FRENCH PRESIDENCY BUREAU OF SENATE EXAMINE PARLIAMENTARY ETHICS

USPA NEWS - For the first time, the Senate Bureau was called upon to rule on an opinion of the Parliamentary Ethics Committee relating to a report of suspected harassment, issued within the framework of the procedure adopted by the Bureau on November 4, 2020, in the straight line of the establishment since 2017 of a reception and listening unit for employees who consider themselves victims of harassment. During its meeting on March 25, 2021, the Senate Bureau considered several points: The examination of an opinion of the parliamentary ethics committee relating to a report of suspected harassment.

SUSPICION OF HARASSMENT CALLED UP TO THE PARLIAMENTARY ETHICS COMMITTEE ------------------------- The Parliamentary Ethics Committee had been informed by the President of the Senate of a suspicion of harassment denounced by an employee of Ms. Joelle Garriaud-Maylam, a senator representing the French living outside France. The Parliamentary Ethics Committee ruled on the basis of the conclusions of the consulting firm mandated to provide it with its expertise on this type of situation and after wishing to hear the parties (only Ms. Garriaud-Maylam having agreed to be). The Senate Bureau followed the advice of the Ethics Committee. He considered that if the facts did not constitute harassment in view of the elements gathered during the investigation, they revealed the need for the Senator, to comply with her obligations as an employer, to commit for a period of time. minimum of one year in an individualized support approach in terms of management. Failure to engage in this process and respect its implementation modalities, the Senate Bureau would be seized.

CONSTITUTION OF THE WORKING GROUP OF THE SENATE--------------------------------------------------------------------- The Conclusions of the working group on the modernization of the working methods of the Senate. Ms. Pascale Gruny, Vice-President in charge of parliamentary work, presented to the Senate Bureau the conclusions of the working group on the modernization of the institution's working methods. All of the proposals were adopted on March 10. They concern the functioning of the Senate in times of crisis, in the light of the adjustments made since the beginning of the health crisis; the follow-up of prescriptions, the number of which has grown considerably over the past three years; the renovation of the right to petition, to take place after the testing of an online platform opened in 2020; and finally, improvements to the organization of work, especially in open sessions. The Senate Bureau also mandated Pascale Gruny so that the delegation in charge of parliamentary work initiates a reflection aimed at rationalizing, coordinating and better enhancing the work of control and evaluation. Several of these proposals will require a modification of the Rules of the Senate which could be examined in public session in June and which will be submitted to the Constitutional Council. Subject to the latter's decision, all of these reforms will enter into force at the opening of the next ordinary session.

SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the completion by a specialized firm of an environmental assessment of the activities of the Senate, the Bureau approved, on the report of Ms. Laurence Rossignol, Vice-President of the Senate in charge of the delegation in charge of sustainable development and Mr. Vincent Capo-Canellas Quaestor of the Senate, a draft environmental strategy based on two strategic objectives: enabling the Senate to achieve carbon neutrality from 2040, thanks to a sharp reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions and rigorous compensation programs that cannot be deleted; make the Senate a "zero plastic, zero waste, zero waste" institution. The implementation of these objectives will result in numerous actions intended in particular to develop the energy performance of Senate buildings, to continue and strengthen the efforts made in terms of environmental exemplarity of the Jardin du Luxembourg, to promote as much as possible. possible low-carbon mobility for the travel of senators and all the people working alongside them, and finally to ensure responsible use of digital technology and to continue the actions taken to reduce the use of paper.The environmental strategy will give rise, on the basis of quantified indicators, to annual monitoring by the Questure Council, the Office Delegation in charge of sustainable development, digital technologies, open data and dematerialization, and the Office. - even, in order to guarantee the programmed trajectory for reducing emissions.

PREPARATION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SECTION OF HTE FRENCH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU IN THE 1st HALF OF 2022------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The electoral calendar for the first half of 2022 will give the Senate, which will not be subject to election, a very special role in this French presidency of the European Union. Several interparliamentary conferences will be organized, in connection with the National Assembly, including the conference on questions of common foreign and security policy, and the meeting of the Chairmen of the European affairs committees (known as the "small COSAC"). Four priority themes have been identified in anticipation of these exchanges: the strategic autonomy of the EU, issues relating to asylum and immigration, the climate and the rule of law. Finally, President Larcher would like a meeting of the Senates of the European Union to be organized, as well as an exhibition on the gates of the Luxembourg Gardens marking the Senate's commitment to this presidency. LUXEMBOURG MUSEUM-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As mentioned at the meeting of December 10, 2020, the health crisis severely affected the operation of the Luxembourg Museum. Due to the second lockdown, in the fall of 2020, the Museum had to close on October 29 and interrupt the programming of exhibitions, one of which was underway. The crisis continues, with the new measures decided for Ile-de-France last week. Consequently, the Bureau approved by decree a second amendment to indemnify the public service delegation agreement for the management of the Luxembourg Museum, reducing by fifty thousand euros the amount of the fixed portion of the royalty due under the year 2021. Source : French Presidency Bureau of the Senate.