Brev fra Hr. Paolo Grimoldi

Measures regarding Covid-19 emergency
put in place by Italy’s Chamber of deputies
• For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, Italy’s Chamber of Deputies has
resolved to limit the work of the Plenary mainly to consideration of urgent non-
deferrable bills, with particular regard to bills for the enactment into law of pending
decree laws. The Chamber will also meet in plenary session in case of parliamentary
questions requiring an immediate reply or of urgent interpellations. The purpose of
these arrangements is to maintain constant dialogue with the Government on the
subject of the emergency and to enable the Government to keep Parliament apprised
of developments including through the issuance of urgent information updates and
reports.
• In order to avoid the simultaneous and prolonged presence on the Floor of the House
of a large number of MPs, parliamentary groups have agreed to reduce the number
of MPs in attendance and adopted appropriate voting methods, such as the roll-call
vote used for the sitting of 31st March 2020.
• The activities of Committees and other parliamentary bodies have likewise been
restricted to consideration of urgent non-deferrable acts. In particular, it has been
agreed that Committees shall examine only bills related to items included in the Order
of Business of the House or else bills for which a Committee is acting in a law-making
capacity. In addition, Committees may conduct hearings with Ministers or other
persons or entities whose responsibilities pertain to matters connected with the
emergency. Committees may also convene for purposes of parliamentary scrutiny or
to issue opinions on Government legislative proposals that are nearing expiration and
need to be expedited without delay.
• Following a decision of the Chamber’s Committee on the Rules of Procedure (sitting
of 31 March 2020), the possibility has been introduced for Committees to conduct
some of their less formal activities, such as meetings of the Bureau as well as
hearings, remotely, by videoconference. These sittings, which need to be
appropriately scheduled to allow for the necessary technical support, must
nonetheless continue to be held in the official premises of the Chamber of Deputies
and must always take place in the presence of the Chair, or Deputy Chair of the
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Committee, along with the Clerk (parliamentary official) to the Committee and any
MPs who wish to attend the sitting in person.
• To comply with the recommendations of the relevant health authorities, a decision
was taken to have Committees and other parliamentary bodies convene in larger
meeting and conference rooms, so that attendees may observe the appropriate
social distancing and respect the rules banning people from gathering at close
quarters. The sittings are also being scheduled so as to leave time for the necessary
sanitation of the conference rooms between one meeting and another.
• In line with the measures adopted by the Government at a national level, a number
of employees is required to work on site as deemed strictly necessary to ensure the
full functioning of parliamentary bodies and of the Chamber as a whole. The
remaining employees of the Chamber of Deputies are working remotely.


Measures regarding Covid-19 emergency put in place by Italy's Senate
 Senate and committee meetings are held in compliance with social distancing requirements (for
example, public galleries are also used for Senate sittings and bigger committee rooms are used on
a rotation basis to allow for more space between senators). In the Senate, when roll calls are held
(for instance, when a qualified majority is required), senators access the floor in small groups in
alphabetical order.
 Personal protective equipment (facemasks and gloves) was distributed to senators and staff
operating in the Senate. Workplaces are sanitized constantly; everyone accessing the Senate is
required to disinfect their hands and have their temperature measured; hand sanitizer gel
dispensers are available everywhere.
 In cooperation with the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the Senate has been equipped to perform nose
and throat swab tests on Senators and staff with even a minimal risk of testing positive to Covid-19.
Professor Giuseppe Ippolito, Scie tific Director at Ro e’s Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital, the national
hub for infectious diseases, has been appointed pro bono consultant to the Senate.
 In compliance with the measures adopted by the Government, the restaurant and bar have been
temporarily shut down, because social distancing requirements may not be ensured there. Snack
and soda vending machines have been installed and lunch boxes are distributed to senators and
staff.
 In compliance with the measures adopted by the Government, a sizeable number of staff work
remotely; only the staff whose physical presence is essential to keep the Senate open are required
to work in the premises.
 Staff with children under the age of 16 (the age of compulsory education) may take parental leave
while schools are closed.
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Distinguished President,
Let me first of all thank you, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE
and its Secretariat, also on behalf of the Italian Delegation as a whole, for the
kind words of sympathy and solidarity addressed to Italy and to our Delegation
in this serious health emergency that has struck the world and for which my
country, in particular, has paid and is paying a high price in terms of human
lives and sacrifices.
Indeed, I hope that that the world we know and the political fora in which
we participate, in Europe and beyond, will come out of this crisis - which is
affecting all of us without distinction - more cohesive and more strongly
committed to practising solidarity and partaking of a common destiny. Hence, it
is all the more necessary to identify, in a timely and effective manner, the most
appropriate instruments to address the future challenges we will be confronted
with in terms of public health and economic conditions, once the emergency is
over.
Against this backdrop and in the hope that you will share my views, I am
sending you, herewith attached, an information paper on the measures adopted
by Italy’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate, alongside other national
parliaments, in order to ensure that Parliament can keep functioning in the face
of the Covid19 emergency, which, as you rightly pointed out for the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly, must be considered an absolute necessity.
I take this opportunity to send you my best regards.
Paolo Grimoldi
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George Tsereteli
President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Copenhagen
CAMERA DEI DEPUTATI PARTENZA 08 aprile 2020
Prot: 2020/0007474/GEN/RIN
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