Since its creation, the Council of Europe has been the leading intergovernmental organisation in Europe for promoting and safeguarding democracy, human rights and rule of law. Its member States have committed to achieving greater unity for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are the common heritage and facilitating the economic and social progress.
With its unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, the Russian Federation violated the principles upon which European unity is based and, as a result, was excluded from the Council of Europe.
In this new context, it has become urgent and imperative to develop a new vision for the European multilateral architecture.
The Assembly should reiterate its call for a fourth Summit of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government, to reassert the values the Organisation stands for and to give a fresh impetus to its role as the guardian of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The fourth Summit should lead to a renewed, improved and reinforced Council of Europe, with new competences and better equipped to promote democratic security and capable of taking timely and effective collective actions to promote rules-based multilateralism and prevent emerging threats.