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.

Назад Gunn-Marit HELGESEN attends the Council of Europe’s 70th anniversary ceremonies in Helsinki

From left tp right in the photo: Mr Thorbjørn JAGLAND, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Ms Gunn-Marit HELGESEN, Vice-President of the Congress , Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Linos-Alexandre SICILIANOS, President of the European Court of Human Rights

From left tp right in the photo: Mr Thorbjørn JAGLAND, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Ms Gunn-Marit HELGESEN, Vice-President of the Congress , Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland, Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Linos-Alexandre SICILIANOS, President of the European Court of Human Rights

On 16 May, as part of the ministerial session held in Helsinki, Gunn-Marit HELGESEN, First vice-President of the Congress and President of the Chamber of Regions, took part in a “treaty ceremony”. The aim of this event, held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, was to give the governments of the various countries the opportunity to sign and ratify a number of Council of Europe conventions.

The conventions in question include the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the landmark legal instrument for the rights of local authorities in Europe, which has already been ratified by all 47 member states. However, only 18 states have ratified its Additional Protocol on the right to participate in the affairs of a local authority. “It is important that all the countries ratify the Protocol to ensure, across Europe, a form of local democracy that will guarantee citizen participation,” said the Congress vice-President.   

On the same day, Ms HELGESEN also took part in the ceremony to commemorate the founding of the Council of Europe, organised by the Finnish authorities, attended by Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ, President of the Republic of Finland. “In the 70 years of the contributions of the Council of Europe for peace, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the local and regional dimension of the implementation of these values and principles has become more and more evident”, she emphasised. “This is why the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe decided to establish the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities which held its first session on 30 May 1994, that is almost exactly 25 years ago.”

 

See also:

Ministerial Summit Helsinki, Finland 16 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
Alla HEITZ