
may be seen as a short-term fix to a current problem, if it impinges on fundamental rights,
simply causes much more serious problems in the longer term. The OSCE PA can add
significant value to the OSCE’s democratization efforts in its area. The input of this Assembly
can be substantial towards the further enhancement of the OSCE’s monitoring mechanisms and
activities in this field, which proves to be highly necessary.
Populism being mainly expressed by politicians, within and outside parliaments, it is of the
essence that Members of Parliament, who swear to respect the laws of the State, act upon a
common Code of Conduct, which could be elaborated at the level of the OSCE PA. Under
this Code, Members of Parliament should not invoke their parliamentary immunity for the
purpose of using defamatory, racist or xenophobic language. Instead, Parliamentarians should
promote peaceful coexistence and social cohesion by fostering tolerance among religious,
ethnic, and cultural groups. They should engage to fully and impartially exercise their
oversight role and fight corruption by promoting due transparency and accountability regarding
States’ and their own decision-making and overall behavior. Parliaments must play their full
role as guardians of democracy and integrity at all levels of government, in their efforts to
regain citizens’ trust and encourage greater political participation. The OSCE PA must have a
leading role in this endeavor.
Moreover, the world has been witnessing increasing violence and tension on religious
grounds, which often result in conflict situations. Acts of violence are committed not only
against religious minorities, but also against the majority. On every occasion, we must strongly
condemn manifestations of intolerance and discrimination against Christians, Muslims, Jews
or members of other religions, as well as acts of vandalism against and desecration of worship
places, cemeteries, religious monuments and artefacts. Exacerbated nationalism, the
glorification of Nazism, the falsification of history, violations of minority rights, and growing
manifestations of racism and xenophobia, all these call for an OSCE long-term strategy to
combat intolerance.
Fostering tolerance and peaceful coexistence becomes even more urgent, as nationalist,
revisionist and belligerent rhetoric by political leaders often targets minorities in other
countries for the purpose of serving expansionist aspirations and aims against these countries.
The persecution of lawyers is another very worrisome phenomenon occurring on a global
scale, including in the OSCE area. Regrettably, in various participating States, lawyers are in
need of greater protection, as they are constantly threatened due to their engagement to defend
their clients, often persecuted by state authorities on the grounds of fabricated crimes. Particular
targets of threats and attacks by these regimes are lawyers working in the field of human rights
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and on high-profile cases of torture, police abuse or corruption and whose clients are political
opponents of the regime. The role of the OSCE PA must be instrumental in raising awareness
regarding this phenomenon and in efforts to uphold lawyers’ independence in conducting their
professional activity without any interference or restrictions.
Also of concern are repression and persecution against other human rights defenders in a
number of OSCE countries, ombudspersons, journalists, national human rights institutions and
structures, activist groups, etc. As the space for human rights defenders and NGOs to operate
has shrunk in many places in the OSCE area and political rhetoric which undermines the
independence of the institution of the ombudsman has been exacerbated, it is important that
the OSCE ensures that NGOs can fully and freely participate in its activities. The OSCE must
resist any measures of exclusion and remain a unique platform of open and frank discussions
among politicians, experts and stakeholders.
At the same time, urgent action must be taken against extrajudicial executions, abductions,
enforced disappearances and ill-treatment. Some of these acts come from unidentified actors
(e.g. in the form of threats or attacks), while others are conducted by State officials or law
enforcement authorities in an attempt to stifle human rights activities. In most cases, these
threats and attacks are not investigated, and/or the perpetrators have never been identified.
Participating States must carry out thorough, prompt, impartial and transparent investigations
to bring all those responsible for violations against defenders to justice and apply the sanctions
provided by law.
Prison conditions in various participating States, both East and West of Vienna, must also be
improved. Structural reforms are therefore urgently needed to first and foremost demilitarize
and democratize the penitentiary service. Establishing a functioning monitoring system and
ensuring increased access to the outside world, as well as a proper training concept for the
professionalization of staff, are also essential reforms that must be put in place. In this respect,
a broad range of legislative changes, which will include modification of punishment policies
and a system of more effective remedies, is necessary. National Parliaments must step up
efforts in this direction.
At the same time excessive use of force by police, particularly during policing of assemblies,
must be subject to strict conditionality based on the human rights principles of legality,
necessity, proportionality, accountability and non-discrimination.
Cyber Warfare, Propaganda and Fake News, a Threat to Our Democracies
Globalization and technological advances have created significant opportunities but also
dreaded challenges, such as cyber warfare, internet propaganda and fake news, which need
to be collectively addressed. In regimes falling short of democratic principles and practices,
propaganda and fake news by official sources are a common occurrence against a background
of omnipresent fear among citizens and the authorities’ absolute intolerance to criticism and
the right to free expression. On a global scale, fake news, particularly flourishing in social
media by state or non-state actors, violates citizens’ rights to receive real and impartial
information and seriously undermines good governance. Sensationalism and misinformation
aimed at manipulating public opinion, create a volatile information and communication
environment, which entails serious challenges and is fertile ground for radical groups to pursue
their aims.
7
Ensuring high quality news by trusted sources lies with the adoption of appropriate national
legislation and international instruments aiming at improving regulation of the internet,
while ensuring full respect for human rights, primarily freedom of expression. The
responsibility also lies with journalists’ compliance with their professional and ethical
standards, including self-regulation and accountability in line with these standards. More
important is that the owners of major news outlets, particularly social media, acknowledge and
act upon their due responsibility and liability by taking adequate oversight measures at their
initiative and in co-operation with States and the international community. The misuse of the
personal data of millions of social media users entails serious legal and moral implications.
As this phenomenon has been acquiring alarming proportions, it is important that the OSCE
develops a comprehensive approach, including a human-centered analysis of and response
to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) challenges. In the context of co-
operative security, the OSCE can be instrumental in promoting such synergies towards
ensuring a sound information and communication environment. Such a comprehensive
approach must be reflected in the work of the OSCE PA, eventually through a special
committee or subcommittee. Parliaments can make a significant contribution in terms of
enacting appropriate legislation, scrutinizing Governments’ policies and exchanging best
practices. Their contribution can also be substantial in promoting global legislation to ensure
accuracy, impartiality, self-regulation and accountability in journalism, in strict
compliance with international standards and with due respect to freedom of expression.
Election Observation in OSCE Area and the Role of Parliamentarians
Because election observation lies at the core of the OSCE’s and the OSCE PA’s work, it is
highly important that international standards and the Code of Conduct for OSCE PA
Election Observers be strictly observed. It is also essential that a clear dissociation be made
between OSCE Election Observers and non-qualified or biased international observers, be they
politicians, experts or others, who carry out parallel election monitoring upon invitation by a
State on an individual or bilateral basis, for the purpose of affirming this State’s adherence to
internationally accepted election standards and commitments.
Being that fair and just elections are the cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law, it is
crucial that the election monitoring process be standardized and that the OSCE firmly insist on
participating States’ strict observance of a set of standards by which OSCE-led Election
Observation Missions would be given precedence over bilateral arrangements, while any such
arrangements would have to comply with the OSCE’s election oversight model.


AS (18) RP 1 E
Original: English
REPORT
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Mr. Kristian Vigenin
Bulgaria
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del Bilag 23
Offentligt
1
REPORT FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
ON POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
Rapporteur: Mr. Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria)
Introduction
Given the current political landscape, it is now more crucial than ever for the OSCE to pursue
the successful and complete implementation of its principles, which are expressed through the
Organization's core documents and the commitment made by participating States to uphold
these. Hindrances to the implementation of OSCE commitments exist, not least due to the
current geopolitical tensions in the OSCE region. These tensions revolve around various
matters, such as the division within Europe resulting from the situation in and around Ukraine,
the persistent issue of protracted conflicts in the OSCE area, as well as continuing tensions in
the Western Balkans, rising extremist and terrorist threats and the topic of migration. Further
developments straining the OSCE region can be seen in the decline in confidence in non-
proliferation- and arms-reduction agreements.
