1. Presentation of the priorities of the Danish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
Mr A. Samuelsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, made the following statement:
“It
is a great honour for me
–
and for Denmark
–
to assume the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.
The Council of Europe plays an essential role in promoting democracy, rule of law and human rights. The
importance of this Organisation as a guardian of these values and its role as a forum for dialogue between
European countries should not be underestimated.
Since the very beginning we have been closely involved in supporting, strengthening and promoting the work
and the further development of the Organisation. We are deeply committed to the Convention and the Court.
We will continue in that tradition with increased intensity and commitment over the coming six months. We
will do our best to support the Council of Europe in continuing being an organisation with strong values that
protects human rights, democracy, gender equality and the rule of law.
Our continent faces many challenges: extremism, terrorism and organised crime are creating insecurity and
fear, which are reinforced by other developments like migration.
The Council of Europe is not immune to these challenges. We must address them openly and in honest
dialogue with each other. We must preserve and protect the Organisation and make sure that it remains
strong and relevant in the future. And we must stand firm in our values.
The Convention system has done a remarkable job in promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of
law, all over Europe. Yet, at the same time, the system is not perfect. The enormous caseload of the Court is
deeply troubling.
And it is equally troubling that many of its decisions and judgments are not being implemented. It is also a
problem if the practice of the Court does not always resonate with the understanding by the general public of
human rights.
We need to find ways to deal with these challenges affecting the convention system. We need to engage in a
constructive, open and honest dialogue on how to deal with them.
This is why the main priority of our chairmanship is the continued reform of the European human rights
system. Our focus will be, first of all, to ensure that the reforms agreed already are put into effect. This
requires, among other things, that all member States ratify Protocol No. 15, agreed in Brighton.
We also want to explore new tools on how to ensure a closer dialogue between the European and national
level, ensuring that member States have a fair say on the interpretation of the Convention. Making it easier
for member States to intervene in cases before the Court
–
and argue their case
–
will be one specific priority
for us.
We also have a number of other ideas we want to discuss to address the challenges for the system. We
have therefore invited member States and experts to a high-level expert conference in Denmark next week.
Based on the discussions at that conference, we will host a ministerial meeting in Denmark, in April next
year, with the purpose of adopting a political declaration that will contribute to the process of future-proofing
the Convention system. That is our ambition and we hope for your support.
During the chairmanship, we will furthermore focus on equal opportunities, both gender equality and equal
opportunities for LGTBI persons. The new Gender Equality Strategy of the Council of Europe will be
launched at a conference in Denmark in May 2018.
In addition we will
–
in close co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly
–
organise a conference focusing
on good practices and inclusive policies on marriage and adoption in same-sex families.