Ministers' Deputies
CM Documents
CM(2005)80 final 17 May 2005
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Third Summit of Heads of State and
Government of the Council of Europe (Warsaw, 16-17 May
2005)
Action Plan
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We, Heads of State and Government of the
Member States of the Council of Europe, meeting in Warsaw on 16
and 17 May 2005, have outlined the following action plan
laying down the principal tasks of the Council of Europe in the
coming years.
I - PROMOTING COMMON FUNDAMENTAL VALUES:
HUMAN RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY
1. Ensuring the continued effectiveness of
the European Convention on Human Rights
We shall ensure the long-term effectiveness of
the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms by all appropriate means. To this end we shall provide
the European Court of Human Rights with the necessary support and
implement all the reform measures adopted at the
114th Session of the Committee of Ministers in May 2004, in
accordance with all the modalities foreseen. This includes, as
envisaged, the ratification of Protocol No. 14 to the Convention,
which is essential for the future effectiveness of the European
Convention on Human Rights.
At national level, we shall ensure
that:
- there are appropriate and effective
mechanisms in all member states for verifying the compatibility of
legislation and administrative practice with the
Convention;
- effective domestic remedies exist for anyone
with an arguable complaint of a Convention violation;
- adequate training in Convention standards is
fully integrated in university education and professional
training; therefore, we decide to
launch a European programme for human rights education for legal
professionals and call on member states to contribute to its
implementation.
The Committee of Ministers shall review
implementation of these measures on a regular and transparent
basis.
We establish a group of wise persons to
consider the issue of the long-term effectiveness of the ECHR
control mechanism, including the initial effects of Protocol 14
and the other decisions taken in May 2004. We ask them to submit,
as soon as possible, proposals which go beyond these measures,
while preserving the basic philosophy underlying the ECHR.
We underline that all member states must
accelerate and fully execute the judgments of the Court. We
instruct the Committee of Ministers to elaborate and implement all
the necessary measures to achieve this, notably with regard to
judgments revealing structural problems including those of a
repetitive nature.
2. Protecting and promoting human rights
through the other Council of Europe institutions and
mechanisms
As the primary forum for the protection and
promotion of human rights in Europe, the Council of Europe shall -
through its various mechanisms and institutions - play a dynamic
role in protecting the right of individuals and promoting the
invaluable engagement of non-governmental organisations, to
actively defend human rights.
We undertake to strengthen the institution of
the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, which has
proven its effectiveness, by providing the necessary means for the
Commissioner to fulfil his/her functions, particularly in the
light of the entry into force of Protocol No. 14 to the European
Convention on Human Rights.
We shall continue to support the European
Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and the unique role it plays,
through its visits to places of detention, in improving the
conditions of detained persons. We also ask for regular updates of
the European prison rules as the basis for the setting-up of
standards in prisons. The Council of Europe will assist member
states to ensure their implementation.
We will intensify the fight against racism,
discrimination and every form of intolerance, as well as attempts
to vindicate nazism. We shall therefore give the European
Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) the means to
carry out its work, in close co-operation with national
authorities and institutions as well as civil society in member
states. We welcome ECRI's role in identifying good practices as
well as its general policy recommendations, and we decide to
disseminate them widely. We will ensure coordination of its
activities with equivalent ones in the European Union and the OSCE
and other relevant international bodies.
We recall the decision taken at the Strasbourg
Summit “to step up cooperation in respect of the protection of all
persons belonging to national minorities”. Europe's chequered
history has shown that the protection of national minorities is
essential for the maintenance of peace and the development of
democratic stability. A society that considers itself pluralist
must allow the identities of its minorities, which are a source of
enrichment for our societies, to be preserved and to flourish. We
therefore encourage the Council of Europe to continue its
activities to protect minorities, particularly through the
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and
to protect regional languages through the European Charter for
Regional or Minority Languages.
3. Strengthening democracy, good governance
and the rule of law in member states
We will strive for our common goal of
promoting democracy and good governance of the highest quality,
nationally, regionally and locally for all our citizens and pursue
our ongoing fight against all forms of totalitarianism.
