Mandate BSPC WG Civil Security

|Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference |[pic] ||The BSPC Working Group on Civil Security | || | || | || | || | ||25 January 2010 | |MANDATEof the BSPC Working Group on Civil SecurityConstitutionThe Working Group is constituted as an ad-hoc working group under the auspices of the Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in accordance with the BSCP Rules of Procedure.At its first meeting the Working Group nominates the chairmanship, consisting of a Chairperson and 1–2 Vice Chairpersons. Further, one or more rapporteurs for specific issues or information collection could be nominated among the participants as agreed upon.The Working Group, at its first meeting, adopts the mandate and an activity plan/time schedule (tentative). The Working Group furthermore discusses the mode of operation for the work.Decisions of the Working Group shall be made by unanimity.The working language will be English for documents as well as negotiations. Russian translation will be provided on a need basis. Translation of background material and other documents for the Working Group meetings to any other language than English will only be done on request. The costs in such case shall be borne by the requesting member parliament.Members and staff of the Working Group are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs and other expenses in connection to activities in the group. Meeting costs and related expenditures will be covered by the BSPC joint budget. Basic secretariat resources will be provided by the chairmanship in cooperation with the BSPC secretariat in Copenhagen.MandateIn accordance with the objectives of the BSPC Work Programme 2009-2010 (point 3, dot 8, adopted at the ESC meeting 28 January 2010 in Brussels) the Working Group shall elaborate political positions and recommendations on civil security issues; Guidelines and practical political proposals to this end should be elaborated by the Working Group. The Working Group shall have trafficking as its main focus, but could also address other civil security issues.Furthermore, the Working Group should exchange experience on successful efforts of the countries. The Working Group and its members should raise political focus on civil security issues – especially on trafficking in human beings – on the national agendas of members of the Working Group.The Working Group should pursue to draft recommendations on civil security issues for the resolution to be adopted by the 20th BSPC. A middle report of the Working Group shall be presented at the 19th BSPC, to be held on 29-31 August 2010 in Mariehamn, Aland.ParticipantsAll participating parliaments of BSPC shall be invited to take part in the work.Also the Nordic Council, the Baltic Assembly, the EU-Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) shall be invited.Representatives of other national parliaments and relevant international organizations might be involved by unanimous decision of the Working Group members.Each institution is invited to participate with one member and one substitute accompanied by one advisor and/or one interpreter if envisaged.Each participating parliament/parliamentary body should cover its own expenses. Six or seven meetings are anticipated – one of which might be conducted together with a conference or seminar.SecretariatSecretarial assistance to the Working Group arrangements and meetings will be provided by the Chairperson of the Working Group and the BSPC Secretariat. The Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council have kindly offered to make advisory expertise available to the Secretariat.Secretarial assistance to members of the Working Group shall be provided by the home parliaments. Additional secretarial assistance to the Chair, Vice-Chair(s) and possible rapporteurs shall be provided by the home parliament of the nominees.As to the practical preparation of the meetings (booking of meeting facilities and meals, suggestions for accommodation, necessary transportation, help in finding relevant local guest speakers etc.) the secretariats of the hosting parliament/parliamentary organisation will assist.