In order to analyse member States' European and international policies, once a year informal meetings brought together Directors of policy planning from Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Council of Europe member states. Eight such meetings took place between 2011 and 2018:

 

 

 

  • General policies in member states (Strasbourg, February 2011)
  •  Europe and its Arab neighbours: common or compatible values? (Strasbourg, September 2011)
  • Central Asian Neighbourhood: Europe's Outpost or Trans-Asian Bridge? (Bucharest, March 2012)
  • The Promotion of Democracy in Europe and Beyond: New Challenges, Strategies and Instruments (Strasbourg, April 2013)
  • Democracy and Security (Strasbourg, April 2015)
  • Democratic Security in Europe: Human Rights and Security in the Context of the Current Migration Challenge (Strasbourg, June 2016)
  • Populism and democracy (Strasbourg, June 2017)

  • Do we need international organisations?  Current challenges to multilateralism’ (Strasbourg, 7-8 June 2018).

At the 7-8 June 2018 meeting, the Directors of policy planning in Ministries of foreign affairs of Council of Europe member States gathered to exchange on the topic "Do we need international organisations?  Current challenges to multilateralism". 

The meeting took place over 3 sessions:

  • The historical background of European multilateralism
  • Council of Europe: the way ahead
  • Current challenges to multilateralism.

At the meeting, the Secretary General introduced his 5th Annual report  dedicated to "State of democracy, human rights and the rule of law - Role of institutions - Threats to institutions".