On 7 September, the High Commissioner, Anne Eastwood, accompanied by her deputy, Cécile Vacarie-Bernard, was welcomed to the National Council by President Stéphane Valeri and a delegation of Council members for an informal working meeting and discussion. (*)
This was the High Commissioner’s first visit to the National Council since it reconvened following the national elections in February 2018. The meeting provided an opportunity to review current legislative developments and discuss the broad outlines of bills submitted to the assembly for consideration, in light of the priorities of the new parliamentary majority and the High Commissioner’s recommendations and ongoing deliberations.
Stéphane Valeri said that he wanted to involve the High Commissioner as often as possible in legislative work on topics falling within her areas of expertise. This would allow the Commissioner to present her observations relating to individual rights and freedoms, as well as efforts to combat discrimination, thereby guaranteeing that issues affecting basic human rights are properly taken into account as reforms are considered.
For her part, Anne Eastwood welcomed the prospect of working closely with members of the Council. She also stressed the benefit of more regular discussions and follow-up sessions between the National Council and the High Commissioner in order to make progress with the Government on topics of mutual interest, while respecting the role and prerogatives of each institution.
Following the meeting, the President of the National Council announced that he would implement the consultation procedure set out in Article 33 of Sovereign Ordinance No. 4.524, dated 30 October 2013, by requesting opinions from the High Commissioner on the following bills currently under review by the various parliamentary commissions:
- Bill No. 965 relating to family support and social welfare in Monaco
- Bill No. 974 relating to cohabitation contracts
- Bill No. 973 relating to strengthening protection for individuals against defamation and libel
- Bill No. 895, amending Act No. 975, dated 12 July 1975, on the status of civil servants
An official request for an opinion will be issued in the coming days.
(*) The following also took part in the meeting: Brigitte Boccone-Pagès, Vice-President of the National Council, Nathalie Amoratti-Blanc, Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and the Family, Pierre Van Klaveren, member of the National Council, Virginie Cotta, Chief of Staff, and Sébastien Siccardi, Head of Legal Affairs.