It is only by upholding the values and commitments of the Organization that the OSCE space
can be made more secure. OSCE participating States have agreed to a comprehensive set of
commitments in the politico-military sphere to ensure security in the region, which include a
variety of confidence- and security-building measures, such as regular information exchanges,
means for verification and compliance, and various forms of military co-operation. These
procedures aim to increase trust among OSCE participating States and contribute to greater
openness and transparency in the field of military planning and activities. Various forums exist
within the Organization to support participating States' efforts to stay in keeping with OSCE
principles.
This report will be structured in two parts. The first part will address central commitments
made by participating States and the channels through which the OSCE facilitates their
implementation, as well as forums that exist to facilitate dialogue and reform. The second part
will touch upon five main points: non-proliferation, protracted conflicts, the crisis in and
around Ukraine, cyber-security, and counter-terrorism.
OSCE Commitments in the Politico-Military Sphere
In the first dimension of the OSCE's work, core commitments address arms control,
disarmament, and non-proliferation, as well as democratic control of armed forces. These
commitments are deepened and expressed through a set of (military) confidence- and security-
building measures (CSBMs), meaning primarily agreements to exchange military information.
Newer commitments have been made on a voluntary basis in the field of cyber-security. In this
field confidence-building measures foster transparency and co-operation between States on
cyber- and ICT security matters. Many of these commitments are interrelated, together
establishing the overall security regime which applies to the OSCE area. Together they enhance
predictability, transparency, and military stability and reduce the risk of major conflict in
Europe.
The Vienna Document is one of the most important tools the OSCE has to ensure reliable
information exchange. First adopted in 1990, and updated several times since then, it is one of
the most sophisticated CSBMs the Organization possesses. Building on the Helsinki Final Act's
2
provisions for early notification of military exercises, this politically binding agreement
requires its signatories to annually provide each other with information about their military
forces, notify each other ahead of time about major military exercises, accept inspection and
evaluation visits, invite other States to observe certain activities, and to consult and co-operate
in case of unusual military activity or increasing tensions.
Another central commitment in the politico-military sphere is expressed in the OSCE
Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). Adopted in 2000, it provides
guidelines on dealing with threats such weapons can pose, as well as providing assistance upon
request in securing stockpiles, disposing of small arms, and enhancing border controls to reduce
illicit arms trafficking. By promoting common norms, principles, and tools for its participating
States on SALW issues, the OSCE encourages a shared understanding of the key principles to
counter the spread and accumulation of illicit small arms and light weapons. Hindering illicit
trafficking and promoting demilitarization and defence transformation projects is enabled
through various forums of the OSCE, including the recently adopted OSCE Best Practice Guide
on Deactivation of SALW.
Finally, a landmark document in security sector governance, the Code of Conduct on Politico-
Military Aspects of Security, deserves particular emphasis when considering the
commitments made by national governments in the political and security dimension of the
OSCE. Adopted in 1994, the Code of Conduct regulates how States control armed forces within
their constitutional framework, ensuring that the military, paramilitary and security forces,
intelligence services, and the police are at all times subject to civilian control and the authority
of a democratically elected body. This direct involvement of national parliaments must be seen
as especially relevant to the work of the Parliamentary Assembly in its efforts to implement
first dimension commitments.
The Code of Conduct deepens and codifies the important principles of the Helsinki Final Act
that guide relations between States, particularly concerning the non-use of force, but goes
beyond this conventional framework by adding unique norms of politico-military conduct
within States. Both the scope of the Code of Conduct, as well as its politically binding nature,
leave it unparalleled in any other organization.
Implementation of OSCE Commitments
Implementation of the Code of Conduct is enabled through various channels, such as the
Annual Discussion on the Implementation of the Code of Conduct, through the organization of
awareness and outreach conferences, as well as through workshops and seminars, which are
held for participating States and other interested States and Partners for Co-operation to address
issues surrounding the Code of Conduct.
Another tool relating to the Code of Conduct is the Code of Conduct Questionnaire. Beginning
in 1999, participating States have annually exchanged information on their implementation of
the Code of Conduct by making use of the Questionnaire. Newer versions have since been
introduced that added a number of sub-questions, for instance on anti-terrorism efforts. As the
Code of Conduct takes a comprehensive approach to security and addresses issues that go far
beyond the boundaries and competencies of politico-military establishments, its ultimate
implementation requires the participation of parliamentarians and civil society.
3
National parliaments play a central role in facilitating effective oversight of the private and
public security sectors. When active political support is given, parliaments greatly increase the
Code of Conduct's legitimacy and relevance, which improves oversight and control of their
national intelligence services and ensures respect for the human rights of service members. The
OSCE PA has issued comprehensive resolutions on the Code of Conduct that urge all
participating States to acknowledge and agree to its instruments, in particular regarding
parliamentary oversight of the security sector. Among these OSCE PA resolutions are the 1992
Budapest Declaration, which states that elected parliaments must have the ultimate authority
and responsibility for the activities of the military forces.
Implementation of OSCE commitments is assessed by various forums. The Forum for
Security Co-Operation (FSC) is an autonomous decision-making body where representatives
of participating States meet weekly to consult on military stability and security. Its main tasks
include regular consultations and intensive co-operation on military security matters. Aside
from developing norms and providing practical assistance, the FSC further facilitates annual
exchanges of military information (AEMI), an Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC),
various seminars, workshops, and politico-military retreats, as well as Annual Implementation
Assessment Meetings (AIAM). Another source for assessing implementation is offered by the
Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC), which issues a monthly report on major implementation
activities. The CPC supports the work of the FSC and enables exchange of information through
the OSCE communications network.
Annual Implementation Assessment Meeting
At the Annual Implementation Assessment Meeting (AIAM), participating States discuss the
present and future implementation of agreed upon confidence- and security-building measures.
During the 2018 AIAM, the working sessions addressed the implementation of the Global
Exchange of Military Information (GEMI), as well as specific chapters of the Vienna
Document related to the annual exchange of military information (AEMI), defence planning,
risk reduction, as well as compliance and verification issues.
The final working session pointed to three concrete improvements to the implementation and
modernization of the Vienna Document. Firstly, it was contended that this could be achieved
by utilizing a variety of other military-to-military contacts and collaborations besides classic
inspection and evaluation activities. Secondly, it was suggested that there is a need for a greater
level of analysis of the information provided. A more thorough analysis of the data at hand
could enhance the confidence- and security-building effect of the already existing amount of
exchanged information, adding a qualitative overview to the quantitative assessment provided
by the Conflict Prevention Centre.
Finally, it was stressed that the AIAM itself could be made better use of by, for example,
enhancing the flow of information between the AIAM and the Heads of Verification Centres
(HoV), which both provide platforms to discuss present and future implementation of agreed
upon CSBMs but are arguably not being used to their full potential. Improving how these
meetings interrelate with each other may contribute to a more effective use of these platforms.
OSCE Structured Dialogue
An important process for informal dialogue in the politico-military sphere of the OSCE's work
can be seen in the Structured Dialogue (SD). Launched under Germany's 2016 OSCE
4
Chairmanship, continued by Austria's 2017 Chairmanship, and considered a priority of the
current Italian Chairmanship, the Structured Dialogue includes discussions on threat
perceptions, security concerns and challenges to the European rules-based security order, as
well as mapping of military trends. It emphasizes the role of military communication in de-
escalation and risk reduction and allows for in-depth analyses of force postures and military
exercises. By providing participating States with access to official and reliable sources, the
Structured Dialogue furthermore increases transparency and seeks to foster understanding and
find common ground to reverse the negative trends in the arms control architecture and to
revitalize co-operative security in Europe. The informal working group on the Structured
Dialogue has set out to solidify the SD as a state-driven process that in the coming year will
emphasize stronger dialogue and greater exchange among military experts.
