During the meeting, which is held in Helsinki on 16-17 May 2019, Minister Czaputowicz spoke about the need to identify the development prospects of this organisation for decades to come.

The chief of Polish diplomacy said that the European Convention on Human Rights is the Council of Europe’s greatest achievement. “The right of an individual to submit a complaint against a government to the European Court of Human Rights is a key and indispensable element of the system of protection of these rights and the Court’s judgements should be executed fully and promptly by all member States,” he added. 

Minister Czaputowicz also emphasized the need to make the Council of Europe more pro-active and effective. In this context, he pointed to the need to ensure access for human rights monitoring bodies to all the territories of member States, including those that are illegally occupied or annexed. He underscored that the governments of member States of the Council of Europe have to fully respect the shared principles that are the bedrock of the Council of Europe. “Our role is to point out and loudly condemn cases when these principles are violated,” the minister said.

The head of the MFA said he hoped that the Council of Europe will reinforce its cooperation with the civil society, in line with the recommendations adopted at the Warsaw Conference in March this year. “We are very glad that during this session of the Council, a decision will be adopted on cooperation with non-governmental organisations,” he stressed.

During the plenary debate, Minister Czaputowicz also pointed to the urgent need to solve the multidimensional crisis that is troubling the Council of Europe on the political, institutional and financial levels. He said he hoped that this year’s anniversary of the Council of Europe will become an opportunity to double efforts by all member States to reinforce this organisation which is a guardian of Europe’s fundamental values.

During the 129th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister Jacek Czaputowicz placed his signature on behalf of the Republic of Poland on the Protocol of 10 October 2018 (CETS 223) amending the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data adopted in Strasbourg on 28 January 1981 (ETS 108).

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The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 and today groups 47 European States, except for Belarus. The following countries have observer status at the CE: Japan, Canada, Mexico, the United States, and the Holy See. The Council of Europe focuses on the protection of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, the standardisation of the social and legal practices of member States, and the promotion of European awareness based on shared values and  fighting intolerance.

The adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights in 1950 and the establishment of the European Court of Human Rights to guard it are commonly seen as the most important accomplishments of this Organisation. The Council of Europe also conducts activities in areas that are not directly linked to human rights, such as legal cooperation, social issues, cultural and scientific cooperation. Issues relating to the operation of local authorities have become an additional area of the Organisation’s competencies. Over 200 international agreements concerning the aforementioned issues were concluded under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

Poland became a member of the Council of Europe on 26 November 1991, and acceded to the Convention on Human Rights on 19 January 1993. 

 

MFA Press Office

Photo Sebastian Indra / MSZ