At their meeting on 3 May, the Ministers' Deputies adopted the Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property and took note of its Explanatory Report (more information …). They agreed to open the Convention for signature at the 127th Session of the Committee of Ministers, which will take place in Nicosia (Cyprus) on 19 May 2017. The Deputies also approved the draft Council of Europe Action Plan on protecting refugee and migrant children in Europe and agreed to submit it for adoption at the 127th Session. They held an exchange of views with the Secretary General on his 4th report on the "State of democracy, human rights and the rule of law – Populism – How strong are Europe’s checks and balances?", which will provide a basis for discussion at the 127th Session.

The Deputies took a series of decisions on the conflict in Georgia and on the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine).

Finally, they held exchanges of views with:

• Mr Costas Kadis, Minister of Education and Culture of Cyprus, on the international conference entitled “Securing Democracy through Education”, which was organised in the framework of the priorities of the Cypriot Chairmanship;
• Mr Wojciech Sawicki, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly, on the activities of the Assembly at its part-Session last week.

The other items examined by the Deputies appear in the Agenda and the decisions adopted are available in the meeting file.