| 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
|
