Termination of contracts of citizens of the Russian Federation following the cessation of membership of the Russian Federation in the Council of Europe

Reply to Written question | Doc. 15622 | 30 September 2022

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1444th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (27 September 2022). 2022 - Fourth part-session

Reply to Written question

: Written question no. 775 (Doc. 15529)

1. In the context of the process which led it to exclude the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe on 16 March 2022, following close consultation with the Parliamentary Assembly, the Committee of Ministers is about to finalise the legal, budgetary and financial consequences, including those in respect of staff.

2. In conformity with the Statute of the Council of Europe, it is recalled that staff members are international civil servants and act in the sole interest of the Organisation. Upon taking office, staff declare their loyalty to the Organisation and their independence from any government or other outside party in the performance of their duties.

3. There are currently 98 staff members of the Council of Europe, including the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, who hold Russian citizenship, including 31 who are Russian citizens exclusively. They hold the following grades: A6: 1; A5: 3; A4: 8; A1/2/3: 49; B5: 7; B4: 3; B3: 23; B2: 4.

4. The Secretary General is responsible to the Committee of Ministers for the work of the Secretariat and has reported preliminary information on the specific situation, including the principles that she is following with regard to staff members with Russian citizenship in the Council of Europe, in respect of the legal requirements as a rule of law-based Organisation. This includes measures taken to terminate or not renew contracts in accordance with the Organisation’s applicable regulations.

5. The Committee of Ministers will continue to follow the situation in the interest of the highest standards of international civil service at the Council of Europe.