We decide, within the existing structures of
the Organisation as a whole, to:
- establish, a Council of Europe Forum for the
Future of Democracy to strengthen democracy, political freedoms
and citizens' participation, keeping in mind inter alia the
conclusions of the Barcelona Conference on 17-19 November
2004. It shall be open to all member states and civil society,
represented by policymakers, officials, practitioners or
academics. It shall enable the exchange of ideas, information and
examples of best practices, as well as discussions on possible
future action. The Forum will act in close co-operation with the
Venice Commission and other relevant Council of Europe bodies with
a view to enhancing, through its reflection and proposals, the
Organisation's work in the field of democracy;
- pursue, in partnership with the
Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities, intergovernmental cooperation on democracy and good
governance at all levels;
- develop further transfrontier cooperation,
as necessary, and standards of democracy and good governance,
including proper functioning of our civil services;
- take the necessary steps, including through
the establishment within the Secretariat of a centre of expertise on local
government reform, to implement the Agenda for delivering good
local and regional governance, adopted at the 14th session of the
Conference of European Ministers responsible for local and
regional government (Budapest, 24-25 February 2005), by promoting
standards and good practices and by assisting member states with
capacity-building at the local and regional level, in close
cooperation with the Congress;
- enhance the participation of NGOs in Council
of Europe activities as an essential element of civil society's
contribution to the transparency and accountability of democratic
government.
We reiterate our commitment to guarantee
and promote freedom of expression and information and freedom of
the media as a core element of our democracies. We therefore
attach particular importance to the work carried out by the
Council of Europe in this area and we fully support the
Declaration and Action Plan adopted at the 7th European
Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy (Kiev, 10-11 March
2005). We encourage co-operation between the Council of Europe and
the OSCE in this area.
Equal participation of both women and men is a
crucial element of democracy. We therefore confirm our commitment
to achieving real equality between women and men. We will
strengthen gender mainstreaming in national policies, elaborate
guidelines and methods for further progress in equality between
women and men, promote the setting up of national equality
mechanisms, and enhance the implementation of the United
Nations' Beijing Platform for Action.
We call on member states to make use of the
advice and assistance of the European Commission for Democracy
through Law (“Venice Commission”) for the further development of
European standards in particular in the field of the functioning
of the democratic institutions and electoral law. To ensure the
implementation of European standards at national level it should
step up its cooperation with constitutional courts and courts of
equivalent jurisdiction which play a key role in this
respect.
We will make full use of the Council of
Europe's standard-setting potential and promote implementation and
further development of the Organisation's legal instruments and
mechanisms of legal co-operation, keeping in mind the conclusions
of the 26th Conference of European Ministers of Justice (Helsinki,
7-8 April 2005).
We decide to develop the evaluation and
assistance functions of the European Commission for the Efficiency
of Justice (CEPEJ) and to make proper use of the opinions given by
the Consultative Council of Judges of Europe (CCJE) in order to
help member states to deliver justice fairly and rapidly and to
develop alternative means for the settlement of disputes.
Nationality law in all its aspects, including
the promotion of acquisition of citizenship, as well as family law
are focus points of the Council of Europe. The Council, as the
suitable international organisation, will continue to develop its
action in these fields of law.
4. Ensuring compliance of the commitments
made by member states and promoting political dialogue
The Council of Europe is a Europe-wide
political forum which brings together member states committed to
promoting democratic debate and the rule of law.
We will continue our common efforts to
ensure strict compliance with the commitments of member states to
the common standards to which they have subscribed.
Standard-setting in the field of justice and other relevant areas
of law as well as non-discriminatory monitoring processes should
continue to be used to help member states address the problems and
develop their legal systems. Monitoring must, as necessary, be
accompanied by Council of Europe assistance and technical support.
In this context, we encourage continued cooperation in the
training of judges and law enforcement officials.
