At their 1513th meeting on 27 November, the Ministers’ Deputies approved the adjustments to the budget for 2025 for the second year of the Programme and Budget 2024-2027 and as a means to continue implementing the Reykjavik Declaration from the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government.
They held an exchange on the Secretary General’s 30th consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia, with the participation of Mr Lasha Darsalia, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia. The report gives an update on the situation in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia from April to September 2024, following the conflict with Russia starting in August 2008. It provides details on developments, assesses statutory obligations, and discusses the human rights situation and current activities of the Council of Europe to address the conflict's consequences.
The Deputies adopted a Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation to member States which promotes a family-centred approach to discussing organ and tissue donation after a person's death. Recommended measures include providing clear information about donation processes, implementing registries for donation decisions, educating healthcare professionals on family discussions, and establishing national guidelines for family care and end-of-life choices. The recommendations aim to improve consent rates for donation, and thus the availability of the much-needed organs and tissues to treat patients in need, and support families during the grieving process. More information …
The Deputies took note of a mid-term progress review report on implementation of the Neighbourhood Partnership with Tunisia from 2022 to 2023 and reiterated their call on the Tunisian authorities to respect and guarantee democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law in the country.
In addition, the Deputies held exchanges of views with:
- Ms Maria-José Castello-Branco, Chairperson of the Lanzarote Committee (i.e. the Committee of the Parties to the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse). The Lanzarote Convention is the first instrument to criminalise the sexual abuse of children, including when it takes place in the home or within the family. The Convention has been ratified and has entered into force in all 46 Council of Europe member States as well as in Tunisia.
- Mr Helmut Tichy, Chair of the Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI). The CAHDI is a pan-European forum where legal advisers of the Ministers for foreign affairs of the member States of the Council of Europe and a significant number of observer States and Organisations can exchange and co-ordinate their views regarding major issues of public international law.
The other items examined by the Deputies appear in the Agenda and the decisions adopted are available in the meeting file.