Security Sector Governance and Reform
Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R) is recognized by the OSCE and its
participating States as playing an essential role in conflict prevention, early warning, crisis
management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. Although Security Sector Governance and
Reform is a relatively new concept, it goes hand in hand with the OSCE's comprehensive
understanding of security, fostering transparency and accountability. Through its institutions
and field operations, the Organization has provided expertise to participating States on many
important aspects of SSG/R, co-ordinating with external partners while respecting national
ownership of SSG/R. Important areas of SSG/R include police reform, border management and
security, and counter-terrorism. Other central aspects of SSG/R are reforms aiming at ensuring
gender sensitivity and creating greater inclusivity for women in the military, as stipulated in
the UN Security Council's Resolution 1325.
In order to enable implementation of OSCE-led SSG/R, in 2016 the OSCE released a set of
guidelines that support OSCE executive structures and their staff in their pursuit of a coherent
and co-ordinated approach to supporting nationally led SSG/R processes. It furthermore
released a guidebook on intelligence-led policing to assist with national efforts at police reform.
Practical activities in the area of reform and co-operation in the security sector include
legislation reform, downsizing and conversion of armies, and training personnel on the rights
of servicemen and servicewomen. These activities are conducted by OSCE field operations,
the OSCE Secretariat, and a number of other OSCE institutions, such as the OSCE Office for
democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Conflict Prevention Centre.
Non-Proliferation
The OSCE region is increasingly affected by a decline in confidence in and adherence to
nuclear non-proliferation agreements, as support for commitments to nuclear non-proliferation
and disarmament have lessened on a global scale. Coinciding with this trend of declining
confidence in nuclear weapons reduction agreements is a heightened confrontational rhetoric
of world leaders, which contributes to and exacerbates the decline in nuclear security.
Given these circumstances, the importance and necessity of implementing non-proliferation
treaties such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 on preventing the
proliferation of nuclear weapons (UNSCR 1540) are of greatest importance and fully supported
by the OSCE. This also applies to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), of
5
which all OSCE participating States are signatories.1
Comprehensive tracking of nuclear
activities is enabled through the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-
Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), which makes sure that no nuclear explosion goes
undetected through the International Monitoring System (IMS). The OSCE PA, as a facilitator
with direct links to civil society, has a strong potential to support the CTBT. The importance
and necessity of these resolutions and treaties is particularly relevant in the light of today's
volatile and unpredictable nuclear environment.
Despite these heightened tensions, some progress is being made. The 2017 Treaty on the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons stands out as the first legally binding international agreement
to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of their total elimination. As of the
April 2018, fifty-eight States have signed the Treaty.
Protracted Conflicts
The lack of progress towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the
numerous violations of the ceasefire on the Line of Contact in recent years are cause for
concern. A return to the negotiation table by all parties is needed to avoid further military
confrontation and to de-escalate the situation. The High Level Planning Group was established
for this purpose within the framework of the OSCE with a mandate issued in 1995 aimed at the
preparation of a future peacekeeping operation in the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The OSCE should utilize the full potential of its conflict resolution mechanisms, through the
work of the Minsk Group, as well as through the Parliamentary Assembly, to stabilize the
situation and work toward a comprehensive peace agreement.
The Transdniestrian conflict, which was a priority of the 2017 Austrian OSCE Chairmanship,
remains high on the agenda of the work of the OSCE. In 2016, under the German OSCE
Chairmanship and with the help of mediators and observers, the Transdniestrian Settlement
Process resumed its "5+2 format", with a commitment from both sides to produce results. It
remains essential to reach a comprehensive, peaceful, and sustainable settlement of this conflict
based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova. Parliamentarians
play a key role in reaching a long-lasting settlement, and the OSCE PA encourages the
resumption of formal contact between the legislative bodies on both sides, without
preconditions and in good faith, to ensure political support for the solutions identified in the
talks.
In relation to the conflict in Georgia, the Russian Federation should implement the EU-
brokered Six-Point Ceasefire Agreement of 12 August 2008 that ended the conflicts in
Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia nearly ten years ago. The Russian
Federation should also refrain from using and withdraw its military forces in order to create
conditions for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Parliamentary diplomacy should enhance
confidence-building between both sides and create an atmosphere of co-operation and mutual
trust. The OSCE PA rejects the holding of parliamentary elections in Abkhazia and the
approval of a military deal between South Ossetia and the Russian Federation, as well as
unilateral decisions such as changing the name of the South Ossetia region.
1 Of these, all but the United States of America have ratified the Treaty.
6
Ukraine
The OSCE PA has been clear that the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian
Federation was illegal and illegitimate. At the same time the OSCE PA continues to promote
dialogue and a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in and around Ukraine, organizing some of
the only contacts between Russian and Ukrainian parliamentarians since the conflict began.
The crisis can only be resolved through constructive and inclusive dialogue. The Assembly has
held debates on the situation and parliamentarians have led the OSCE's short-term election
observation activities in Ukraine.
The implementation of all provisions of the Minsk II agreement of 11 February 2015 by all
sides remains the key for a comprehensive peace agreement in the Donbas. Despite setbacks,
the goals set forth in these agreements are still achievable and remain the best path forward for
Ukraine and the region. The Italian Chairmanship is dedicated to ensuring that full political
support will be given to the efforts to seek a solution to the Ukraine crisis on the basis of the
Minsk agreements and in the Normandy format.
Cyber-Security
Central risks posed by cyber-attacks pertain to States' critical infrastructure such as water
supply systems, power grids and transport networks. Given the importance of critical
infrastructure to national security and the rapid expansion of the cyber space, it has become
more likely that tensions will arise between States over Information Communication
Technologies (ICTs) incidents involving critical infrastructure. Consequently, efforts to
enhance cyber stability between States, which can prevent tensions and even conflicts,
increasingly focus on effectively protecting critical infrastructure from cyber- and ICT security
threats.
A key focus is on the development of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between
participating States to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of ICTs. The OSCE
has adopted two sets of CBMs aimed at reducing the risk of conflict stemming from the use of
ICTs. The first set of transparency measures established official contact points and
communication lines to prevent possible tensions resulting from cyber activities. The second
set is focused on further enhancing co-operation between participating States — including, for
example, to effectively mitigate cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure that could affect more
than one participating State.
In addition to the cyber- and ICT security CBMs, the OSCE and its institutions also focus on
tackling cyber- and ICT security threats from non-state actors, such as organized criminals and
terrorists. The OSCE therefore addresses various cyber threats, including cybercrimes and the
use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, by promoting adequate and timely responses by
national authorities to these evolving threats, ranging from better forensics to innovative
approaches to prevent ICTs from becoming tactical facilitators for terrorists.
Counter-Terrorism
The OSCE promotes a co-operative and co-ordinated approach to countering terrorism at all
levels, including co-ordination among national authorities, co-operation among States, co-
operation with relevant international and regional organizations and, where appropriate,
establishment of public-private partnerships between state authorities, the private sector, civil
7
society and the media. The increasing threat to domestic security posed by the radicalization
of mainly young people and resulting in terrorism represents an imminent risk to the entire
OSCE area and was a major focus of the 2017 Austrian OSCE Chairmanship.
Strategic focus areas of the OSCE in countering terrorism include promoting the
implementation of the international legal framework against terrorism and enhancing
international legal co-operation in criminal matters related to terrorism, countering violent
extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, and preventing and suppressing the
financing of terrorism. Countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, strengthening
travel document security, and promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental
freedoms in the context of counter-terrorism measures are further areas in which the OSCE is
active.
