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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 12437 | 17 November 2010
Euro-Mediterranean region: call for a Council of Europe strategy
1. Reply from the Committee of Ministers
adopted at the 1097th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (10 November
2010)
2. The Committee of Ministers has carefully considered Parliamentary
Assembly Recommendation
1919 (2010) and has brought it to the attention of the
member states’ governments. The Committee has also transmitted the
recommendation to the European Centre for Global Interdependence
and Solidarity (North-South Centre) for information and possible
comments.
3. The Committee of Ministers recalls its reply to Parliamentary
Assembly Recommendation
1753 (2006) on the “External relations of the Council
of Europe”, adopted on 18 January 2007 at the 984th meeting of the Ministers’
Deputies, and in particular its paragraph 2, in which the Committee
stated that “Whilst acknowledging the importance of external relations
for the Council of Europe, and of the contribution by the Organisation
to the enhancement of universal values outside of Europe, the Committee
of Ministers is nevertheless convinced that priority must be placed
on the European dimension of the Organisation’s mission.”
4. At the same time, the Committee of Ministers recalls that
some projects are already conducted in co-operation with the European
Union in order to develop contacts and co-operation with countries
of the Mediterranean basin, in particular through Joint Programmes
with the European Commission. Other projects for joint action are
currently under preparation.
5. The Committee of Ministers is well aware of the positive co-operation
between the North-South Centre and the European Union. It recalls
that the European Commission and the European Parliament are already members
of the Executive Council of the North-South Centre. The possibility
for the Committee of Regions to also become member of the Executive
Council will be considered in the context of the forthcoming discussion to
take place within the Committee of Ministers on the possible revision
of the statutory resolution of the North-South Centre.
6. The Committee of Ministers agrees about the importance of
promoting accession to the relevant legal instruments of the Council
of Europe by states of the Mediterranean basin which share the values
of the Organisation, in order to extend the outreach of these instruments.
In this respect, the Committee would like to recall its reply to
Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1825 (2008) on “Strengthening
co-operation with the Maghreb countries”, adopted on 21 January
2009, in which it stated that “non-member states’ legal undertakings
under Council of Europe treaties promote fruitful interaction between
third states and member states, and should progressively lead to
a wider scope for co-operation”.
7. The vast majority of the Council of Europe treaties are open
to non member states of the Council of Europe, including Mediterranean
states. Some conventions, such as the European Cultural Convention
(ETS No. 18), remain however only open to European non-member states
of the Council of Europe. An overall review of the Council of Europe
conventions is currently taking place as part of the reform of the
Council of Europe engaged by the Secretary General and unanimously
supported by the Committee of Ministers. The opening up of conventions
to non European non-member states is being duly considered in this
context.
8. Finally, the Committee of Ministers recalls that countries
of the Mediterranean basin participate in some Council of Europe
activities, for example within the framework of the European Commission
for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), the Co-operation
Group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs (Pompidou
Group) and the European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement
(EUR-OPA).