The Council of Europe should continue to
foster a fruitful dialogue in its Committee of Ministers and
Parliamentary Assembly. The Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities must continue to promote local democracy and
decentralisation, taking into account the internal organisation of
the countries concerned, so as to
reach all levels of European society. The
political dialogue should exploit the potential of the
Organisation in promoting mutual understanding among member
states, thus strengthening the unity in Europe and contributing to
the commitment of building Europe without dividing lines.
To this end, the Council of Europe, in
co-operation with the European Union, will continue to promote the
exchange of good practices as far as free movement of persons is
concerned, with a view to further improving contacts and exchanges
between Europeans throughout the continent.
5. Broadening the role of the Council of
Europe Development Bank
We request the Council of Europe Development
Bank (CEB), while confirming its traditional role on behalf of
populations in distress and of social cohesion, also to
facilitate, through its own means of action, the implementation of
policies which aim at the consolidation of democracy, the
promotion of the rule of law and respect for human rights, notably
in the field of training of magistrates, civil servants and other
participants in public life, as well as in the organisation,
operation and infrastructure of administrative and judicial public
services.
II - STRENGTHENING THE SECURITY OF
EUROPEAN CITIZENS
1. Combating terrorism
We strongly condemn terrorism, which
constitutes a threat and major challenge to our societies. It
requires a firm, united response from Europe, as an integral part
of the worldwide anti-terrorist efforts under the leadership of
the United Nations. We welcome the new Council of Europe
Convention on the prevention of terrorism opened for signature
during the Summit and draw attention to other instruments and
documents that the Council of Europe has drawn up so far to combat
terrorism. We call on all member states to respect human rights
and to protect victims when combating this scourge, in accordance
with the guidelines drawn up by the Council of Europe in 2002 and
2005 respectively.
We will identify other targeted measures to
combat terrorism and ensure close cooperation and coordination of
common anti-terrorist efforts with other international
organisations, in particular the United Nations.
2. Combating corruption and organised
crime
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
has proved its effectiveness. Accordingly, we urge those member
states that have not already joined it to do so as soon as
possible and to ratify the criminal and civil law conventions on
corruption. Since corruption is a worldwide phenomenon, the
Council of Europe will step up its cooperation with the OECD and
the United Nations to combat it on a global level. An increase in
the membership of GRECO and its further enlargement to non-member
states of the Council of Europe would help achieve this
goal.
We also commend the work undertaken by
MONEYVAL for monitoring anti-money-laundering measures, including
the financing of terrorism. MONEYVAL should continue to strengthen
its ties with the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering
(FATF) under the aegis of the OECD.
We welcome the revision of the 1990 Convention
on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds
from Crime and the opening for signature of the revised Convention
at the Summit. We call for its signature and ratification.
The Council of Europe will continue to
implement its technical assistance programmes for interested
member states. It will also support strengthened international
co-operation in the fight against transnational organised crime
and drug trafficking.
3. Combating trafficking in human beings
We firmly condemn trafficking in human beings
which undermines the enjoyment of human rights and is an offence
to the dignity and integrity of the human being. We welcome the
opening for signature at the Summit of the Council of Europe
Convention on action against trafficking in human beings and call
for its widest possible ratification and swift entry into force.
This is a major step in the fight against trafficking. It will
strengthen the prevention of trafficking, the effective
prosecution of its perpetrators and the protection of the human
rights of the victims. The independent monitoring mechanism set up
by the Convention will ensure its effective implementation by the
Parties. We will ensure close co-operation between the Council of
Europe, the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE in
this field.
4. Combating violence against
women
The Council of Europe will take measures to
combat violence against women, including domestic violence. It
will set up a task force to evaluate progress at national level
and establish instruments for quantifying developments at
pan-European level with a view to drawing up proposals for action.
A pan-European campaign to combat violence against women,
including domestic violence, will be prepared and conducted in
close co-operation with other European and national actors,
including NGOs.
5. Combating cybercrime and strengthening
human rights in the information society
We confirm the importance of respect for human
rights in the information society, in particular freedom of
expression and information and the right to respect for private
life.
The Council of Europe shall further elaborate
principles and guidelines to ensure respect for human rights and
the rule of law in the information society. It will address
challenges created by the use of information and communication
technologies (ICT) with a view to protecting human rights against
violations stemming from the abuse of ICT.