Relevant activities are carried out by OSCE executive structures within their mandates,
particularly the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT), which was established by
the OSCE PA's Standing Committee at the 26th
Annual Session in Minsk and sets out to assess
terrorism trends in the OSCE region to identify priority areas of engagement for the PA, aiming
to advance its efforts in the field of countering terrorism.


AS (18) DRS 1 E
Original: English
DRAFT RESOLUTION
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Mr. Kristian Vigenin
Bulgaria
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del Bilag 23
Offentligt
2
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
Rapporteur: Mr. Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria)
1. Recalling OSCE principles defined in the Helsinki Final Act, namely sovereign equality
and the respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of
force, inviolability of frontiers, territorial integrity of States, peaceful settlement of
disputes, non-intervention in internal affairs, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, equal rights and self-determination of peoples, co-operation among States, and
the fulfilment in good faith of obligations under international law,
2. Condemning all forms of terrorism and deeply regretting the loss of life resulting from
acts of extremist violence in the OSCE area,
3. Recognizing that the current geopolitical landscape and state of global tensions underline
the urgency of fully implementing OSCE commitments, particularly in the dimension of
political affairs and security, as well as renewed efforts to resolve the crisis in and around
Ukraine, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the conflict in Georgia, and the Transdniestrian
conflict,
4. Taking note of decisions reached at the 2017 OSCE Ministerial Council in the politico-
military dimension of security, including Decision No. 10/17 Small Arms and Light
Weapons and Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition, and Decision No. 5/17 Enhancing
OSCE Efforts to Reduce the Risk of Conflict Stemming from the Use of Information and
Communication Technologies,
5. Recalling commitments in the fields of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation,
and democratic control of armed forces as expressed in the Vienna Document, the OSCE
Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the Code of Conduct on Politico-
Military Aspects of Security,
6. Regretting the deterioration in arms control, nuclear security and nuclear weapons
reduction agreements, and the negative effects this could have on strategic stability and
threat reduction,
7. Expressing deep concern over persistent fragmentation of the zone of application of
existing arms control and confidence- and-security-building regimes due to unresolved
conflicts in the OSCE area which pose serious risks and challenges to military
transparency, predictability and stability,
8. Concerned by declining confidence in nuclear weapons reduction agreements and by
heightened confrontational rhetoric of world leaders,
9. Welcoming the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Weapons, the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit
nuclear weapons, with the goal of their total elimination,
3
10. Considering that the full implementation of OSCE commitments and strengthening of
arms control regimes would enhance predictability and transparency, and could serve as
both a stabilizing force in the OSCE area and as a positive example to the world as a
whole,
11. Stressing that full implementation of OSCE commitments requires the engagement of
national parliaments to ensure security sector oversight, the ratification of relevant
international treaties, and harmonized and effective legal frameworks,
12. Recalling OSCE PA documents addressing the role of parliaments in the implementation
of the Code of Conduct, such as the 1992 Budapest Declaration, the 2000 Bucharest
Declaration, the 2006 Brussels Declaration, and the 2014 Baku Resolution on the
Democratic Control of Public and Private Security Sectors,
13. Underlining that a holistic and well co-ordinated approach to Security Sector Governance
and Reform is fundamental in dealing with today's security challenges, especially in the
areas of police reform, border management and security, counter-terrorism, anti-
corruption, and justice sector reform,
14. Recognizing the importance of Security Sector Governance and Reform as playing an
essential role in conflict prevention, early warning, crisis and post-conflict rehabilitation,
15. Regretting the diminishing confidence, trust, and predictability in the OSCE region, and
emphasizing the importance of work on the multilateral level, especially in light of failing
confidence in multilateral organizations and shortcomings in recent years,
16. Recalling that the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention bars countries from possessing
chemical weapons by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling,
retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons,
17. Supporting the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which
sets out to implement the provisions established in the Chemical Weapons Convention,
in order to achieve a world free of chemical weapons and the threat of their use,
18. Reaffirming that the proliferation of chemical weapons and their use by terrorists and
other non-state actors constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and recalling
the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2325 on non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction,
19. Emphasizing the role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace
negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict
reconstruction, as stated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace
and Security,
20. Welcoming the conclusions of the Conference on Digital Resilience of a Democratic
State, held as part of the Lisbon Conferences of the OSCE PA,
4
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE governments to the
following:
21. Urges a renewed commitment from OSCE participating States to the Organization's
principles of dialogue and detente in the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act, including through
the strengthening of arms control regimes, security sector reform, the development of
confidence- and security-building measures, the good-faith implementation of existing
agreements, and greater parliamentary oversight of military, security and intelligence
services;
22. Calls on OSCE participating States to ensure that fundamental human rights are respected
by all security and intelligence services, both public and private, and that the norms and
principles outlined by the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security are
fully implemented;
23. Urges renewed support for Global Exchange of Military Information to ensure the
continued annual exchange of information on major weapon and equipment systems and
personnel in participating States' conventional armed forces, on their territory as well as
worldwide;
24. Reiterates the importance of the Structured Dialogue as a process which fosters
transparency, predictability, threat perception and risk reduction;
27. Recommends that the implementation of confidence- and security building measures,
such as those anchored in the Vienna Document, be improved by expanding military-to-
military contacts and enhancing dialogue between participating States;
28. Further recommends that modernization of the Vienna Document include a greater level
of analysis of exchanged information to enhance the confidence- and security-building
effect of the already existing data provided by the Conflict Prevention Centre;
29. Reiterates the need for enhancing cybersecurity between States through confidence- and
security-building measures, as well as elaboration of binding international legal
framework, in order to prevent tension and conflicts stemming from the use of
information and communication technologies (ICTs), and to protect critical infrastructure
from cyber threats;
30. Promotes adequate and timely responses by national authorities to evolving threats
stemming from cybersecurity and ICTs, ranging from better forensics to innovative
approaches to prevent ICTs from becoming tactical facilitators for terrorists;
31. Urges nuclear weapons States of the OSCE area to recommit to nuclear non-proliferation
and disarmament, including by agreeing to no-first-use principles and arms reduction
strategies;
32. Calls for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 on
preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons;
5
33. Underlines the need for taking effective tailor-made measures to address specific risks
and challenges associated with grey zones, such as accumulation of undeclared,
unaccounted and uncontrolled military equipment and illegal military build-up, and calls
on the OSCE participating States to make full use of existing OSCE formats, including
the Forum for Security Cooperation and the Structured Dialogue to that end;
34. Reconfirms its previous positions on the crisis in and around Ukraine, and renews its
support for a settlement based on the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the
Minsk Agreements and the end to military hostilities, including the full withdrawal of
heavy-calibre weaponry by both sides, and full access to the OSCE's Special Monitoring
Mission to Ukraine (SMM) and humanitarian aid organizations;
35. Reiterates its regret over the lack of progress towards the settlement of the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict, calls on the parties to engage without further delay in substantive
negotiations with a view to finding the earliest possible sustainable solution to the
conflict, and urges the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to redouble their efforts to
that end;
36. Reiterates its support for the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Georgia with full
respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country within its internationally
recognized borders, and emphasizes the necessity for the implementation of the EU-
mediated 12 August 2008 Ceasefire Agreement, in particular for the withdrawal of
Russian military forces from Georgian territory, and the establishment of international
security mechanisms with the aim to ensure lasting peace and security on the ground;
37. Calls for continued engagement of the OSCE in the Western Balkans with the aim to
further consolidate democracy, strengthen stability and security, promote human rights
and support media freedom, and cautions against the rise of nationalist forces in the
region;
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE national parliaments to the
following:
39. Urges parliaments to provide comprehensive and fully effective oversight over the private
and public security sectors and to increase the Code of Conduct's legitimacy and
relevance through active political support, as well as to improve oversight and control
over their national intelligence services to ensure full respect for fundamental human
rights and to thoroughly investigate possible violations of domestic or international law;
40. Recommends that parliaments establish and strengthen parliamentary bodies for a priori
and ex post facto scrutiny of security and intelligence services' activities, providing them
with appropriate mandates and resources in order to ensure effective democratic
oversight over intelligence activities;
41. Recalls that mediation and dialogue are widely recognized as cost-effective ways of
preventing, managing and resolving violent conflicts, and encourages the Parliamentary
Assembly to continue to take an active role in mediation.
