Bosnia and Herzegovina is honoured to be assuming the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the first time since its accession to the Council of Europe in 2002. We humbly accepted the six-month chairmanship, which will start on 19 May 2015, and will carry out this task with the utmost seriousness and dedication. We consider the Chairmanship as a good opportunity to further strengthen the three equally important pillars of the Council of Europe –democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue the work on the common priorities drawn up in co-ordination with the outgoing Chairmanships of Azerbaijan and Belgium. In that context, we will focus on the promotion and protection of human rights, with special emphasis on the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups.

The main priorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Chairmanship are the following:

a. The Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention);

b. The Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions;

c. Activities of the Council of Europe in the sphere of culture with special emphasis on the European Cultural Convention and on the activities of the Council of Europe through the European Cinema Support Fund (EURIMAGES);

d. Enhancing the Council of Europe's action with respect to the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue.

a. The Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)

The protection and promotion of women’s rights, with particular emphasis on the issue of violence against women and domestic violence, is a crucial issue addressed by the Council of Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the first member States to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Prevention of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), thereby unequivocally showing its commitment to give priority to this topic. Bosnia and Herzegovina will organise a high-level conference on 20 October 2015, with the title: “Monitoring the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention – a Common Responsibility of Governments and Parliaments”.

b. Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions

Bosnia and Herzegovina has given its full support to the policy of the Council of Europe towards its neighbouring regions since its inception in 2011. Over the last four years, the policy has developed steadily and been implemented successfully, including in North Africa.

In February 2015, the Committee of Ministers approved Neighbourhood Partnership documents with Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia which encompass both a political dialogue dimension and co-operation activities. This initiative has been made possible thanks to the recently launched EU programme “Towards Strengthened Democratic Governance in the Southern Mediterranean” (South Programme - II) for the period 2015-2018.

The fundamental values upheld by our Organisation are being challenged by the despicable acts of terrorism which recently occurred in Europe and its neighbourhood, by the civil wars and revolutions following the Arab Spring, as well as by the tragic deaths in the Mediterranean Sea that we are witnessing almost every single week. Strengthening co-operation between the Council of Europe and the Southern Mediterranean would, inter alia, help address these important issues. .

Bosnia and Herzegovina considers that the policy towards neighbouring regions has become a necessity for the security, prosperity and peace in both Europe and in its neighbourhood. Therefore, after consultations with the Kingdom of Morocco, the Chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina has decided, in a spirit of partnership, to organise in Morocco in the second half of October 2015 a “High-level Conference on the Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions”. Bearing in mind the importance of the subject, we would propose that this event be a ministerial conference.

c. The European Cultural Convention and the activities of the Council of Europe through the European Cinema Support Fund (Eurimages)

The European Cultural Convention is one of the earlier and most successful Council of Europe conventions. In 2015, during the Chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Council of Europe will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its entry into force. Over the years, the European Cultural Convention has become the political basis for a rich panorama of conventions and instruments, cooperation and field activities, in the areas of culture, heritage, education and youth, including in the area of cinematographic and audio-visual works.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, which invests significant efforts in the development of an audio-visual industry, pays particular interest to film culture. Therefore, given the importance of Eurimages and of the Council of Europe in promoting the European film industry, Bosnia and Herzegovina has decided to give special attention to this topic which constitutes a highlight of our common culture. In this context, Bosnia and Herzegovina will organise a high-level conference on “The Role of Women in the European Film Industry” to coincide with the famous Sarajevo Film Festival in August 2015.

d. Intercultural dialogue

Another major element of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairmanship priorities is the promotion of intercultural dialogue. This issue was also among the common priorities of the Troika chairmanship (Azerbaijan, Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina). In this perspective, during our chairmanship, we will host the “Council of Europe 2015 Exchange on the Religious Dimension of Intercultural Dialogue” on 8 and 9 September 2015 in Sarajevo.

This event will be the occasion to set into motion a number of proposals which were put forward at the closing session of the 2014 Exchange in Baku with a view to, inter alia, enhancing the profile of the Exchange, increasing the level and representation of participants from the member States and raising the visibility of intercultural dialogue.

