Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers

Armenia hands over chairmanship to Austria

Strasbourg, 14.11.2013 - The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe passed from Armenia to Austria today, at a meeting at the Organisation's Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States.

Before handing over the chairmanship to his successor, the outgoing Chair Edward Nalbandian, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, gave an overview of his country's achievements during its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.

The new Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Michael Spindelegger, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, presented the priorities of the Austrian chairmanship which will run for six months as of today.

At a brief ceremony during the meeting, Minister Spindelegger solemnly handed over to the Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, the instrument of Austria's ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention (CETS no. 210). Austria pledged that, during its chairmanship, it would "promote measures for an early entry into force of the Convention", which requires 10 ratifications. (more...)

- File on the Austrian Chairmanship
- Photo gallery

Back 20.06.2013 - The Meeting of the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities took place in Yerevan

The meeting of the Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities was held in Yerevan on 18 June 2013, in the framework of the Armenian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

The members of the Bureau had an exchange of views with Mr. Armen Gevorgyan, Vice Prime-Minister and the Minister of Territorial Administration of Armenia, among other items.

In his address to the participants, Mr. Gevorgyan underlined that since its accession to the Council of Europe, Armenia has developed a comprehensive and multi-dimensional co-operation with the Organisation, and that this co-operation plays a significant role in Armenia's efforts towards developing and further improving local democracy. (more...)


More information
Congress website