Foreign Ministers of the 47-member states of the Council of Europe met in Helsinki, Finland, on 16 and 17 May 2019, in the context of the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Council of Europe.

At the end of the ministerial session chaired by the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timo SOINI, Finland, handed over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers to France, following which the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Amélie DE MONTCHALIN, presented the priorities of her country's Presidency.

The main goals of the French Presidency are to preserve and strengthen the European system of human rights protection, to strive towards a Europe that brings people closer together and fosters unity, and to promote equality and a culture of “living together” as well as ensuring the Council of Europe adapts to the times and addresses the new challenges surrounding human rights and the rule of law; in particular digital technology issues and artificial intelligence.

The Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe passed from France to Georgia , at a meeting at the organisation’s Strasbourg headquarters on 27 November 2019. France’s Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin gave an overview of her country’s achievements.

Indietro The Congress at the Helsinki Ministerial Summit

Finlandia Hall in Helsinki

Finlandia Hall in Helsinki

Foreign Ministers of the 47-member states of the Council of Europe met in Helsinki, Finland, on 16 and 17 May 2019, in the context of the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Council of Europe. The Congress was represented by Anders KNAPE, President of the Congress, and Gunn-Marit HELGESEN, President of the Chamber of Regions.

The President of the Chamber of Regions participated in the commemorative ceremony organised on 16 May by the Finnish authorities, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Finland, Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ. On the same day, she also participated in a "treaty event" which enabled the governments of the various countries to sign and ratify a number of Council of Europe conventions.

The President of the Congress addressed the Foreign Ministers on 17 May and presented the Congress' contribution on the future of the Council of Europe. This text, adopted by the Congress at its 36th Session on 2 April 2019, recalls that local and regional democracy is an essential pillar of European democracy and that, in the face of democratic crises, local institutions occupy a strategic place to rebuild the link between citizens and the institutions that represent them.

At the end of the ministerial session chaired by the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timo SOINI, Finland handed over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers to France, following which the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Amélie DE MONTCHALIN, presented the priorities of her country's Presidency.

Congress contribution on the future of the Council of Europe: Report CG36(2019)08

See also: Ministers for Foreign Affairs to discuss role of Council of Europe as the Organisation turns 70

Ministerial Summit Helsinki, Finland 16 and 17 May 2019
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French delegation 

The French delegation to the Congress comprises 18 representatives and 18 substitutes.
The head of the delegation is Mr Jean-Louis TESTUD.

Local and regional democracy in France

Institutional Communication Unit
Dmitri MARCHENKOV