OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2019-20
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 20
Offentligt
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NON-PAPER BY THE OSCE PA INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT
BRAINSTORMING OF POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is eager to leverage on its main assets to provide a
tangible contribution in the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The
International Secretariat has developed a set of possible ideas which, after careful review
and further conceptualization, could be consolidated in an
OSCE PA COVID19 Compact
and
implemented through different projects. The Compact, in addition to specific initiatives,
would lay out the strategic approach of our Assembly in response to the challenges the OSCE
region will face in the coming months and years.
OSCE PA COVID-19 RESPONSE - WHY?
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COVID-19 Pandemic is much more than a health emergency: it will negatively impact on
the security of our societies and citizens, which are at the
core of the OSCE’s focus.
Moreover, the foreseeable economic crisis leading, in some countries, to a strong
recession, and growing social discontent will also impact political systems with a
prevailing climate of uncertainty affecting domestic policy as well as international
relations.
International cooperation and coordination at all levels, including the parliamentary one,
are a key asset. Global problems require global responses. However, since it is much
easier, and at first sight cheaper, to enter into blame-games and mistrust, it is to be feared
that the current crisis will be followed by a period of even deeper divisions and a general
failure to cooperate. International Organizations are instrumental to keep
multilateralism alive and effective.
In the current context, Parliaments are being, in some countries, significantly
marginalized and democracy and rule of law are seldom under the severe stress of
executive measures. It is key for Parliaments to be part of the decision-making process,
to provide effective oversight and to ensure that the necessary discussions do not destroy
the cohesion within their societies. Moreover, their role is instrumental in allocating
extraordinary emergency budgets and in ensuring that citizens' necessities are well
represented, especially during hardship periods.
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OSCE PA COVID-19 RESPONSE - HOW?
Possible ideas/ food-for-thought:
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The aim of the PA’s work would be primarily to:
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Collect and share best practices.
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Serve as a channel for cross-border requests for help/aid
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Provide policy recommendations.
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Engage in public messaging in various formats
The three PA General Committees, as well as the Ad Hoc Committees and relevant Special
Representatives, to focus on how the pandemic is affecting each respective field.
Additionally, it could be considered to create either small working groups (perhaps led
by Bureau members?) or a sort of special committee to focus on different aspects of the
COVID-19 crisis (health, restrictive measures, economy, human rights, migrants and
refugees, elections, travel and tourism, impact on specific geographic areas, etc.). They
could complement and feed the work of the General Committees, Ad Hoc Committees and
Special Representatives.
The International Secretariat could prepare and regularly update a succinct overview of
the main measures taken by OSCE participating States in response to the pandemic and
it could share it regularly with Members.
The International Secretariat could launch strategic Media messaging and Social Media
Campaigns:
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Regular Articles or Op-Eds, as well as podcasts or video interviews/video
addresses on different aspects of the COVID-19 crisis (emergency measures,
economic crisis and labor situation, migration, human rights, etc.)
o
Regular Articles or Op-Eds on topics of traditional PA focus (conflicts, human
rights, climate change, etc.) to replace activities that are temporarily
suspended.
o
Secretary General Montella already launched a video challenge by calling on
OSCE parliamentarians to post videos with messages of support to their
constituents and people of the OSCE area. Members can post the video on their
favourite social media platform with the hashtag #WeAreOSCEPA and tagging
@oscepa so that we can share your video on our networks as well.
The International Secretariat could organize Webinars with Parliamentarians and
experts to focus on specific aspects of the crisis, thereby creating an opportunity to learn
from other’s experience and exchange views on critical issues of the national decision-
making agenda Relevant policy guidance stemming from such debates could also inform
future OSCE PA decision-making.
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The International Secretariat could gather information on new procedures being
implemented by Parliaments, including related to remote voting, consultation processes,
social distancing options, and analyze and distribute these to Delegations in an effort to
exchange best-practices. Moreover, leveraging on the expertise of its Elections
Department, it could study the practices and processes for elections in a scenario
requiring social distancing, including options for campaigning, remote voting, e-voting
systems, as well as how modern technologies could help in these times.
The International Secretariat could engage in some analytical efforts on the impact of
COVID-19 on, for instance, international/regional alliances, including the post-Brexit EU
and NATO, on China as emerging player in the OSCE region, as well as on a comparison
of potential effects (economic, commercial, financial, political, etc.) with effects of other
global crises in the past.
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Adaptation of current activities/resources to the new circumstances
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Stand ready to lend the
PA’s contribution to addressing the economic hardship which will
inevitably follow the health emergency and principally affect the most vulnerable
segments of society (i.e. precarious, autonomous and seasonal workers, low income
families, migrants, minorities, etc.). Embody, through concrete and innovative actions,
the foreseeable combination of economic recess and subsequent austerity policies by
Governments and Parliaments. SG Montella has already announced that there will be no
increases to the 2020/2021 budget, with a zero nominal growth rate.
The 2020 Annual Session, the modalities of which are now necessarily under
consideration, could take place in a shorter format and focus, besides procedural matters,
on exchanging best practices and debating policy recommendations on the COVID-19
crisis as the overarching priority. It could be the occasion for a new format of the Final
Declaration.
The International Secretariat would continue to coordinate pro-actively with other
Parliamentary Assemblies and relevant international organizations, first and foremost
within the OSCE family and the World Health Organization (WHO), on how to add value
without duplicating efforts.
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