We will also take initiatives so that our
member states make use of the opportunities provided by the
information society. In this connection the Council of Europe will
examine how ICT can facilitate democratic reform and practice. The
Council of Europe shall also continue its work on children in the
information society, in particular as regards developing their
media literacy skills and ensuring their protection against
harmful content.
We condemn all forms of ICT use in furthering
criminal activity. We therefore urge all member states to sign and
ratify the Convention on Cybercrime and to consider signature of
its Additional Protocol concerning the criminalisation of acts of
a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems,
the first binding international instruments on the subject.
6. Promoting ethics in biomedicine
The Council of Europe shall continue its
standard-setting work on bioethics. We encourage the signing of
the Protocol on Transplantation, the adoption of provisions
corresponding to the recommendations on xenotransplantation and
further work on the use of genetic testing outside the medical
field, entailing discrimination in access to employment and
insurance.
7. Promoting sustainable
development
We are committed to improving the quality of
life for citizens. The Council of Europe shall therefore, on the
basis of the existing instruments, further develop and support
integrated policies in the fields of environment, landscape,
spatial planning and prevention and management of natural
disasters, in a sustainable development perspective.
III - BUILDING A MORE HUMANE AND
INCLUSIVE EUROPE
We are convinced that social cohesion, as well
as education and culture, are essential enabling factors for
effective implementation of Council of Europe core values in our
societies and for the long-term security of Europeans. The Council
of Europe will therefore promote a model of democratic culture,
underpinning law and institutions and actively involving civil
society and citizens.
1. Ensuring social cohesion
The Council of Europe will step up its work in
the social policy field on the basis of the European Social
Charter and other relevant instruments. The central task is to
jointly define remedies and solutions which could be effective in
fighting poverty and exclusion, ensuring equitable access to
social rights and protecting vulnerable groups. The Council of
Europe, acting as a forum for pan-European cooperation in the
social field, will work out recommendations and promote exchange
of best practices in these areas as well as strengthen assistance
to member states.
We instruct the Committee of Ministers to
appoint a high-level taskforce to review the Council of Europe
strategy to promote social cohesion in the 21st century, in the
light of the Organisation's achievements in this field. Policies
to promote social cohesion must take account of the challenges
posed by ageing and other social and economic developments.
We agree that protection of health as a social
human right is an essential condition for social cohesion and
economic stability. We support the implementation of a strategic
integrated approach to health and
health-related activities. In
particular, the work on equity of access to care of appropriate
quality and services which meet the needs of the population of our
member states will be intensified. Identifying standards for
patient-oriented care will be a key component of this activity.
We confirm our commitment to combat all kinds
of exclusion and insecurity of the Roma communities in Europe and
to promote their full and effective equality. We expect that the
European Roma and Travellers Forum will allow Roma and Travellers
to express themselves with the active support of the Council of
Europe. Steps will be made to establish co-operation among the
Council of Europe, the European Union and the OSCE in this
field.
We will consolidate the Council of Europe's
work on disability issues and support the adoption and
implementation of a ten-year action plan designed to make decisive
progress in ensuring equal rights for people with
disabilities.
2. Building a Europe for
children
We are determined to effectively promote the
rights of the child and to fully comply with the obligations of
the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child. A child
rights perspective will be
implemented throughout the activities of
the Council of Europe and effective
coordination of child-related activities must be ensured within
the Organisation.
We will take specific action to eradicate all
forms of violence against children. We therefore decide to launch
a three year programme of action to address social, legal, health
and educational dimensions of the various forms of violence
against children. We shall also elaborate measures to stop sexual
exploitation of children, including legal instruments if
appropriate, and involve civil society in this process.
Coordination with the United Nations in this field is essential,
particularly in connection with follow-up to the optional protocol
to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
3. Education: promoting democratic
citizenship in Europe
The tasks of building a knowledge-based
society and promoting a democratic culture among our citizens
require increased efforts of the Council of Europe in the field of
education aimed at ensuring access to education for all young
people across Europe, improving its quality and promoting,
inter alia, comprehensive human rights education.