The main theme of the Exchange will be “Building Inclusive Societies Together”. Under this heading, the Exchange will address the need to work together to prevent radicalisation and extremism and will seek to identify innovative and successful ways to do so.

Other priorities

Other priorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Chairmanship reflected in the calendar of events are social inclusion of youth, with particular attention to the most vulnerable, the efficiency of the judiciary, rights and access to education, cybercrime, the strategic development of higher education and qualification standards, and the promotion of the Council of Europe’s “No Hate Speech” Campaign.

Considering that the Chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the Committee of Ministers coincides with the 2015 Chairmanship of Serbia of the OSCE, intensive discussions are under way to use this opportunity and raise the level of co-operation between the two organisations, in the context of regional co-operation and in the light of the well-established neighbourly relations between the two countries. Joint initiatives will be identified in due course.

During its chairmanship, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in close co-operation with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, will seek the best possible ways to implement the Action Plan on the Fight against Violent Extremism and Radicalisation leading to Terrorism (2015-2017) due to be adopted at the 125th Ministerial Session.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to support the reform of the Organisation as initiated by the Secretary General in order to make it more effective.

Finally, the Chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina will particularly value the work of the Commissioner for Human Rights whose suggestions and advice will continue receiving our full attention.

Calendar of events

1. MEETING OF THE BUREAU AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Date and place: 21-22 May 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Members of PACE

2. CONFERENCE ON ARTICLE 15, SAFEGUARDS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACCESS TO DATA, CYBERCRIME-OCTOPUS

Date and place: 19-20 June 2015, Strasbourg

Participants: Representatives of civil society organisations, Internet Service Providers, social media, cloud service providers, e-commerce platforms, members and observers in the Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY) and other interested stakeholders.

3. YOUTH MOBILITY – MEASURES TO COMBAT RADICALISATION

Date and Place: June 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: High-level officials

4. STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

Date and place: 6-7 July 2015, Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Participants: High-level officials

5. CONFERENCE ON THE PARTIAL AGREEMENT ON A EUROPEAN SUPPORT FUND FOR THE CO-PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CREATIVE CINEMATOGRAPHIC AND AUDIOVISUAL WORKS ("EURIMAGES") - THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE EUROPEAN FILM INDUSTRY

Date and place: 14-16 (or 19-22) August 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: High-level officials from member States and representatives of the Council of Europe

6. MONITORING COMMITTEE OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Date and place: September 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Members of the Committee

7. 2015 EXCHANGE ON THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSION OF INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE - BUILDING INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES TOGETHER

Date and place: 8-9 September 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Eminent religious personalities, representatives of non-religious convictions, academics, representatives of the Council of Europe.

8. SEMINAR ON THE “NO HATE SPEECH” CAMPAIGN (tbc)

Date and place: September 2015, Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Participants: Young activists from across Europe

9. CONFERENCE ON YOUTH AND WOMEN EMPLOYEMENT IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE

Date and place: 17-18 September 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Experts

10. HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE POLICY TOWARDS NEIGHBOURING REGIONS

Date and place: Second part of October, 2015, Morocco

Participants: Ministers of the member States of the Council of Europe and Neighbourhood Partners

11. SEMINAR ON YOUTH POLICY IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE - SOCIAL INCLUSION OF YOUTH

Date and place: 27-29 October 2015, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Participants: Government representatives, researchers, NGOs, youth experts

12. CONFERENCE ON “THE BEST MODELS ON THE EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT OF THE JUDICIARY”

Date and place: 22-23 October 2015, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Participants: Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s justice departments, high ranking officials

13. HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTION ON PREVENTING AND COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Date and place: 20 October 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Ministers of the member States

14. MINISTERIAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Date and place: 5-6 November 2015, Sarajevo

Participants: Ministers and high-level officials in charge of Education.

15. TRANSFER OF THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE FROM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TO BULGARIA

Date and place: mid-November 2015, Strasbourg

Participation: Ministers’ Deputies of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe