Recommendation 1214
(1993)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 30 June 1993 (41st Sitting) (see Doc. 6862, report of the Political Affairs Committee, Rapporteur: Mr Schieder). Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 June 1993 (41st Sitting).
- Thesaurus
1. The Assembly considers that the summit of heads of state and government in Vienna in October 1993 offers a unique opportunity to adapt the role and responsibilities of the Council of Europe to the dramatically changed circumstances of our continent at the close of this century.
2. In order to make full use of this opportunity, the summit should result in a series of decisions and firm commitments and not in lofty declarations.
3. The Assembly has noted with satisfaction the items for the summit's agenda as agreed on by the Committee of Ministers on 14 May 1993, which to a large extent respond to its own demands.
4. The Assembly recalls that on a number of these items it has already addressed specific recommendations to the Committee of Ministers, which it expects to find included in the decisions of the summit.
5. In particular, it has transmitted to the Committee of Ministers a complete draft additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights on the rights of national minorities. The approval of such a protocol at the summit would be the best demonstration that some lessons are being drawn from the tragedy in the former Yugoslavia, and that measures are being taken to limit the risks of future conflicts.
6. In addition, the Assembly expresses concern about the ability of the Organisation's new members to make full use of its potential, because of their difficult economic situation. Europe's democratic security merits a supplementary financial effort.
7. Consequently, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers, in the draft declaration it is preparing for the heads of state and government: On the role of the Council of Europe in the new Europe - Political and institutional aspects
a confirm that the Council of Europe is the organisation for political co-operation, in which all European states have, or will have, the possibility to participate on an equal basis;
b confirm that it is the organisation entrusted in particular with safeguarding and promoting parliamentary democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as multilateral cultural co-operation on the basis of the European Cultural Convention;
d recognise that the consequences of the accession of new member states to the Council of Europe place an intolerable burden upon the Assembly's Secretariat and, for that reason, provide additional financial means;
e establish a solidarity fund, with voluntary contributions, aimed at assisting the new members of the Organisation to take full advantage of its potential;
f invite the European Community to accede to the European Cultural Convention (as proposed in
Recommendation 1193 (1992) on the future of European construction); Actions relating to the strengthening of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law
a create a single court as a full-time body in place of the existing European Commission and Court of Human Rights (as proposed in
Recommendation 1194 (1992) on the reform of the control mechanism of the European Convention on Human Rights);
b invite the European Community to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights (as repeatedly proposed, beginning with
Resolution 745 (1981));
c adopt an additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights on the rights of national minorities (as proposed in
Recommendation 1201 (1993)).