We will make full use of the opportunity to
raise public awareness of European standards and values provided
by the “European Year of Citizenship through Education”. The
Council of Europe shall build on its work on language learning and
recognition of diplomas and qualifications. It shall continue to
play an important role in the Bologna process aimed at creation of
European Higher Education Area by 2010. It will actively promote
co-operation and networking in the field of education and student
exchanges at all levels.
The Council of Europe will enhance all
opportunities for the training of educators, in the fields of
education for democratic citizenship, human rights, history and
intercultural education. It will promote relevant intercultural
programmes and exchanges at secondary school level, both within
Europe and with neighbouring countries.
The Council of Europe will also further
develop its network of schools of political studies with a view to
promoting European core values among the new generations.
4. Developing youth co-operation
We will intensify our efforts to empower young
people to actively participate in democratic processes so that
they can contribute to the promotion of our core values. The
Council of Europe Youth Centres and the European Youth Foundation
are important instruments to this effect. We will integrate a
youth perspective in all Council of Europe activities. To promote
diversity, inclusion and participation in society, we decide to
launch a Europe-wide youth campaign, in the spirit of the
“European Youth Campaign against racism, xenophobia, antisemitism
and intolerance" (1995).
The Council of Europe will further develop its
unique position in the youth field. It will continue to assist
member states in developing national and local policy instruments
and actively promote youth exchanges and youth mobility in
Europe.
5. Protecting and promoting cultural
diversity
Respect for, and promotion of, cultural
diversity on the basis of Council of Europe values are essential
conditions for the development of societies based on solidarity.
The Council of Europe will therefore develop strategies to manage
and promote cultural diversity while ensuring the cohesion of
societies. We support the adoption by UNESCO of a convention on
cultural diversity.
We will foster dialogue on the role of culture
in contemporary Europe and define ways to support diversity and
artistic creativity, defending culture as a purveyor of values.
Steps will be taken to enhance access to cultural achievements and
heritage by promoting cultural activities and exchanges.
6. Fostering intercultural
dialogue
We shall systematically encourage
intercultural and inter-faith dialogue, based on universal human
rights, as a means of promoting awareness, understanding,
reconciliation and tolerance, as well as preventing conflicts and
ensuring integration and the cohesion of society. The
active involvement of civil society in this dialogue, in which
both men and women should be able to participate on an equal
basis, must be ensured. Issues faced by cultural and religious
minorities can often be best addressed at the local level.
Therefore, we ask the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
to be actively involved in these issues and promote best
practices.
We will strengthen cooperation and
coordination both within the Council of Europe and with other
regional and international institutions. To this effect, a
coordinator for intercultural dialogue shall be appointed within
the Council of Europe to monitor in cooperation with existing
structures the implementation of the Organisation's practical
programmes and ensure coordination with other institutions.
Convinced that dialogue between cultures is
also fostered by accurate understanding of history, we endorse the
Council of Europe's work in history teaching and related projects,
and decide to intensify our efforts in this direction. We
encourage more active involvement of civil society in this work.
We are committed to a new dialogue between
Europe and its neighbouring regions - the southern Mediterranean,
the Middle East and Central Asia - based on the above-mentioned
principles. We recognise the role of the North-South Centre in
promoting this dialogue, as well as its mission of fostering
European awareness of intercultural and development issues.
7. Promoting sport
We attach great importance to the effective
operation of the Anti-doping Convention and the European
Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events
and in particular at Football Matches, which are reference texts
in international law. In line with the Committee of Ministers
Recommendation R(99)9 on the role of sport in furthering social
cohesion, we recommend the continuation of Council of Europe
activities which serve as references in the field of sport.
8. Managing migration
We are aware of the importance of population
movements within Europe and from other continents to Europe.
Management of this migration is a major challenge to 21st-century
Europe. We therefore consider that the Council of Europe should
pursue its activities in this sector, in cooperation with the
European Union, to contribute to a more balanced management of
migration Europe-wide.
