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BELGIUM
Chambre des Représentants
Parliamentary bodies dealing with human rights :
Justice Committee

Type of parliamentary body Multifunctional
Nature Permanent
Related to chambers Chambre des Représentants
Date of creation ...
Last renewal date July 2007
Mandate The Justice Committee is responsible for monitoring the human rights situation within the country.
Membership The Committee is composed of 17 members, appointed according to the method of proportional representation of political groups, as is the case for the other standing committees.
Working methods The agenda is set by the Committee, or, failing that, by the President of the House. Meetings are public, unless the Conference of Chairpersons or the Committee decide otherwise (the Committee requires a two-thirds' majority to make such a decision). The standing committees have no power of investigation, but can request the presence of competent ministers, and put questions to them. They can adopt motions and resolutions. The committees also discuss draft legislation. In principle, their reports are public.
Relations with other parliamentary bodies Draft legislation and resolutions that are adopted by the committees are submitted to the plenary House of Representatives. Finally, it is the House which votes on motions emerging from discussions and hearings held in committee.
Relations with external bodies No structural relation.
Subjects dealt with Recent examples of issues addressed by the Justice Committee include: questions about the treatment of prisoners and on the report passed on to the Belgian authorities by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture; a draft bill suggesting the insertion of an article into the Penal Code with a view to the universal condemnation and prosecution of certain violations of fundamental social rights. Draft legislation modifying the Penal Code with respect to the criminal responsibility of public law entities; draft legislation modifying the Inheritance Tax Code regarding the temporary liquidity problems faced by survivors; the situation in Belgian prisons.
CONTACT INFORMATION
PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
Name Ms. Mia De Schamphelaere
Notes President
Address (if different from above) Chambre des représentants
Bureau 2138
1008 BRUXELLES
Phone +322 549 87 48, + 322 454 60 52
Fax +322 549 90 93
E-mail mia.deschamphelaere@dekamer.be
Website www.miadeschamphelaere.be
Name Mr. Sabien Lahaye-Battheu
Notes Vice-President
Address (if different from above) 8970 POPERINGE
Casselstraat 252
Phone +322 57 33 77 78
Fax +322 57 33 93 290
E-mail sabien.lahaye-battheu@dekamer.be
Website www.sabien-lahaye-battheu.be
Name Ms. Clotilde Nyssens
Notes Vice-President
Address (if different from above) 1030 SCHAERBEEK
Avenue des Héliotropes 2
Phone +322 2 216 97 99
Fax +322 2 216 97 99
E-mail clotilde.nyssens@lachambre.be
Website
SECRETARY

Information on this page was last updated on 29 March 2009
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