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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 14470 | 18 January 2018
Defending the acquis of the Council of Europe: preserving 65 years of successful intergovernmental co-operation
1. The Committee of
Ministers has given very careful consideration to Parliamentary
Assembly Recommendation 2113
(2017) and Recommendation
2114 (2017), which raise political issues of the greatest importance
for the future of the Council of Europe. It welcomes the Parliamentary
Assembly’s initiative in reviewing the strategic lines of approach
to be followed for the Organisation’s action in view of the many challenges
that currently exist at pan-European level regarding the Council
of Europe’s principles and values. It also welcomes the Assembly’s
desire to defend and promote these values, a goal which it fully
shares. Like the Assembly, it is particularly concerned here to
preserve and develop the Organisation’s unique acquis in terms of conventions.
2. With regard to the initiative, launched by the Sofia Declaration,
of the possible holding of a new Council of Europe Summit, the Committee
of Ministers shares the Assembly’s concern to “preserve and further strengthen
the pan-European project in a Europe which has changed profoundly
since the last Summit”, but believes that it is vital, before a
corresponding decision is taken, to ensure that the political conditions
exist for the member States, as stated in Recommendation 2113 (2017), to reaffirm at such a Summit “… at the highest political
level, their commitment to the ideal of European unity and the common
values and principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of
law upheld by the Organisation” and take key political decisions
in this respect. If, in due course, the Committee of Ministers were
to decide to hold a new Summit, it would also consider the proposals
made by the Assembly in its two recommendations regarding both the
content and the arrangements for the preparation of such a Summit.
3. With regard to the call made in Recommendation 2113 (2017) to consider the proposal “to engage in a procedure aimed
at harmonising jointly the rules governing participation, representation
and responsibilities of member States in both statutory organs,
while fully respecting the autonomy of these bodies”, the Committee of
Ministers would refer to the discussion held on the subject at the
Joint Committee meeting on 14 October 2017. In the meantime, the
Committee of Ministers held a further exchange of views on the same
subject with Mr Michele Nicoletti, as Assembly rapporteur on the
recommendation, at its meeting on 13 December 2017. The Committee
of Ministers has taken note that the Bureau of the Parliamentary
Assembly agreed shortly thereafter, at its meeting on 15 December
2017, to set up an Ad hoc Committee of the Bureau, whose task is “to
reflect on, and if possible prepare, proposals aimed at harmonising
the rules governing participation and representation of member States
in both statutory organs, while fully respecting the autonomy of
the two bodies” as well as “to prepare proposals as regards the
role and mission of the Parliamentary Assembly as a statutory organ
of the Council of Europe and a pan-European forum for interparliamentary
dialogue which aims at having an impact in all Council of Europe
member States.” The Committee of Ministers will follow the relevant discussions
with interest, with a view to considering for its part, where appropriate,
the follow-up to be given to them once they have been concluded.