We are strongly committed to ensure close
cooperation and coordination in international action, in
particular on the European scene. The Council of Europe, the
European Union and the OSCE will therefore work in enhanced
synergy and complementarity based on their respective competency
and expertise.
1. Relations with the European
Union
Considering the important contribution of the
Council of Europe to democracy, cohesion and stability in Europe,
we call on the Council of Europe to:
- strengthen its relations with the European
Union so that the Council of Europe's and the European Union's
achievements and future standard-setting work are taken into
account, as appropriate, in each other's activities;
- strengthen co-operation with the European
Union in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the
promotion of pluralistic democracy and the rule of law;
- strengthen co-operation with the European
Union in areas of common interest, in particular in the legal,
cultural, youth and social fields, including through joint
programmes and cooperation with specialised Council of Europe
bodies, such as the Venice Commission, the Committee for the
Prevention of Torture, the Group of States against Corruption, the
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the
Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Commission for the
Efficiency of Justice.
Based on the appended guidelines, a memorandum
of understanding will be drafted between the Council of Europe and
the European Union to create a new framework of enhanced
co-operation and political dialogue. Particular focus should be
put on how the European Union and its member states could make
better use of available Council of Europe instruments and
institutions, and on how all Council of Europe members could
benefit from closer links with the European Union.
2. Relations with the OSCE
We encourage the Council of Europe to step up
and rationalise co-operation with the OSCE, on the basis of their
specific tasks and comparative advantages, while avoiding
duplication of effort. In particular, we call for closer
co-operation with the OSCE in the priority fields identified by
the Coordinating Group and subsequently adopted by the governing
bodies of the two organisations, starting with the fight against
terrorism, the protection of the rights of persons belonging to
national minorities, action against trafficking in human beings
and the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination.
In this connection, we welcome the appended
joint Declaration on enhanced cooperation between the Council of
Europe and the OSCE.
3. Relations with the United
Nations
We encourage the Council of Europe to step up
co-operation with the United Nations and its specialised agencies,
in order both to promote the universal values shared by the member
states of the Council of Europe in the human rights field and to
achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in Europe,
including, in particular, everyone's entitlement to live in a
balanced, healthy environment.
V - IMPLEMENTING THE ACTION PLAN: A
TRANSPARENT AND EFFICIENT COUNCIL OF EUROPE
We instruct the Committee of Ministers to take
steps to ensure that this Action Plan is rapidly implemented by
the various Council of Europe bodies, in conjunction where
applicable with other European or international
organisations.
As an urgent priority, we task the Committee
of Ministers and the Secretary General, assisted by independent
expertise, to give fresh impetus to the reform process of the
Council of Europe's organisational structures and working methods.
Building on efforts already in hand, the process shall aim at an
efficient functioning of the Organisation according to its
objectives and keeping fully in mind the need for budgetary
restraints. Special attention should be paid to initiatives that
will further secure transparency, cost-efficiency as well as
internal co-operation and knowledge sharing.
This reform process will be subject to regular
progress reports to the Committee of Ministers. It will be
discussed at the Ministerial Meeting in May 2006.
Appendix 1
GUIDELINES
on the
Relations between the Council of Europe and the European
Union
1. The Council of Europe and the
European Union base their relationship on all matters of common
interest, in particular the promotion and protection of
pluralistic democracy, the respect for Human Rights, fundamental
freedoms and the rule of law, political and legal cooperation,
social cohesion, and cultural interchange. These common values
form the foundation of democratic stability and security to which
our societies and citizens aspire, and help bring greater cohesion
to Europe and further overall unity.
2. Enhanced partnership and
complementarity should govern the future relationship between the
Council of Europe and the European Union, in order to strengthen
practical cooperation in all areas of common interest.
3. The common objective of a Europe
without new dividing lines can best be served by making
appropriate use of the norms and standards, as well as the
experience and expertise developed in the Council of Europe over
half a century.
4. Early accession of the European
Union to the ECHR would strongly contribute to ensuring coherence
in the field of Human Rights in Europe. The preparatory work
should be accelerated so that this accession could take place as
soon as possible after the entry into force of the Constitutional
Treaty. Taking into account the competences of the European
Community, accession to other Council of Europe conventions and
involvement of Council of Europe mechanisms should be considered
on the basis of a detailed review.
