Europe is at a crossroads. Standards for human rights, democracy and the rule of law are increasingly being challenged. We face a war of aggression on our continent. Global powers are reshaping their relations. There is no doubt about it: the development of an independent global position for Europe has taken centre stage in public and political debate. The foundational principle of the Council of Europe – that peace and security begin with strong joint efforts to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law – must be an essential element of this debate.
The 2023 Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavík reaffirmed that the pursuit of peace should be based upon justice. It called for renewed ambition in the face of democratic backsliding, repression and war.
As not just European civil society organisations, but also citizens of Europe, we call on the Council of Europe and its member states to rise to the challenge at this crucible moment.
Stand with Ukraine
The Council of Europe must maximise its support for the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of justice and dignity. We call on the Council of Europe to redouble its efforts to stand firmly for accountability and redress for Russia’s aggression and for war crimes, forced displacement and other grave human rights violations. We also believe that the Council of Europe must be a voice championing the rights of people living in all parts of Ukraine, in the face of Russia’s assault on the country and its people.
Stand for Rights Across All of Europe
The Council of Europe and its member states have built the world's most advanced human rights protection system. Millions have seen their rights guaranteed through the European Convention on Human Rights and the institutions that uphold it, primarily the European Court of Human Rights.
This legacy is now under threat. Every member state needs to be held to the same standard if they violate their obligations under the Convention. The Council of Europe must act when Court judgments are disregarded or left unexecuted. Political leaders should protect the Court’s authority and avoid any attempts to undermine Convention standards. Decisions on complaints lodged under the European Social Charter cannot simply be ignored. Findings of the Council’s monitoring and advisory bodies need genuine follow-up. We call on the Secretary General and the member states to use all available tools to respond to any breach of standards. A concerted effort is needed to further strengthen and refine the mechanisms through which states can be held to account.
Convene a 2026 Summit that Delivers on Rights
We fully support the Secretary General’s proposal to convene a Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2026. This Summit must address the ongoing erosion of human rights in Europe and increase space for meaningful public participation in decision-making. We call on the Secretary General and the member states to use this Summit as an opportunity to confirm their collective responsibility to promote and protect human rights and democratic values for the next generation, plus to agree on an enhanced toolbox to effectively address breaches of standards.
Invest in Human Rights
Ensuring that justice and democracy are central elements of Europe’s future means further investment in the systems upholding them, both at national and international level. The Council of Europe must be considered here – for too long, it has been held back by underfunding. Its core institutions are overstretched. As the region’s challenges increase, the capacity of these institutions should be greatly enhanced. It is time: we call on member states to agree to double the budget of the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe must meet the moment. As representatives of European civil society, we stand ready to mobilise public support and contribute to its efforts to protect human rights and pursue peace.
Signatures:
Organisations:
- AFEM - Association des Femmes de l'Europe Méridionale, international organisation headquartered in France
- Belgrade Pride, Serbia
- Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Bulgaria
- Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine
- Civil Society Forum, Board of the international organisation headquartered in Germany
- Civil Rights Defenders, Sweden
- Council of Ukrainian Experts, Ukraine
- European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Netherlands
- European Prison Litigation Network, France
- European Youth Forum, international network headquartered in Belgium
- Freedom Files, Poland
- Greek Helsinki Monitor, Greece
- Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
- Human Rights Center, Georgia
- Human Rights House Foundation, Norway
- Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Hungary
- International Federation for Human Rights, international organisation headquartered in France
- International Protection Center, France
- Memorial Human Rights Defense Center, Russia
- Minority Rights Group Greece, Greece
- Moscow Helsinki Group, Russia
- Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norway
- Perm Memorial - Europa, Germany
- The Arrested Lawyers Initiative, Belgium
Individuals:
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Anca Ailincai, Professor of Public Law, Grenoble-Alpes University, Centre for Legal Research (CRJ), France/ Member of the CURE Advisory Council
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Wolfgang Benedek, Professor Emeritus of Public International Law, Austria/ Member of the CURE Advisory Council
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Antoine Buyse, Professor of human rights/ Director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands
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Boriss Cilevičs, PACE Member (1999-2022), Latvia/ Member of the CURE Advisory Council
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Catherine Sophie Dimitroulias, President at the Association des Femmes de l'Europe Méridionale, France/ Former Vice President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe
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Gunnar M. Ekeløve-Slydal, Deputy Secretary General, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norway/ Director, Coalition for International Criminal Justice (CICJ)/ Member of the CURE Steering Committee
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Lize Glas, Associate Professor of international and European Law, Radboud University, Netherlands/ Member of the CURE Advisory Council
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Florian Irminger, President, Progress & Change Action Lab, Switzerland/ Member of the CURE Steering Committee
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Pierre Klein, All Together in Dignity - ATD Europe, France/ Co-Chair of CINGO Committee for the European Social Charter
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Hanna Machińska, Professor, Law Faculty of the University of Warsaw, Poland/ Member of the Council of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights/ Member of the CURE Steering Committee
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Claire McEvoy, Acting Co-Director, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Ireland
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Eleonora Mongelli, Vice President, Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU), Italy/ Member of the CURE Steering Committee
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Karinna Moskalenko, Founder, International Protection Center, France/ Member of the CURE Steering Committee
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Ali Yildiz, Director of The Arrested Lawyers Initiative, Belgium
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Jesus Maria Garcia Herreros
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Edit Lakatos
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Jack Hanning
- Xose Alberte Cea