Check against delivery

Ministers,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, may I say that it is good to be on a live panel.

That we can be here in person, and not by video link, is a welcome sign that a more normal way of living and working is becoming possible.

And this, in itself, is a pleasing new horizon.

More broadly, there is of course speculation in the media about what the new normal will look like.

But this is not a matter on which we must be passive.

As countries reopen in Europe, and throughout the world, governments and international organisations have an opportunity to change our societies for the better.

When it comes to COVID recovery, we should not try to go back, but strive to move forward.

At the Council of Europe, we are determined to ensure that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are more firmly fixed on our continent’s landscape than ever before.

And we are keenly aware of our unique role.

Today, our pan-European Organisation comprises 47 member states:

Every European country bar Belarus.

Each of these has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights.

As a result, 840 million people living on our continent today have the legally protected rights to life, liberty and security, and privacy and a fair trial;

To freedom of expression, association, conscience and religion;

And freedom from torture, servitude and discrimination.

These and all rights contained within the European Convention are interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights;

To which every individual in Europe has the ultimate right of appeal;

And whose judgment must be implemented fully and swiftly by every member state.

Together, the European Convention and the European Social Charter form the basis of human rights protection in Europe today.

Over the years, the Council of Europe has developed 223 legally binding treaties and other instruments that apply these human rights to specific issues.

These cover everything from the rights of national minorities, to combatting corruption, cybercrime and human trafficking, to preventing the sexual exploitation of children.

This body of law – this acquis – is an extraordinary achievement, unparalleled in history.

But it is also under threat.

In recent years, we have seen the rise of populism and extreme nationalism in parts of Europe.

This poses a direct challenge to the values that underpin the Council of Europe, to the common standards that we have agreed, and to the very idea of multilateral
co-operation.

Unfortunately, the Council of Europe has recorded clear evidence of democratic backsliding in many areas of European life.

More worrying still, we have seen that this harmful trend has gathered momentum since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Democracy was in distress before the arrival of coronavirus.

But as national authorities have extended and exerted their powers to deal with the crisis, the problems have got worse.

Let me give you just a few examples.

Take freedom of expression.

Smear campaigns, wrongful imprisonment and acts of violence against journalists have been rising in number.

Traditional media outlets are struggling to compete against digital platforms and fact-checking and quality journalism are suffering as disinformation becomes commonplace.

And the public health crisis has magnified these problems, with a sharp rise in attacks, censorship and reprisals for questioning government policies.

Meanwhile freedom of assembly and association are also in decline.

For some time, the space for civil society has been shrinking in parts of our continent, with peaceful public events treated as dangerous.

Restrictive legislation has been introduced, and other laws misused, to reduce the opportunity for civic activism and legitimate protest.

Here too the public health crisis has accelerated the trend as freedoms have been further curtailed.

And the same can be seen regarding the requirement that minorities and vulnerable groups should not suffer discrimination when it comes to their human rights.

Nonetheless, hostility towards them has flared in recent times.

Women provide a case in point.

The Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention is described by the UN as “gold standard”: its purpose is to prevent violence against women, to protect those who are victims, and to support the prosecution of perpetrators.

Where it is in force, it works.

But misconceptions and false narratives have been deployed against it in recent years.

This has caused reluctance to ratify among some governments, and even the decision by one country to leave.

And it coincided with a COVID-19 outbreak that has subjected many women to increased violence in their own homes.

Lockdowns have been necessary to control the spread of coronavirus.

But they have also left many women physically confined with their abusers.

The sad reality is that as the number of incidents went up, the number of calls for help went down.

Unable to speak, many turned to apps and other silent, electronic means of support.

These examples only scratch the surface.

There are many more.

But it doesn’t need to be like this.

Multilateralism has played an important and positive role in mitigating the impact of the coronavirus.

Early in the crisis, I issued a toolkit document to member states guiding them on how to take steps that are effective while upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

And, since then, all parts of our Organisation have played their part, issuing advice, sharing best practice, and providing practical support including protective equipment and financial investment from the Council of Europe Development Bank.

So, the lesson that should be learned is that cross-border problems require cross-border solutions.

And what we need now is the political will from governments across Europe to choose a corrective course.

They have an opportunity to reverse the democratic backsliding and instead enlarge democratic space in which all citizens’ rights are protected for the benefit of all.

How might they do this?

They should implement the Council of Europe’s guidance that COVID-related restrictions must be necessary, proportionate and limited in duration:

So, as the situation improves, these should be removed.

They should return to fundamental democratic principles, embracing the Organisation’s acquis.

This starts with the European Convention on Human Rights which should be properly implemented and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights which must always be executed.

And they should embrace multilateralism and democratic culture.

This means recognising diversity as a strength, ensuring civic space at the national level and turning to international co-operation, proactively, as a means for protecting people’s fundamental rights.

The issues that our Organisation must address have not gone away.

Rather, they continue to evolve, with new ones emerging.

But we are ready for this.

For example, work is already underway on new instruments to address the human rights challenges that come with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the impact of environmental degradation and climate change.

The best future for Europe – Europe in its widest, truest sense – is one in which governments have the confidence to embrace and protect their people’s rights.

And to do so in the framework of the multilateral co-operation that has once again proven itself worth in the face of adversity.

It is a future that is there for the taking.