Elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe last June, Switzerland’s Alain Berset took up his duties on 18 September and addressed the parliamentary assembly for the first time on 1 October, at the autumn plenary session.
From the outset, he set the Reykjavik Summit, where, in May 2023, the Heads of State and Government of the 46 Member States of the Council of Europe reaffirmed their commitment to the founding principles of the organisation: democracy, the Rule of law and human rights.
These are values that lie at the heart of the European Convention on Human Rights, he said, but which are being undermined by “a democratic regression in the world, but also on our own continent”.
The “combined effects” of this erosion of democracy, climate change and wars - both in Ukraine and “on our doorstep”, dividing our societies - represent an “unprecedented challenge” that Alain Berset describes as a “Perfect Storm”.
He underlined the “crucial role” of the Council of Europe in developing standards in the fight against migrant smuggling, environmental protection and artificial intelligence.
He also recalled the establishment of the “Register of Damage for Ukraine”, decided in Reykjavik, the prospect of a compensation fund for victims and the discussions on the creation of a special tribunal for Russia’s crime of aggression, in which the Council of Europe is participating.
Ukraine will clearly remain a top priority for the new Secretary General, as will the revitalisation of democracy, for which he has announced a specific “Action Plan”.
Another key area is the search for convergence “in a world where divergent forces often seem to be prevailing”.
Alain Berset advocates both interinstitutional dialogue within the Council of Europe and “dialogue that respects diversity” between Member States, as long as it is in line with “the foundation of our values”.
The new Secretary General also raised the possibility of organising summits of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government on a more regular basis.
As a reminder, Reykjavik was the fourth exercise of its kind since the creation of the Council of Europe in 1949. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)