Irish Chairmanship welcomes publication of report on the future of the Council of Europe
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrnetoday joined the leaders of the Council of Europe in welcoming the publication of a report on the future of the Council of Europe by a High Level Think Tank chaired by Former Irish President Mary Robinson. Ireland currently holds the six-month deadline Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The report presents thirty recommendations to enable the Council of Europe to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine by redoubling its investment in the organisation’s core competences – the promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law – and by strengthening European cooperation, especially with the European Union and the United Nations.
The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Minister Coveney, said: “Ireland is proud to have taken the High Level Reflection Group forward during our Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. With our presidency only lasting six months, this work will help shape the future of this organization for years to come. We fully support the report’s key message that the time has come for the Council of Europe to recommit itself to fulfilling its core mission, including the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights the man. I urge the 46 Member States to act on the recommendations of the group to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the war on our continent. In particular, I echo the group’s call for a summit of Heads of State and Government of Council member states to be convened as soon as possible to give political impetus to this vital work.
Presenting the report to the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg earlier, Mary Robinson said: “We need political decisions at the highest level to get through the dark times in which we live. Europe and the world are not doing well right now. We hoped that realities like the ones we saw in Ukraine belonged to our past. We were wrong. This is a “warning signal” for Europe. The ongoing war in Ukraine is not the only challenge facing Europe and the world. Democratic backsliding, undermining of the rule of law and challenges to our human rights protection system are on the increase. The good news is that, with this report, we have the tools to deal with the multiple and complex crises we face. What we need is the political will to do so.
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić said: “This report reflects its authors’ vision for the future of the Council of Europe and our continent. We now need political commitment at the highest level to translate its recommendations into reality. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Tiny Kox, said: ”I am convinced that the report will stimulate a constructive debate on the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe, its objectives and its results, and will lead to important decisions which will underscore both the continued relevance of our organization and strengthen its ability to respond to current challenges in Europe. I welcome this report and look forward to the decision to formally convene a summit, to which the Assembly will contribute to the best of its ability, including on the basis of its own process of reflection currently being carried out by our Bureau and our policies”.
In anticipation of a forthcoming visit to Strasbourg, Minister Byrne added: “The report of the High Level Reflection Group represents an opportunity for the 46 member states of the Council of Europe which we must seize. “Next week, I will travel to Strasbourg to address the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where I will advocate for a summit agreement and the implementation of the main recommendations of this report. . As President Robinson and her fellow Group members have made clear, we have the tools – it is now up to each of us to ensure that they are used to build a better Europe”.