6
GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY
PROPOSED AMENDMENT to the DRAFT RESOLUTION
On
IMPLEMENTING OSCE COMMITMENTS:
THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS
[Set out text of Amendment here:]
Principal Sponsor:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature
Co-sponsored by:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature


AS (18) DRS 3 E
Original: English
DRAFT RESOLUTION
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni
Cyprus
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 23
Offentligt
2
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS
Rapporteur: Mr. Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus)
1. Alarmed by the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in the OSCE area
in the past year, and recalling the OSCE participating States’ commitments to the values
enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act,
2. Noting with concern that parliaments have not been sufficiently proactive in safeguarding
the oversight of the commitments assumed by the Helsinki Final Act, and regretting that
between several parliaments no form of co-operation and dialogue exists,
3. Alarmed that ongoing conflicts within the OSCE area and in adjacent highly volatile
regions, e.g. the Eastern Mediterranean region, lead to further destabilization and thus
exacerbate the danger for further deterioration of human rights protection,
4. Expressing serious concern over the repeated denial of access to international and
regional human rights mechanisms to conflict zones and occupied territories,
5. Deploring the fact that in the context of a state of emergency, some OSCE countries are
not upholding democratic standards and are disregarding their commitments to human
rights and the rule of law,
6. Dismayed that refugees and migrants suffer grave abuses of their rights, particularly child
migrants, instead of enjoying special protection by states as a vulnerable population,
7. Outraged by the persistence of human trafficking worldwide, a form of modern slavery,
which particularly targets women and children,
8. Alarmed by the increasing threat that drug trafficking poses to societies, particularly
youth,
9. Noting with concern the continued occurrence of extrajudicial killings and forced
disappearances, as well as the high number of killings within the OSCE region resulting
from excessive use of force, including deadly force, by law enforcement officers,
10. Noting with regret that in some OSCE participating States Roma children, children with
disabilities, migrant and refugee children, and economically disadvantaged children are
deprived of access to mainstream education,
11. Convinced that children and youth must be considered as a strategic long-term priority
for OSCE advocacy activities in order to ensure continued awareness of, as well as
respect for, the Helsinki Final Act and OSCE commitments,
12. Deeply concerned by the growing tide of populism which is negatively impacting the
level of human rights in OSCE participating States, and reaffirming the need for the
OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly to work together in order to counter this negative
trend,
3
13. Noting with deep concern the high number of acts of intolerance and violence motivated
by religious hatred in the OSCE region, including acts of vandalism against and
desecration of places of worship, cemeteries, religious monuments and artefacts, and
underscoring the need for the OSCE to implement a long-term strategy to combat
intolerance and uphold stable and democratic societies where freedom of thought,
conscience, religion and belief are protected,
14. Noting that modern technologies enable misinformation to be promoted and spread to an
unprecedented degree, and concerned that the purposeful use of such ‘fake news’ is
already being operationalized to confuse citizens, with serious consequences for
democratic systems and for human rights protection,
15. Concerned by the proliferation of unprofessional election monitoring, often promoted by
host governments, which undermines public trust in election observation overall,
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
16. Stresses that international humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld during
armed conflicts and are applicable in their entirety in areas under military occupation,
including the right of safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their
hometowns;
17. Calls for investigations into the serious human rights violations of people in conflict
zones and occupied territories such as in the South Caucasus, Ukraine including in
Crimea, and Cyprus, in particular those related to internally displaced persons, enclaved
persons and missing persons, and calls for the restoration of freedom of movement,
freedom of expression, and property and educational rights particularly for children in
conflict areas;
18. Affirms the importance of OSCE participating States holding each other to account to the
commitments undertaken within the OSCE, particularly in the human dimension, which
are to the benefit of all OSCE citizens;
19. Calls upon countries applying the death penalty to declare an immediate moratorium on
executions and to develop legislative initiatives leading to the abolition of the death
penalty for all crimes, and notes with concern public consideration of its reintroduction
in participating States where it has been abolished;
20. Affirms that governments should strengthen monitoring activities aimed at promoting
adherence to commitments related to the rule of law and human rights to ensure a
democratic order within OSCE participating States, based on impartial and independent
judiciaries, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of
religion, democratic institutions and inclusive societies;
21. Reaffirms the crucial role of national Parliaments in overseeing the implementation by
governments of policies related to gender equality;
22. Recalls the participating States’ commitments to fully respect and preserve the rule of
law and to guarantee the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and
4
stresses the particular relevance of attention to such commitments when confronted with
serious security concerns;
23. Recalls that restrictions on human rights as a result of a state of emergency are
exceptional, and are legally justifiable only if their remit and duration are proportionate
and appropriate;
24. Regrets the protraction of the state of emergency in Turkey, and calls for the full
restoration of the Constitutional order and the rule of law;
25. Expresses its solidarity with parliamentarians who are detained or imprisoned, and
declares its willingness to observe their conditions of detention or imprisonment,
including through site visits;
26. Stresses the importance of participating States fully respecting the rights of lawyers,
notably lawyers specializing in the protection of human rights, to engage in their
professional activities with full independence, without any interference or restrictions;
27. Reaffirms the critical importance and fundamental value of NGO participation in all
dimensions of OSCE activities;
28. Emphasizes that the role of Parliaments is essential in overseeing and scrutinizing the
effective implementation of OSCE commitments by governments;
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE governments to the following:
29. Calls on the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE, at the 2018 Ministerial Council, to
collectively recommit to upholding all human dimension commitments agreed within the
CSCE and OSCE processes;
30. Calls upon participating States which, in violation of international law, have occupied
areas of other States, turning them into ghost towns, to immediately restore the human
rights of the lawful inhabitants forcibly expelled from these areas;
31. Calls on participating States to accept international observers in the areas under their
military occupation for the purpose of monitoring the human rights situation in these
areas;
32. Calls on OSCE governments, where applicable, to immediately cease the harassment,
imprisonment and mistreatment of parliamentarians, judges, political opponents, human
rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, academics and other members of civil society and
to restore their rights;
33. Stresses the importance of European co-operation with third countries on migration
management, and calls upon all participating States to protect the rights of migrants and
refugees, especially their freedom from arbitrary detention, and to actively work on the
integration of refugees and protect their right to family reunification, with particular
consideration for unaccompanied minors;
5
34. Expects all OSCE participating States to fully implement and uphold their international
commitment to refrain from forced returns of refugees and asylum seekers to countries
where they could face torture or inhuman treatment, and furthermore emphasizes that the
principle of non-refoulement is a principle of customary international law which applies
also to states that are not parties to the 1951 Refugee Convention;
35. Encourages OSCE participating States to act together in order to fight and dismantle
organized criminal networks that exploit migrants and other categories of human beings,
to work to prevent the misuse of the internet as a trafficking facilitator, and to treat
migrants engaged in prostitution as likely victims of trafficking, while prosecuting illegal
purchasers of commercial sex;
36. Urges OSCE participating States to take all necessary measures, including within their
migration policies, to make sure that the slave trade, reportedly carried out from Libya,
is eradicated;
37. Exhorts OSCE participating States to adopt and implement stricter legislation to combat
human trafficking, which places greater focus on prevention, including through curbing
the demand for and purchase of services involving trafficked persons;
38. Stresses the urgent need for States to enhance efforts against drug trafficking, with greater
