Kosovo on the agenda of the KiE Policy Commission, what is the status of the special guest who intends to receive it?

The Kosovo Assembly has applied for receiving special guest status at the Council of Europe. This request of Kosovo has been put in the agenda of the CoE Political and Democracy Commission, which will meet in Paris on Wednesday, March 5th, at 09:30.

However, there will be no vote on this requirement, but only consultations, reportedly published by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

But what is the accession procedure, and what would be the role of the Kosovo delegation if accepted?

Special guest status can be granted to European states that are members of the organisation, and the state's request to become a special guest is addressed to the Parliamentary Assembly Speaker by the speaker of the respective parliament in this case of Kosovo.

Members of special guest delegations can sit at the Parliamentary Assembly Assembly Convention, but have no right to vote. They have the right to speak, but with the permission of the Assembly Speaker.

They could also present the chairman of the commission's proposals regarding the draft agenda of the commission's meetings and proposals for amendments to draft the texts reviewed at these meetings and they could sign motions for resolutions and recommendations and written statements.

However, they will not be considered for the number of required signatures. Members of special invited delegations can participate in the work of political groups under conditions set by groups.

Consultation for Kosovo's application will take place in line with the Assembly Order 62.3.

Below all that is rule 62 for special guests:

62.1. The Bureau can grant the status of special guest to the national parliaments of non-member states that have applied for membership in the Council of Europe.

62.2. Any official request for the status of special guests will be addressed to the Parliamentary Assembly Speaker by the speaker of the respective parliament.

62.3. If the Bureau, after consulting the Commission for Political Affairs and Democracy, approves such a request, the Parliamentary Assembly Speaker invites the relevant parliament to receive special guest status.

62.4. The number of members of a special guest delegation, which should not exceed eighteen, will be the same (without replacement) as the number of countries likely appropriate if the special guest state becomes a full member of the Council of Europe. This number is appointed by the Bureau, with the Commission's proposal for Political Affairs and Democracy.

62.5. As far as the size of his delegation allows, a parliament with special invited status will appoint members in order to ensure a fair representation of parties or political groups in that parliament.

62.6. The special delegation members' credentials are sent to the Parliamentary Assembly Speaker, if possible, no less than a week before the opening of the session. These credentials will be presented to the Parliamentary Assembly for ratification at the same time as those of representatives and deputies. The credentials of members of the special guest delegations could be rejected on stated bases based on paragraph 1 above. The contested credentials will be referred without debate to the joint meeting of the Commission for Political Affairs and Democracy and the Commission for Labour, Immunities and Institution Affairs, led by the chairman of the Commission for Labour, Immmunity and Institution Affairs. These committees will report to the Bureau as soon as possible.

62.7. Members of special delegations and guests can sit in the Assembly, but without a vote. They have the right to speak with the President of the Assembly.

62.8. Members of special invited delegations can attend commission meetings as predicted in Rule 48.5. They could present the commission's chairman with proposals regarding the draft agenda of the commission's meetings and proposals for amendments to draft the texts reviewed at these meetings. The chairman of the commission decides on any further action. They can sign motions for resolutions and recommendations and written statements. However, they will not be considered for the number of required signatures. Members of special invited delegations can participate in the work of political groups under conditions set by groups.

62.9. The Commission for Political Affairs and Democracy, or at least 20 members, could call for the chairman to suspend or withdraw special guest status. The mayor will immediately inform the Bureau of any such request. If the request is not made by the Commission for Political Affairs and Democracy, the mayor immediately requests the opinion of that commission, which is forwarded to the Bureau.

62.10. Members of the Bureau will be informed of considering such an issue at least two weeks before the Bureau's meeting in which it will be held. The Bureau's decision is in majority of two-thirds.

62.11. When the status of the special guest has been withdrawn, parliament in question will make another official request if it wants to regain that status. The suspension of special guests' status could be removed from the Bureau by deciding by two-thirds of the majority if it considers that the conditions leading to the suspension no longer exist.