Permanent Council

Informal subsidiary bodies of the Permanent Council

The Permanent Council has a number of informal subsidiary bodies that support it in its day-to-day work.

Committees

There are five main committees supporting the Permanent Council, including one committee each for the OSCE's politico-military, economic and environmental, and human approach to security.

Security Committee

The Security Committees discusses politico-military issues, including implementation of the commitments of the participating States. It also considers, when requested by the Chairpersonship in consultation with participating States, cross-dimensional issues with a particular relevance to these issues. 

Further activities of the Committee

Economic and Environmental Committee

This Committee focuses on the OSCE's second dimension. It also discusses the implementation of participating States' commitments in this area and considers, upon Chairpersonship's request, cross-dimensional issues related to this dimension. 

Further activities of the Committee

  • Supports the preparation of the meetings of the Economic and Environmental Forum and other meetings on economic and environmental issues
  • Discusses recommendations to the Permanent Council, including actions to follow up on recommendations made by the Forum

Human Dimension Committee

The Human Dimension Committee deals with the OSCE's work in the third security dimension focusing on human rights and related themes. As the other Committees, it discusses the implementation of participating States' commitments in this area and considers, upon Chairpersonship's request, cross-dimensional issues related to the human dimension. 

Further activities of the Committee

The Committees meet in an informal format and report, make recommendations to, and prepare relevant decisions for the Permanent Council. According to established practice, all three Committees are chaired, on behalf of the Chairpersonship, by Heads of OSCE delegations of three other participating States. The Chairpersonship appoints the Committees' Chairpersons.

 

Preparatory Committee

An additional informal subsidiary body is the Preparatory Committee (PrepComm) of the Permanent Council, that assists in the Permanent Council’s deliberations and decision-making and strengthens the process of political consultations and transparency within the OSCE. The PrepComm plays a key role in the preparation of decisions and documents for adoption by the Permanent Council and functions as a 'last filter' before draft decisions and documents are submitted to the Council.

 

Advisory Committee on Management and Finance

The Advisory Committee on Management and Finance is an advisory committee to the Permanent Council on all issues related to the OSCE budget, funding and resources management.

Groups

Groups of friends

The OSCE has a practice of forming ad hoc groups of friends to work on, raise awareness of and prepare informal and formal OSCE decisions on specific topics. The groups have been formed by individual participating States, but also the Chair can choose to convene a group of friends to address a particular issue. 

 

Contact Groups with Partners for Co-operation

The Contact Groups with the Asian and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation are chaired by the preceding and incoming Chairmanships respectively. Draft agendas and rolling schedules of meetings are co-ordinated with the Chair of the respective Contact Group and the OSCE External Co-operation Section. A joint meeting of both Contact Groups is held on an annual basis