CPT: 16TH GENERAL REPORT 30. The system introduced by Protocol No. 2 to the Convention whereby one half of the seats on the CPT are renewed every two years has now been fully implemented. As a result, the Committee’s current membership can be expected to remain stable until the end of 2007. However, the CPT would suggest that thought be given without delay to how best to organise the elections for the 21 seats which will fall vacant on 19 December 2007. Having so many terms of office expiring on the same date will no doubt pose organisational challenges for the different bodies within the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers which play a role in the election procedure. 13 Administrative and budgetary questions 32. A number of changes have occurred in recent months within the CPT’s Secretariat. In particular, the Deputy Executive Secretary, Geneviève Mayer, left on 1 September 2006 to take up the post of Head of the Department for the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The CPT wishes to place on record its appreciation of Ms Mayer’s outstanding contribution to the Committee’s activities during her almost seventeen years of service in its Secretariat. The CPT remains of the view that interviews of candidates at some stage of the election procedure within the Council of Europe would be advisable. Fabrice Kellens has taken up the position of Deputy Executive Secretary, and Michael Neurauter has been appointed to Mr Kellens’s former post of Head of Division 1. 31. As regards the spread of professional expertise within the CPT, a significant number of its current members have practical experience of prison work. However, the Committee requires more members with first-hand knowledge of the work of prosecution services or law enforcement agencies. The CPT would also benefit from the presence among its members of more doctors with relevant forensic skills, in particular as regards the observing and recording of physical injuries, as well as of more persons with specialised knowledge of immigration issues. 33. The present composition of the CPT’s Secretariat is shown in the organigram reproduced in Appendix 6. The Committee hopes that it will be possible to fill in the near future the vacant A2/A3 post in Division 1 and the vacant B4 post in Division 2. It also remains necessary to bring Division 3 up to the same strength as the other two Divisions, by the addition of a B4 post and a further A2/A3 post; the CPT is grateful to the Secretary General for having included the latter post in his budget proposals for 2007. More generally, the CPT trusts that the relevant bodies within the Assembly and Committee of Ministers will continue to examine carefully the lists of candidates for membership of the Committee, in the light of the requirements laid down in Article 4 (paragraphs 2 and 4) of the Convention. The CPT’s effectiveness will ultimately depend on the quality of its membership. 34. The CPT understands that it is proposed to allocate to the Committee budgetary appropriations for 185 visit days in 2007. The Committee welcomes this and hopes that the staff situation will evolve favourably so as to enable it to complete such a programme. As already indicated at the outset of this General Report, the ultimate goal should remain an annual programme of 200 visit days. 35. Finally, the CPT would like to take this opportunity to express its gratitude towards PierreHenri Imbert, the former Director General of Human Rights, who recently retired. Mr Imbert played an important role in the drafting of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and, subsequently, was always on hand to offer precious advice to the CPT when the need arose.