Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers


United Kingdom passes Chairmanship to Albania

23 May 2012 - The 122nd Session of the Committee of Ministers was held in Strasbourg under the chairmanship of William Hague, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom. The meeting concluded the six months of UK Chairmanship of the Committee, centred chiefly on seeking means to guarantee the continued effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights system.

At the close of the meeting, after having presented a stocktaking of his Chairmanship, Mr Hague handed the Chairman's office over to Edmond Haxhinasto, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Albania, who then presented the priorities for his country's six months in the Chair. (more...

Back 24.01.2012 - Human Rights leads the UK priorities for chairmanship, UK Europe Minister tells Assembly

Reform of the Court of Human rights is one of the overarching themes of promotion and protection of human rights, and a priority for the UK chairmanship of the Council of Europe, UK Europe Minister David Lidington told the organisation's Parliamentary Assembly today.

Speaking as the UK moves into the third month of its six month presidency, he set out a blueprint for action, including strengthening rule of law across Europe, working on values-based Internet governance and freedom of expression, and acting against discrimination to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people, which had been "too long marginalised in the Council of Europe's work".

He outlined Committee of Minister's work with Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Ukraine, Belarus and neighbourhood countries.

Mr Lidington called on politicians to bring the role of the Council of Europe to the public: "This impressive story of the Council of Europe's beginnings, as an organisation for reconciliation and a beacon for fundamental rights is a good story to tell and one that we need to take to all the citizens that we serve," he said.

- The United Kingdom and the Council of Europe
- Video of the speech
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