Council of Europe – Activity report 2005

The highlight of the Council of Europe's activities in 2005 was the 3rd Summit of Heads of State and Government which took place in Warsaw on 16 and 17 May. A political declaration and an action plan were adopted at the summit, laying down the principal tasks and priorities of the Council of Europe for the coming years.

Four main themes emerged from the summit, namely: to further promote common fundamental values (human rights, thé rule of law and democracy); to make Europe a safer place by eradicating torture and inhuman and degrading treatment; to eliminate ail forms of discrimination thus creating a more inclusive Europe; and to foster co-operation with other international and European organisations and institutions.

The Warsaw Summit stressed the need to develop interinstitutional relations further. It is expected that a memorandum of understanding between the Council of Europe and the European Union is to be signed in 2006. Co-operation was increased with the OSCE and the UN and with many of its various bodies in 2005. The intervention of the Council of Europe's Secretary General in the UN Security Council was the first time a Secretary General was given the opportunity to speak directly to this important organ of the United Nations.

Expanding further its work in the area of protecting human rights, the Council of Europe also opened three conventions for signature at the 3rd Summit: the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and two conventions related to the fight against terrorism. 2005 saw a significant increase in measures aimed at monitoring and building capacity to fight corruption, money laundering and other types of serious crime.

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