COPENHAGEN, 13 February 2018 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will hold its 17th Winter Meeting at the Hofburg Congress Centre in Vienna on 22-23 February 2018, featuring debates on “fake news,” climate change, arms control, migration, terrorism, and more. The opening session will include speeches by OSCE PA President George Tsereteli, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, and Italy’s Undersecretary of State of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Vincenzo Amendola, representing the Italian Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE.

The three general committees will meet to hear from government representatives of OSCE countries and debate issues related to political and security affairs, economics and the environment, and human rights and humanitarian questions.

General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

22 February, 15:15-18:00

• Remarks by Ignacio Sanchez Amor (Spain), Chairperson of the Committee
• Presentation by Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus), Rapporteur of the Committee, on his ideas and intentions regarding his report for the 27th Annual Session in Berlin
• Presentation by Ambassador Sian MacLeod, Chairperson of the Human Dimension Committee of the OSCE Permanent Council and Head of the United Kingdom Delegation to the OSCE
• Presentation by Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
• Presentation by Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Debate

Debate on “Upholding democracy in an age of ‘fake news’”

General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

22 February, 15:15-18:00

• Remarks by Nilza Sena (Portugal), Chairperson of the Committee
• Presentation by Sofio Katsarava (Georgia), Rapporteur of the Committee, on her ideas and intentions regarding her report for the 27th Annual Session in Berlin
• Presentation by Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, Chair of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee – Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the OSCE
• Presentation by Ambassador Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities

Debate on “Climate crisis: Developing long-term strategies to tackle climate change and its global consequences”

• Introduction by Ambassador Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities

General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

23 February, 09:00-11:45

• Remarks by Filippo Lombardi (Switzerland), Chairperson of the Committee
• Presentation by Kristian Vigenin (Bulgaria), Rapporteur of the Committee, on his ideas and intentions regarding his report for the 27th Annual Session in Berlin
• Presentation by Ambassador María Victoria González Román, Chairperson of the Security Committee of the OSCE Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Spain to the OSCE
• Presentation by Ambassador Radomír Boháč, Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation and Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the OSCE
• Presentation by Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

Debate on “Arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation: challenges and opportunities for the OSCE area”

• Introduction by Dr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation

The Winter Meeting will conclude on the afternoon of 23 February with a joint session of the three committees, where members will hear reports by the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on the Rules of Procedure, Lord Peter Bowness; the OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, Dr. Hedy Fry; the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, Filippo Lombardi; and the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism, Makis Voridis. Each of the reports will be followed by a general debate.

More information about the Winter Meeting, including the full programme, is available here. Follow the meeting on social media with the hashtag #OSCEPA.

For media accreditation, journalists should contact:

Nat Parry
OSCE PA Head of Communications and Press
Mobile: +45 60 10 81 77
Email: [email protected]