32nd meeting of the Steering Committee on local and regional democracy (CDLR)
3-5 November 2003, Strasbourg
The Steering Committee will mainly examine two draft legal instruments on regional self-government, a revised version of the Handbook of good practice in the field of public ethics at local and regional level, a draft recommendation on the financial resources of local and regional authorities and a draft recommendation on processes of reform of boundaries and/or structure of local and regional authorities.
 Draft Agenda
CDLR website
3rd meeting of the Working Party of the Project Group on Administrative Law (CJ- DA-GT)
3-5 November 2003, Strasbourg
Topics on the agenda are the preparation of the preliminary draft Recommendation on the judicial control of administrative acts and the preliminary draft Explanatory memorandum to the Recommendation, and the preparation of proposals for activities aimed at strengthening the legal framework of good administration as an essential element of good governance.
Draft Agenda
“Administrative law and justice” website
OCTOPUS Interface 2003
Seminar “Focus on specialised anti-corruption services :
European best practice”
5–7 November 2003, Strasbourg (France)
The Octopus Interface 2003 seminar closed on Friday afternoon with the adoption of a set of conclusions. More than 100 participants from 45 member States, and national and international organisations shared experience on good practice in Europe. The proposals aim at further strengthening specialised anti-corruption bodies in Europe.
Draft conclusions
Special file
New Council of Europe convention opened for signature
6 November 2003, Chisinau (Moldova)
The European Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport (revised) (ETS No.193) has been opened for signature at the 113th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, taking place in Moldova on 5 and 6 November. The following States have signed the convention: Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Sweden has also ratified the Convention ETS No.193, and has consequently denounced its ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport. (ETS No. 065)
All about this new treaty (text, summary, explanatory report)
Group of States against Corruption : Evaluation Report on Moldova is now public
On 20 November 2003, following the decision taken by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, the evaluation report on their country became public. This evaluation report was adopted by GRECO at its 15th plenary session (13-17 October 2003, Strasbourg). Thus, all evaluation reports adopted by GRECO until now are public.
Evaluation Report on Moldova 
List of all evaluation and compliance reports adopted by GRECO until now (first evaluation round)
Further information on GRECO and its evaluation rounds on the website : http://www.greco.coe.int
41st meeting of the Project Group on Data Protection (CJ-PD)
24-26 November 2003, Strasbourg
At this meeting, the Project Group on Data Protection will examine, with a view to their adoption, the draft guiding principles for the protection of personal data with regard to the use of biometric data prepared by the CJ-PD-GC, and examine, with a view to their adoption, the draft guiding principles for the protection of personal data with regard to the use of smart cards prepared by the CJ-PD-GC.
“Data Protection” website
“Opinions, Attitudes and Images of Crime and its Control”
22nd Criminological Research Conference
24-26 November 2003, Strasbourg
The 22nd Criminological Research Conference is set to provide a state-of-the-art résumé of what we know today about how public opinions, attitudes and images of crime and its control are constructed by influential groups. It will be attended by policy makers and researchers in Council of Europe member and observer states, who will examine four main themes: Crime, fear of crime and the operation of crime control in the light of the victim surveys and other empirical studies; the mass media and their influence on public perceptions of crime and its control; Government organisations (e.g. the police) and their influence on public perceptions of crime and its control; and NGOs (e.g. victim movements, crime prevention initiatives, mediation projects) and their influence on public perceptions of crime and its control."
Conference file
45th meeting of the Standing Committee of the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes (T-AP)
25-27 November 2003, Strasbourg
At this meeting, the Standing Committee of the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes will examine, with a view to its adoption, the draft definition of "essential needs". It will also continue the elaboration of the draft recommendations concerning pigs, domestic rabbits and fish.
More information
4th meeting of the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE)
24-28 November 2003, Strasbourg
In particular, the following items appear on the agenda of this meeting : the European Conference of Judges on the theme of « Early settlement of disputes and the role of judges », examination and adoption of the draft opinion on initial and in-service training at European and national levels, exchange of views on various questions and in particular on the report concerning appointments to the European Court of Human Rights, on the proposed constitutional reforms affecting the judiciary in the United Kingdom and on the situation of the judiciary in Moldova.
Draft agenda
CCJE Website
European Conference of Judges on the topic of
“The Early Settlement of Disputes and the Role of Judges”
24-25 November 2003, Palais de l’Europe, Strasbourg
The following issues will be discussed : procedures to avoid litigation and procedures to make it effective, including provisional measures protecting parties during litigation, protection of the parties’ cases and evidence, time limits, accelerated and summary procedures and interlocutory judgments, legislative and judicial incentives to early resolution, alternative dispute resolution (ADR / mediation), case management – a proactive and innovative but impartial judiciary.
Conference file
Venice Commission
UniDem Campus - Reform of civil service in Europe
24-28 November 2003, Trieste
The seminar focuses on the role of public administrations in a democracy, the principles established in ethical codes for public officials, the availability of information in the public sector, as well as human resources management and methods to improve the performance of civil servants.
Venice Commission website
19th meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (T-PD)
26-28 November 2003, Strasbourg
At this meeting, the Committee T-PD will examine a draft opinion on Regular bulk transfers of personal data to a third state not guaranteeing an adequate level of protection, its future working programme and a draft modification of its internal rules as well as the principal conclusions of the regional seminar on data protection on the “Challenges and problems faced by the newly-established data protection supervisory authorities” (Madrid, Spain, 12-13 December 2002). The Committee will also elect the Data Protection Commissioner of the Council of Europe.
Draft Agenda
“Data Protection” website
Venice Commission
Albania - Constitutional justice
26-28 November 2003, Tirana
The Venice Commission is organising this Conference in co-operation with the Constitutional Court of Albania, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution.
Symposium “Young people and democratic institutions: from disillusionment to participation”
27-29 November 2003, Strasbourg
This event, organised by the European Youth Centre of the Council of Europe, will aim at a better understanding of the behaviour of young citizens vis-à-vis democratic institutions and at improving youth political participation. The Venice Commission is invited to intervene on the participation of young people in elections.
Official site of the symposium
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