emphasis on prevention and awareness-raising among youth of the extensive and multiple
threats which drugs entail, and stresses at the same time the urgent need for States to
adopt appropriate legislation and adequate policies to ensure the effective protection of
victims of drug addiction, as a vulnerable societal group, and to respect their fundamental
human rights pertaining to life and bodily integrity, access to information, assistance,
treatment and rehabilitation;
39. Urges OSCE participating States to eradicate forced and child marriages, including by
adapting domestic legislation where necessary;
40. Calls on OSCE governments to ensure an inclusive approach to education to ensure that
vulnerable and disadvantaged children are not deprived of access to quality mainstream
education;
41. Calls upon OSCE participating States to integrate education about human rights into
primary and secondary school curricula, based on the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, under the oversight of national Parliaments, in the interests of long-term
understanding and implementation of human rights commitments by OSCE participating
States;
42. Encourages OSCE participating States to enhance efforts to combat intolerance and
discrimination through further strengthening relevant policies, building on the work
carried out by the OSCE in this field, and upon the recommendations contained in the
OSCE PA’s Resolution entitled “A Call for OSCE Action to Address Violence and
Discrimination” (Tbilisi Declaration, 2016);
43. Stresses the pressing need to improve regulation of the internet, while ensuring full
respect of human rights, particularly freedom of expression;
6
44. Calls on participating States to strengthen national legislation to enable professional and
independent journalism in the interests of counteracting misinformation and ‘fake news’
particularly related to public policy, and to make full use of the support and expertise of
OSCE offices, including the Representative on Freedom of the Media;
45. Underlines the importance of calling on the owners of major news outlets to take
appropriate oversight measures at their own initiative and in co-operation with States and
the international community, so as to counteract misinformation and “fake news”;
46. Calls on all participating States to welcome NGO participation in OSCE events, and to
reject all efforts to restrict participation in OSCE human dimension events so long as
these groups have relevant experience in the human dimension and do not resort to or
condone violence or terrorism;
47. Calls on OSCE participating States to engage in necessary reforms in order to eliminate
practices of discriminatory and excessively violent policing;
48. Urges all participating States, with the support of their national Parliaments, and in
consultation with NGOs, to engage in a structural reform of their penitentiary systems to
demilitarize and democratize penitentiary services, establish functioning monitoring
systems, and increase prisoners’ access to the outside world, on the basis of legislative
changes, including the modification of punishment policies and remedies systems;
49. Urges participating States to guarantee full access for domestic and international monitors
to review prison conditions;
50. Calls on participating States to take decisive action towards the implementation of the
provisions and principles included in current, as well as previous relevant OSCE PA
resolutions;
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE national parliaments to the
following:
51. Emphasizes the importance of codes of conduct for members of parliament and national
parliaments as a tool to counteract defamatory, racist, xenophobic, nationalistic or
belligerent rhetoric, to foster peaceful coexistence, tolerance and social cohesion, and
considers that promoting a common code of conduct also at the level of the OSCE PA
would be a meaningful step in this direction;
52. Requests national parliaments and OSCE participating States to refrain from participating
in election observation processes that are not based on well-organized and transparent
processes with a systematic methodology, and to publicly affirm that OSCE-led Election
Observation Missions take precedence over bilateral arrangements;
53. Encourages national parliaments to request legislative review of draft legislation by the
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to ensure compliance with
OSCE commitments;
7
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE structures to the following:
54. Calls on the OSCE to actively engage in the Western Balkans to face the growing
polarization of tensions and the rise of aggressive nationalist and revisionist forces;
55. Encourages the OSCE to develop guidance for participating States on improving
regulation of the internet in a comprehensive and human-centered way that can help to
address Information and Communication Technologies challenges;
56. Encourages the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media to continue to provide
guidelines and support on addressing fake news and propaganda;
57. Calls on the OSCE/ODIHR to expand its monitoring activities and to draw attention to
cases in which parliamentarians, human rights lawyers, human rights defenders,
journalists and other members of civil society are harassed, detained or imprisoned;
58. Considers as relevant an OSCE PA visit in response to the reported slave trade in Libya;
59. Considers the development of dialogue between the OSCE PA General Committee on
Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions and competent human rights
committees of national parliaments useful for the purpose of information and examination
of cases of human rights abuses.
8
GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS
PROPOSED AMENDMENT to the DRAFT RESOLUTION
on
IMPLEMENTING OSCE COMMITMENTS:
THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS
[Set out text of Amendment here:]
Principal Sponsor:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature
Co-sponsored by:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature


AS (18) DRS 2 E
Original: English
DRAFT RESOLUTION
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND ENVIRONMENT
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Ms. Sofio Katsarava
Georgia
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del Bilag 23
Offentligt
1
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Rapporteur: Ms. Sofio Katsarava (Georgia)
1. Stressing the unique role of national parliaments in formulating legislative proposals to
promote economic reforms implementing OSCE commitments in the second dimension,
in particular preventing and combating corruption, increasing transparency and
accessibility, cracking down on organized crime, money laundering, and the financing
of terrorism,
2. Recalling the nexus between the environment and security recognized by the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly in the 1992 Budapest Declaration, and recognizing the
destabilizing effects of climate change throughout the OSCE area,
3. Emphasizing the need to intensify the discussion on the expansion of renewable and
sustainable energy and maximizing energy efficiency,
4. Recognizing the important role of new technologies, the digital economy, and science
in solving the environmental problems that the world is facing,
5. Recalling the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, in which participating States recognized that
“efforts to develop co-operation in the fields of trade, industry, science and technology,
the environment and other areas of economic activity contribute to the reinforcement of
peace and security in Europe and in the world as a whole”,
6. Noting that OSCE Ministerial Council Decision No. 8/17 on Promoting Economic
Participation in the OSCE Area adopted at the 24th
OSCE Ministerial Council also
called for the strengthening of co-operation on economic activities promoting
sustainable economic, social and environmental development,
7. Welcoming the priority of the Italian Chairmanship to enhance dialogue and strengthen
the OSCE second dimension in line with the previous Austrian and German
Chairmanships, with the goal of promoting economic progress and security through
innovation, human capital, good governance, and the transition towards renewable
energy, as well as maximizing the role of digital economy as a driver for innovation,
competitiveness and inclusive growth,
8. Recalling the OSCE PA 2017 Minsk Declaration, which stipulates that the implications
deriving from rapid advances in digitalization should be given due consideration,
9. Supporting the OSCE’s 25th
Economic and Environmental Forum and its 2018 theme
“Greening the Economy and Building Partnerships for Security in the OSCE Region”,
10. Welcoming the steps taken since the 2015 United Nations Paris Climate Change
Conference (COP21) and the adoption of the Paris Agreement, including the launch at
COP23 of the Talanoa Dialogue to take stock of progress made on climate action,
2
11. Noting the report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at COP23 that outlines
five macro-areas of action on climate: reducing emissions, adaptation, finance,
partnerships and leadership,
12. Welcoming the adoption of the Gender Action Plan at COP23 under the Lima work
programme on gender that seeks to advance women’s full, equal, and meaningful
participation and to promote gender-responsive climate policy,
13. Welcoming the launch of the “Powering Past Coal Alliance” at COP23 in Bonn in 2017
that was formed by more than 20 countries and sub-national actors, its commitment to
supporting clean power and to restricting financing for traditional coal power without
carbon capture and storage,
14. Welcoming the participation of more than 2,500 mayors, governors, and others from
across the United States at the COP23 who, on 11 November 2017, released the
“America’s Pledge” report, which outlined the scope of subnational climate action in
the U.S. following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Paris
Agreement,
