This interview is copyright-free for publication by your media

Interview with Annelise Oeschger, President of the Conference of Council of Europe International Non-Governmental Organisations, following her re-election for a further three-year term.

27 January 2006

Council of Europe: How do you think the first two years of your term of office have gone? Do the INGOs play a more important role now?

Annelise Oeschger: More and more of the 385 INGOs which enjoy participatory status are finding out how much influence they can have on European construction by getting involved in the work of the Council of Europe. Their collective bodies (the Liaison Committee and the ten thematic groupings) now engage in regular co-operation with Council of Europe committees and groups of experts. The Council of Europe is thus becoming the prime institution through which millions of Europeans from every background can take the destiny of Europe in hand.

Council of Europe: What practical impact has the Warsaw Summit of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government had on the consolidation of civil society?

Annelise Oeschger :The opportunity given to the President of the Conference of INGOs to speak at the Warsaw Summit signified political recognition of the Conference as a Council of Europe body. Thereafter, the Committee of Ministers both increased the budget allocated to the work of the INGO bodies within the Council of Europe and granted the Conference the status of "participant" in governmental committees, in the same way as the Parliamentary Assembly, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Commissioner for Human Rights. Thus European civil society has made its official entrance to an international institution. Decisions as to whether or not a given NGO representative will be accepted in a committee will no longer depend on the goodwill of the departments responsible for organising work – henceforth this will be a matter for the Conference itself. We thus have a guarantee that we can carry out our mission of raising questions (awkward ones if necessary), making unexpected proposals and monitoring the implementation of decisions taken.

Council of Europe: The Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, has been asked, in a personal capacity, to present a report in May 2006 on relations between the Council of Europe and European Union. At their annual meeting, on 25 January, the INGOs approved the content of their contribution to his report. What does their contribution say?

Annelise Oeschger : Among the Conference's proposals is a reinforcement of the Council of Europe's political and standard-setting role and of its influence and visibility in the European and global political architecture. One matter particularly close to our hearts is the need for the European institutions to transcend any feelings of rivalry and co-operate in promoting a Europe of humanity and solidarity, one where all residents have the means to help to shape not only their own future, but also that of those around them.