24/01/2013 Session
Strasbourg, 24.01.2013 - "The Council of Europe is a key partner in various aspects of the enlargement process and has a key role in the European Neighbourhood Policy", said European Commissioner Stefan Fule while addressing PACE on Thursday, January 24th.
The Commissioner responsible for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy of the European Union highlighted the relevance of the strategic partnership with the Council of Europe for its indisputable assets: the unique pan-European dimension, the expertise on drawing up legal standards and monitoring their application, the experience in capacity building of democratic institutions and in the harmonisation of legislation.
"Co-ordination between the European Union and the Council of Europe is crucial for coherent and effective action. We rely on each other's efforts to advance our common objectives and support our shared values", underlined the former Minister of European Affairs of the Czech Republic.