WPC 2BP ZCourier 10cpi#|xs Rmn 10pt (R)Tms Rmn 10pt Italic (R)HP DeskJet 500HPDES500.PRSx  @xX,,0TX@#|H2 B X Courier 10cpiTms Rmn 10pt (R)HPDES500.PRSx  @xX,,0=%X@"mo8;^088T(@@P(8(TTTTTTTTTTT,,Ppttd8"  organization's budget. It also determines what action should be taken on proposals it receives from the Parliamentary Assembly or from its own committees of experts. Its main decisions take the form either of recommendations to governments to follow common courses of action or of European conventions and agreements which are binding on the states that ratify them.d h The Parliamentary Assembly's 170 representatives, appointed by the national parliaments from among their own members, meet in Strasbourg three times a year. The President of the Assembly is elected for a oneyear renewable term.d h The Parliamentary Assembly makes proposals to the Committee of Ministers, debates general policy, and acts as the "conscience of Europe."d h The Assembly's proposals to the Committee of Ministers are finalized at its public plenary sessions after preparatory work by its committees. Its debates cover general policy matters and European affairs as a whole. Major international issues are often discussed with the participation of leading politicians from other parts of the world.d h The Assembly regularly holds public hearings on important topical issues such as violence in the media, genetic engineering, or vivisection.d h All the main political movements are represented in the Assembly, which is thus a fair crosssection of European public opinion.d The sections below include 1) the report prepared for the Parliamentary Assembly by Sir John Hunt (November 29, 1991); the opinion of Mr. de Puig of Spain (January 20, 1992); 3) speeches and summarized speeches by various members (February 5, 1992); 4) the Final Recommendations adopted by the Assembly (February 5, 1992); and 5) an interim reply by the Committee of Ministers. 8"   yO  t Report on Sects and New Religious Movements ă :(Rapporteur: Sir John Hunt, United Kingdom, Conservative)  yOX  Problem The activities of certain sects disrupt public order. Is there a need for legislation to curb the freedom of sects or even prohibit them? Or, on the contrary, is there a need for a framework within which sects can pursue their activities freely, provided that these match certain objective criteria?  yO`  Proposed measures Consider the introduction of legislation to require the registration of all sects and new religious movements. Provide the public and particularly adolescents with maximum information on the nature, activities, and aims of sects.  yO (  Draft Recommendation ă 1. The Assembly is concerned at certain problems connected with the activities of sects and new religious movements. 2. It has been alerted by various associations and families who consider that they have been harmed by the activities of sects. 3. It has taken account of the invitation, given to the Council of Europe by the European Parliament in the Cottrell report, to consider this problem. 4. It has asked all the member states to indicate what practices they follow and what the legal problems are. 5. It considers that the freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights makes major legislation on sects undesirable, since such legislation might well interfere with this fundamental right and harm traditional religions. x8" Ԍ6. It considers, however, that legislative and other measures should be taken in response to the problems raised by some of the activities of sects or new religious movements. 7. To this end, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers call on the member states of the Council of Europe to adopt the following measures: Xp` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8: