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Towards a coherent European policy on veterans

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 16280 | 03 October 2025

Signatories:
Ms Lesia ZABURANNA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Taras BATENKO, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Vladimir ĐORĐEVIĆ, Serbia, ECPA ; Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, Monaco, ALDE ; Mr Martynas GEDVILAS, Lithuania, SOC ; Lord Michael GERMAN, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Stephen GETHINS, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Valentina GRIPPO, Italy, ALDE ; Mr Yuriy KAMELCHUK, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Claude KERN, France, ALDE ; Ms Olena KHOMENKO, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Iryna KONSTANKEVYCH, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Arminas LYDEKA, Lithuania, ALDE ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Dmytro NATALUKHA, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Yuliia OVCHYNNYKOVA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Marijana PULJAK, Croatia, ALDE ; Mr Serhii SOBOLIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Victoria TIBLOM, Sweden, ECPA ; Ms Lesia VASYLENKO, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, ECPA

Armed conflicts and wars of the past decades have left millions of Europeans with military service experience. Many of them now live with physical injuries, psychological trauma, or face challenges of social reintegration. Veterans have played and continue to play a crucial role in safeguarding peace, democracy, and security in Europe. Simultaneously, they often encounter inadequate access to healthcare and rehabilitation, employment barriers, discrimination, and social stigma.

The existing legal and institutional frameworks of the Council of Europe and its member States do not yet provide a coherent and comprehensive approach to veterans’ rights and long-term well-being. This results in fragmentation of support measures, uneven standards of rehabilitation, and insufficient cross-border co-operation, particularly in addressing mental health, disability assistance, education, and employment opportunities. Respect for human dignity, equality, and social rights, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5) and the European Social Charter (ETS No. 35), must extend to all those who have served in armed forces. The recognition of veterans’ contribution should be reflected not only symbolically but also through concrete social guarantees, effective medical and psychological care, and reintegration programmes.

The Parliamentary Assembly should therefore address this issue and call for:

  • a comprehensive comparative study of veterans’ rights and support systems across member States, highlighting best practices and gaps; the development of European guidelines on veterans’ policy, ensuring equal access to healthcare, rehabilitation, social protection, and employment opportunities;
  • enhanced co-operation among member States in the fields of mental health, disability assistance, education, and professional reintegration, including through partnerships with international organisations, such as the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization; the promotion of public recognition and awareness of veterans’ contribution to peace, democracy, and the resilience of European societies.

By advancing a coherent European approach to veterans’ rights, the Assembly would be reaffirming that those who have defended our shared values deserve dignity, protection, and a future of full participation in society.