Council of Europe/European Union backing for steps to improve mutual
co-operation
Strasbourg, 17.03.2005 – High-level representatives from the Council
of Europe and the European Union have expressed their support for a
number of concrete measures aimed at boosting co-operation between the
two organisations.
The participants at the 21st Council of Europe/EU Quadripartite
meeting in Brussels yesterday(*) underlined the key role of
multilateral organisations in tackling modern-day problems, and
expressed their hope that the forthcoming Council of Europe Summit of
Heads of State and Government (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005) should lay the
foundations for a new institutional set-up in Europe.
In particular, the participants:
– agreed to begin work, as soon as possible, on the arrangements for
the EU’s accession to the European Convention on Human Rights;
– stated their willingness to strengthen coherence between the Council
of Europe’s conventions and the EU’s legal acquis;
– backed an EU proposal for a review of consultation and co-operation
mechanisms at all levels;
– expressed their support for a memorandum of understanding setting
out arrangements for enhanced co-operation and politicaldialogue in
concrete terms;
– welcomed the recent appointment of a European Commission
representative to the Council of Europe.
New joint projects in the South Caucasus, Ukraine and South-East
Europe were also discussed, as were a number of topical issues
including the recent elections in Moldova and forthcoming votes in
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The full text of the concluding statement can be found at
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(*) The Council of Europe representatives at the Quadripartite meeting
were Secretary General Terry Davis and Jan Truszczynski, Secretary of
State at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing the
Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The EU
was represented by Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn,
representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the
High Representative for the CFSP and Secretary General of the Council,
Javier Solana, and External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner.
Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 139a05
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
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