15. Expressing concern about the disastrous consequences of conflicts on the environment,
16. Alarmed by the increase of weather-related natural disasters reported by the United
Nations Office for Disaster Reduction,
17. Acknowledging the increase of environmental migration due to man-made and natural
disasters aggravated by climate change, and deeply concerned about the increasing
number of Internally Displaced Persons,
18. Recalling the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Guiding Principles
on Internal Displacement as well as the United Nations New York Declaration for
Refugees and Migrants adopted in 2016 that aims to protect the human rights of all
refugees and migrants and gave impetus to the negotiations for the adoption of a global
compact for safe, orderly, and regular migration and a global compact on refugees in
2018,
19. Recalling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable
Development Goals that call for action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure
peace and prosperity, with the ultimate goal of sustainably improving life for future
generations,
20. Welcoming the results of the first Annual Showcase of the 16+ Forum held in Georgia
in 2017 that discussed policies and best practices to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals, with particular attention to SDG 16: Promote peaceful and
inclusive societies for sustainable development,
21. Stressing the importance of the Open Government Partnership in promoting
transparency, empowering citizens, fighting corruption, and harnessing new
technologies to strengthen governance,
3
22. Recognizing the destructive effects of corruption and organized crime that undermine
good governance, lead to the mismanagement of public funds, distort competitive
markets, and endanger international security,
23. Recalling the OSCE PA 2017 Minsk Declaration, which called on participating States
to “enhance the level of co-operation among law enforcement agencies and other
relevant institutions in combating corruption, money laundering, the production and
trafficking of narcotics, the financing of terrorism and other financial crime”,
24. Emphasizing the role that beneficial ownership transparency has to play in combating
transnational corruption,
25. Reiterating the support of the OSCE PA for the work of the Office of the Co-ordinator
of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, and welcoming the priorities of the
Office for 2018, in particular, preventing and combating corruption, money laundering
and financing of terrorism, good migration governance, promoting good water
governance and trans-boundary digital co-operation, fostering co-operative responses to
climate change, and increasing energy efficiency and share of renewable energy,
26. Encouraging the OSCE to strengthen its focus on anti-corruption, including through
examining the potential for a thematic field mission or other structure to assist all 57
participating States with the implementation of their OSCE commitments, particularly
in the field of combating money laundering and transnational organized crime,
27. Taking note of the Silk Road initiative aimed at promoting co-operation between the
participating States – an initiative which is necessary for achieving the security,
stability, and prosperity of OSCE nations,
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:
28. Urges OSCE participating States to intensify their involvement in the consideration of
economic and environmental issues, both at a national and international level,
acknowledging that they constitute two essential pillars of the security structure of the
OSCE area in line with the commitments enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act;
29. Stresses that the climate crisis represents an immediate threat to the security of the
OSCE area and needs to be addressed with extreme urgency in line with the OSCE’s
comprehensive approach to security;
30. Calls on parliaments of OSCE participating States to promote universal ratification of
the Paris Agreement on climate change and to boost the implementation of the Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions to strengthen the global response to climate
change aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping the increase of global
average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels;
31. Urges parliaments to adopt legislation to establish or further develop anti-corruption
policies, including beneficial ownership transparency and to promote best practices to
ensure a genuinely free and competitive market, as well as enable sustainable and
environmentally friendly economic growth;
4
32. Calls on participating States to further elaborate and implement policies that promote
environmental good governance to place renewed attention on the development and
expansion of renewable and sustainable energy with the ultimate aim of reaching
energy efficiency through clean energy sources;
33. Invites all participating States to develop incentives and economy funds to encourage
the use of clean, renewable energy sources;
34. Urges participating States and their parliaments to encourage gender-inclusive dialogue
on the second dimension and advance women’s participation by implementing
economic, environmental, social, and educational policies and reforms;
35. Calls on OSCE parliamentarians to spare no effort in conveying OSCE pledges and
values to parliamentary colleagues to promote and approve laws to implement OSCE
commitments and guarantee their effective execution through parliamentary oversight
on governments;
36. Emphasizes the role of parliamentarians in raising public awareness of the OSCE, its
values and commitments, through parliamentary dialogue and outreach to the media to
encourage public debate;
37. Calls on parliaments of participating States to consider the need to modernize national
legislation in the fields of science and ecology with the aim of solving the problems of
technological impact on the environment;
38. Underlines that rapid advances in digitalization are causing fundamental changes in all
aspects of life, which require a modernization of national and international legislation
and legislative flexibility to adapt to an ever-changing world order;
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calls the attention of OSCE governments to the
following:
39. Calls on participating States to draft and implement forest conservation regulations to
gradually reduce and ultimately stop deforestation and to develop agro-responsible
strategies to limit the emissions of greenhouse gas mainly due to fertilization;
40. Calls on the OSCE to establish a system of ecological monitoring of war-torn and
occupied territories to assess the disruptive and disastrous consequences of conflicts on
the environment and consequently formulate recommendations in line with the OSCE
principle of comprehensive security;
41. Calls on participating States to establish institutional mechanisms for anti-corruption
policy co-ordination and monitoring through increasing partnerships and co-operation;
42. Urges OSCE participating States to speedily implement effective, coherent, and
comprehensive policies to respond to migration flows, with particular attention to
vulnerable groups such as women, girls, and unaccompanied minors;
5
43. Encourages the draft of an international document legitimizing the category of
environmental refugees and recognizing the right to asylum for people fleeing their
countries because of environmental deterioration;
44. Calls on participating States to redouble their efforts to identify and address the root
causes of forcible displacement, and encourages the inclusion of Internally Displaced
Persons in the OSCE working agenda;
45. Urges participating States to establish partnerships between governments and other
relevant actors to promote effective migration management policies and strategies,
including through the exchange of best practices that encourage legal migration.
6
GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
PROPOSED AMENDMENT to the DRAFT RESOLUTION
on
IMPLEMENTING OSCE COMMITMENTS:
THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS
[Set out text of Amendment here:]
Principal Sponsor:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature
Co-sponsored by:
Mr/Mrs
Family Name in
Capital Letters
Country Signature


AS (18) RP 2 E
Original: English
REPORT
FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
AND ENVIRONMENT
Implementing OSCE Commitments:
The Role of Parliaments
RAPPORTEUR
Ms. Sofio Katsarava
Georgia
BERLIN, 7 – 11 JULY 2018
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2017-18
(Omtryk - 16-05-2018 - Bilag vedlagt) OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 23
Offentligt
1
REPORT FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Rapporteur: Ms. Sofio Katsarava (Georgia)
Introduction
The Italian OSCE Chairmanship has outlined its priorities in the economic and environmental
dimension as the development of human capital, promotion of good governance models, the
prevention of and fight against corruption, and the optimization of digital economy. These are
useful areas of attention for the international community that are both focused and
achievable.
As we know, the second dimension encompasses a multitude of complex, inter-linked issues
that can’t be thoroughly included in a brief report. For this reason, this report will focus on
the most urgent and relevant challenges that resonate with OSCE participating States:
promotion of good governance and reducing corruption, environmental good governance,
climate change, sustainable energy and energy efficiency, environmental migration, and
internal displacement.
Promotion of Good Governance and Reducing Corruption
Promotion of good governance and reducing corruption are at the heart of the UN’s
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and at the core of the Open Government Partnership
(OGP) currently chaired by Georgia. The main goals of OGP should have a higher priority
in the national agendas of OSCE participating States.
One of the main goals of the OGP is to advance transparency and the fight against corruption,
which is in line with OSCE PA recommendations. In its 2017 Minsk Declaration, for
example, the PA called on participating States to “enhance the level of co-operation among
law enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions in combating corruption, money
laundering, the production and trafficking of narcotics, the financing of terrorism and other
financial crime”.
Anti-corruption reforms should stay at the top of the OSCE agenda. Corruption and organized
crime distort good governance and negatively impact the management of public funds and
competitive markets. Figures and statistics better illustrate the harm that corruption causes to
development and its impact on economic growth. According to World Bank estimates,
businesses and individuals pay an estimated $1.5 trillion in bribes each year, which is about
two per cent of the global GDP. Having a comprehensive legal framework is not enough.
What is required is the effective implementation of anti-corruption provisions. Actions of
establishing institutional mechanisms for anti-corruption policy co-ordination and monitoring
in the OSCE area should be encouraged through increased partnerships as part of the
overarching goal to enhance functional democracy by upholding principles of transparency,
accountability, and the rule of law.
Over the previous year, several meetings and decisions have set further milestones in the
process of the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance in the OSCE
area and beyond. Among them is the SDG 16+ Forum on Peaceful, Just and Inclusive
societies held in Tbilisi, Georgia from 31 October to 2 November 2017.
2
Representatives from 25 countries gathered for the international forum and discussed
best policies and practices in the achievement of the SDGs to ensure a free civil
society, free media, social cohesion, and the observance of the rule of law.
Environmental Good Governance
Environmental good governance can contribute to sustainable development, prosperity,
stability and security, and foster a favorable business and investment climate. There is now a
growing consensus that good governance has a strong effect on environmental actions and
outcomes, as well as being of fundamental importance for poverty reduction and sustainable
development.
Climate Change
Climate change has pushed the Earth into uncharted territory. Rising sea levels, melting
Arctic ice and record high temperatures are just some of the signs that call for action and
enhanced co-operation among governments and other actors. The Paris Agreement entered
into force on 4 November 2017, and with 174 parties having ratified the Agreement so far,
the era of implementation has begun.
The remaining signatory parties should accelerate the ratification process and live up to the
commitments made under the agreement, as the OSCE PA has previously stated. The UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his address at the UN Climate Change Conference
(COP23) on 6-17 November 2017 in Bonn, focused on a roadmap to tackle climate change,
which was divided into five action areas: reducing emissions, adaptation, finance,
partnerships and leadership. It was encouraging to see participation at COP23 by a coalition
of more than 2,500 mayors, governors and others from across the United States who on 11
November released the “America’s Pledge” report, outlining the scope of non-federal climate
action in the U.S. following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Paris
Agreement.
This conference further clarified the enabling frameworks that will make the agreement fully
operational and the support needed for all nations to achieve their climate change goals.
COP23 was another opportunity for countries to demonstrate their collective ambition
through taking concrete, clear, and universally binding decisions. In this respect, it is
important to recall the recommendations of the Minsk Declaration which also called on
participating States to consider options for implementing a carbon tax or fee on heavily
polluting industries.
Clean, Renewable and Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency
The OSCE area includes many of the world’s largest energy producers, consumers, and
transit countries among its participating States. For this reason, the Organization must
continue to streamline and prioritize activities in the areas of energy security, sustainable
energy, water management, and hazardous waste management.
The theme and findings of the OSCE 25th Economic and Environmental Forum, “Greening
the Economy and Building Partnerships for Security in the OSCE Region,” represent a clear
commitment to keep discussing these topics, and aim at finding long-term strategies to deal
3
with these fundamental aspects of our everyday lives. Among other issues, the Forum
focused on supporting resource efficiency, renewable energy, and energy security.
Environmental Migration and Internal Displacement
Natural disasters, accelerated by climate change, have led to a significant increase in
environmental migration. Statistics suggest that the risk of human beings displaced through
sudden natural disasters is 60 per cent higher today than it was 40 years ago.
Today, we are witnessing a record high level of human mobility. More people than ever
before migrate to a country other than the one in which they were born. In 2016, when the
New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants was adopted by the UN General Assembly,
there were roughly 65 million forcibly displaced persons, including over 21 million refugees,
three million asylum seekers, and over 40 million internally displaced persons. These
statistics should raise the alarm and call for immediate action by OSCE participating States.
The global focus on environmental migration should not divert our attention from
displacement as a result of man-made conflicts and violence. The refugee and migrant issues
somewhat overshadow the magnitude of potential problems that internal displacement may
generate. According to IDMC’s 2017 Global Report on Internal Displacement, there are
twice as many IDPs as refugees in the world. The world underestimates the danger these
figures pose, as current IDPs may any day become refugees, asylum seekers, or international
migrants, thereby adding to the already large movements of migrants and refugees that reach
the OSCE area. Therefore, it is high time to shift our attention to addressing the root causes
of forcible displacement.
Overall, the OSCE must continue to encourage partnerships between governments and other
relevant actors in assisting participating States to promote effective migration management,
including through the exchange of best practices that prioritizes legal migration.
Environmental Impacts of Conflicts
The evolution of warfare methods is leading to unprecedented levels of destruction of the
environment, which seriously affects the resilience of countries and societies. Conflicts
negatively impact natural resources in many ways, including but not limited to: the disruption
of the operations of water supply and disposal systems that result in the discharge of
pollutants into freshwater sources, the damaging of infrastructures like powerlines, water
pipes and water pumping stations, pollution of the environment by heavy metals released by
explosives and bombs, and the disruption of waste management operations.
The OSCE has historically worked to assess the impact on the environment of conflicts in the
OSCE area in line with the principle of comprehensive security, of which the environmental
dimension is a fundamental component. To this purpose, in 2006 and 2008, joint OSCE-
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) missions were deployed respectively in
Nagorno-Karabakh and Georgia to assess the damage produced by war. A number of
assessments have also been carried out in Ukraine, mainly focusing on access to water in
conflict-affected areas.
In December 2017, the OSCE published a report entitled “Environmental Assessment and
Recovery Priorities for Eastern Ukraine” that compiles information and formulates
4
recommendations on the environmental recovery of the country, particularly focusing on the
Donbas region.
In addition, there is an urgent need to establish a system of ecological monitoring in
compliance with the OSCE principle of comprehensive security in the territories of Ukraine
and Georgia that are currently under foreign occupation.
Digitalization and New Technological Order
In a changing world, science is assuming an increasingly significant role. Not only with
studies on climate and the environment, but also in other fields such as digital economy,
biotechnologies, etc. The global economy is undergoing a substantial digital transformation,
and the importance of data and the relevance of internet quietly influences our everyday lives.
Science is a fundamental component of security, especially when it comes to building
resilience, disaster threat reduction, water sanitation, counter-terrorism, economic and
governmental digitalization and much more. However, the new technological order also
carries new issues and challenges, but legislative frameworks don’t always respond to change
at the same pace with which science evolves. Therefore, a modernization of national and
international legislation and legislative flexibility should be encouraged to adapt to an ever-
changing world order.
In particular, legislative attention to the impact of science and technology on the environment
should be considered.
Conclusion
An increased engagement of national legislative branches in discussing a way forward to
address the above issues is vital to the progress of substantial discussions in the second
dimension. National Parliaments not only have a unique role in finding solutions through
legislation, but also by boosting the level of implementation of international and domestic
commitments.
The ultimate goal of promoting international co-operation on economic and environmental
issues is strengthening security and stability in the OSCE region. The Parliamentary
Assembly must stand ready to work with governments in deepening partnership to enhance
essential co-operation in addressing second dimension issues on the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly’s agenda.