Mr President, Distinguished delegates, colleagues,
It is a pleasure and honour to address you for the first time in a plenary meeting since taking on the role of Director of Social Rights, Health and Environment.
As many of you know, our Directorate was established in January 2024, following the Fourth Summit of the Council of Europe Heads of State and Government. Its creation was a direct response to the priorities set out in the Reykjavik Declaration, under the Directorate General of Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
Our Directorate brings together several key sectors:
- Social rights
- Health
- Environment
- The Secretariat of the Council of Europe Development Bank
From the outset, my main goal has been to foster synergies within and across these domains, and with other parts of the Organisation, to enhance coherence, impact, and efficiency.
The Pompidou Group Secretariat forms part of the Department of Health, led by the PG Executive Secretary. This Department also includes the Division of Human Rights and Biomedicine, and the Unit overseeing two criminal law conventions:
- The MEDICRIME Convention
- The Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs
This year, one of our key priorities has been to promote the protection of health as a fundamental human right across all 46 member states.
We marked World Health Day on 7 April with a strong statement by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who reminded us that:
“Securing health is the third most important concern for Europeans (Eurobarometer 2024). Everyone, everywhere, must have access to quality healthcare without discrimination.”
This is the guiding principle of a major initiative we have launched: the Council of Europe Campaign on the Right to Health. As announced earlier this month, the campaign will run until October 2025 and will involve all sectors of the Organisation - highlighting efforts to combat health inequalities, promote access to care, and reinforce public health systems across Europe.
The campaign is more than just a communications effort - it is a call to action. It seeks to elevate the right to health as a cross-cutting priority, supporting our work on combating counterfeit medicines, promoting biomedical ethics, reducing addiction-related harms, and ensuring the availability of health services for all, including the most vulnerable.
The campaign will culminate in a high-level conference on 15 October, where we will address member states directly, through the Committee of Ministers. The Secretariat will soon reach out to you to explore how you can contribute to this shared process.
This campaign also illustrates the transversality of the right to health, which intersects with social protection, criminal justice, education, and non-discrimination. This cross-cutting approach is at the heart of the Council of Europe’s work, as underlined by the Secretary General. It is our shared responsibility to ensure health remains a pillar of human dignity and democratic resilience.
Let me now turn to the the Pompidou Group, and its achievements which I commend highly.
I particularly wish to congratulate member states and the Secretariat for the adoption of two key policy documents in 2024:
- The Policy Paper on Risks and Harms Related to Online Gaming and Gambling (May 2024)
- The Policy Guidance on Aligning Drug and Addiction Policies with Human Rights (November 2024)
These are not just valuable tools—they serve as a foundation for two future Council of Europe Recommendations:
- One developed with the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI)
- The other with the Steering Committee on Human Rights (CDDH)
Following the Committee of Ministers' decision in February 2025, a new Drafting Committee on Human Rights and Drug Policies (DG-PDA) was established to lead this work from May 2025 through December 2026.
In another major development, the Committee of Ministers invited the Pompidou Group to develop policy guidelines on combating organised crime linked to drug trafficking, based on the European Court of Human Rights' case law. I welcome the establishment of the Joint Expert Group (OC-DT), in collaboration with CDPC, MEDICRIME and CDDH. This is a pioneering step for the Pompidou Group in Council of Europe instrument development.
I also commend your contribution to capacity-building. The new HELP online course on criminal justice and community responses to drug use and addiction, launched in March 2025, is a valuable tool to support national efforts.
I will closely follow the preparations for the Ministerial Conference at the end of November. I am confident in the Executive Secretary and his team to support you in electing new leadership and adopting the Pompidou Group’s 2026–2029 Work Programme.
However, allow me to express my deep regret at the recent decision by Italy to withdraw from the Pompidou Group, particularly while holding the Presidency and just months before the Ministerial Conference.
While we fully respect the decisions of member States, Italy’s departure will inevitably affect:
- Cooperation within the Group
- The Ministerial Conference
- The shaping of the 2026–2029 Work Programme
- The Group’s overall strategic direction
Italy is a founding member of the Council of Europe over 75 years ago and has long been a committed and influential member of the Pompidou Group. Its absence represents a significant loss in terms of experience, knowledge, and partnership in tackling drug trafficking, addiction, and related challenges. We must now come together to mitigate the consequences of this withdrawal and strengthen our unity.
We hope that Italy will rejoin the Pompidou Group in a near future for it is needed.
Indeed, the issue of drugs and addiction remains a pressing and complex challenge for Europe. The Council of Europe—through the Pompidou Group—has a vital role to play, reinforced by its human rights-based approach and its broadened mandate, including emerging areas like online addictions.
Let me close by referring to the 2025 Report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, just published and discussed yesterday by the Committee of Ministers at their ministerial session in Luxembourg. Entitled “Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe,” the report encapsulates a major political initiative and issues a clear and urgent call to action: Europe is facing a perfect storm - war, democratic backsliding, disinformation, digital threats, and a retreat from cooperation. In response, the Secretary General advocates for a reset rooted in democratic security, human rights, and the rule of law.
The report places strong emphasis on the transformative impact of breaking down silos and tackling challenges through a comprehensive, human rights-based approach. In this context, the work of the Pompidou Group stands out as a textbook example of that strategy in action. From aligning drug and addiction policies with human rights, to combating trafficking and online harms, your efforts embody the Organisation’s mission to deliver concrete results that improve people’s lives across Europe. As we face growing threats to freedom, dignity, and public health, the Council of Europe must, indeed, remain - as the Secretary General writes - a lighthouse in the storm. The Pompidou Group, with its broadened mandate and strong commitment to innovation, cross-sector cooperation, and social justice, is helping to keep that light shining.
You can count on my full support and that of the Secretariat to ensure the continuation and development of this essential work.
Thank you for your attention.