5. Legal cooperation between the
Council of Europe and the European Union should continue and be
further developed as useful and appropriate for the benefit of all
European citizens, including by aiming for greater complementarity
between European Union and Council of Europe legal texts. The
European Union shall strive to transpose those aspects of Council
of Europe Conventions within its competence into European Union
Law.
6. The Council of Europe will, on
the basis of its expertise and through its various organs,
continue to provide support and advice to the European Union in
particular in the fields of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms,
democracy and the rule of law.
7. Cooperation between the European
Union and specialised Council of Europe bodies should be
reinforced. The European Union shall in particular make full use
of Council of Europe expertise in areas such as human rights,
information, cyber-crime, bioethics, trafficking and organised
crime, where action is required within its competence.
8. The future Human Rights Agency
of the European Union, once established, should constitute an
opportunity to further increase cooperation with the Council of
Europe, and contribute to greater coherence and enhanced
complementarity.
9. Bearing in mind the common aim
of strengthening democratic stability in Europe, the Council of
Europe and the European Union should increase their common efforts
towards enhanced pan-European relations, including further
cooperation in the countries participating in the European Union
's Neighbourhood Policy and the Stabilisation and Association
processes.
10. In order to achieve a
qualitative improvement in the relationship, both organisations
should work towards joint activities, when they add value to their
respective endeavours. The European Union and the Council of
Europe should consult regularly at all appropriate levels,
including the political level, to make better use of each other's
relevant expertise. Such consultations would better coordinate
policy and action, and further monitor ongoing cooperation.
Additionally, the European Union's presence should be strengthened
by establishing as soon as possible a permanent office to the
Council of Europe.
Appendix 2
Declaration on Co-operation
between the Council of Europe
and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe
The Member States of the Council of
Europe and the participating States of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe,
Recalling the decisions
taken in December 2004 by the Committee of Ministers' Deputies of
the Council of Europe (No. CM/865/01122004) and the Permanent
Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (No. 637),
Recognizing the need to adapt relations
between the two Organizations to the evolving international
environment, with due respect for the aims and principles
enshrined in the Council of Europe's Statute and the OSCE's
Charter for European Security and other agreed documents and
decisions of both Organizations,
Resolved to strive for a whole and free
Europe without dividing lines based on shared values and a common
commitment to democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of
law, comprehensive security, social justice and market economy,
Convinced that, to achieve this
objective, the two Organizations need to work more closely
together in identifying effective co-ordinated responses to the
threats and challenges of the twenty-first century, on the basis
of the principles of complementarity, transparency and democratic
accountability, while respecting the autonomy, different
membership and distinctive tasks of each Organization,
Determined to base this enhanced
co-operation on the existing legal acquis of the Council of Europe
and the OSCE's political commitments,
Welcoming the work
initiated by the Co-ordination Group established in December 2004,
which illustrates the commitment of Member and participating
States to enhanced co-operation between both Organizations,
Call on
the Co-ordination Group to give priority in its work to the
formulation of concrete recommendations on how to foster
co-ordination and co-operation between the two Organizations in
areas of common interest, taking into account their respective
work in the field, and starting with questions concerning the
fight against terrorism, the protection of the rights of persons
belonging to national minorities, combating trafficking in human
beings, as well as promoting tolerance and
non-discrimination;
Agree that, to this end, various forms
of co-operation between the two Organizations should be explored,
such as joint meetings and joint activities, with more active
involvement of the Member and participating States, in order to
produce synergies and avoid unnecessary duplication, giving the
fullest account however to the different nature and membership of
the two organisations, and make best use of their comparative
advantages;
Call for better co-ordination within
the national administrations of the Member and participating
States in order to ensure that the above principles are
effectively implemented;
Decide to bring this Declaration to the
attention of both the Council of Europe and the OSCE Parliamentary
Assemblies and would welcome their intention to enhance
co-operation between the two Assemblies.
