Switzerland held the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the decision-making body of this governmental organisation, from 18 November 2009 to 11 May 2010. Switzerland focused its period in office on the following three main areas: the protection of human rights and the rule of law, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and increasing the transparency and the effectiveness of the Council of Europe.

 
Press release AC of the Council of States, 31 March 2011: The overall evaluation of the chairmanship was positive (de)
(pdf, 19 Kb)
 Report by the accounts committee (AC) of the Council of States (de) (pdf, 19 Kb)

 Summary of the Report by the Parliamentary Control of the Administration for the Control Committee of the Council of States (pdf, 21 Kb)

 Report by the parliamentary administrative control body to the AC of the Council of States (de) (pdf, 266 Kb)

 Explanatory report by the parliamentary administrative control body to the AC of the Council of States (de) (pdf, 1211 Kb)

Stocktaking of the Swiss Chairmanship

 Stocktaking of the Swiss Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Conclusion of Switzerland’s chairmanship of the Council of Europe
On 11 May 2010  Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey handed over the six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to her Macedonian peer Antonio Milošoski in Strasbourg. The Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs took this opportunity to highlight the main achievements of the Swiss chairmanship.
 Media Release 11 May 2010 
 120th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe - Conclusions  
 Declaration by Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey on the occasion of the joint press conference with Antonio Milošoski, Foreign Minister of the "former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia" (fr) [pdf]
 Declaration by Micheline Calmy-Rey and Antonio Miloshoski on Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Video of the press conference:
 part I,  part II  

Democracy and Decentralisation 
On 3 and 4 May 2010, the University of St. Gallen’s Executive Campus hosted the International Conference on Democracy and Decentralisation. The conference took place under the patronage of the Swiss Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
 Media Release 27.04.2010 
 Conference on Democracy and Decentralisation

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
On 26 April 2010 Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, presented her second and last report to the Parliamentary Assembly. She also answered parliamentary questions.
 Speech  (63 Kb, pdf)
 Video of the speech

19th Council of Europe–OSCE High-level meeting  
On 5 March 2010 Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe met Kanat Saudabayev, Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE and  Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of the OSCE in Geneva for the 19th High-level "2+2" meeting.
 Joint declaration Council of Europe–OSCE

Interlaken Conference
During it’s chairmanship Switzerland will particular attention to the future of the European Court of Human Rights as the guarantor of human rights and of basic freedoms in Europe. In order to discuss necessary reforms, Switzerland invites representatives of the member States and of international organisations to a high-level conference at Interlaken on 18 - 19 February 2010.
 Special page Interlaken Conference 
 Interlaken Declaration (pdf, 30 Kb)

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
On 25 January 2010 Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey presented her first report to the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasburg as Swiss Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. She also answered parliamentary questions.
 Speech (pdf, 68 Kb)
 Video of the speech

© Alban Bodineau, Council of Europe

Switzerland takes over the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe
On 18 November 2009, Switzerland took over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the principal decision-making body of the Council of Europe, for a period of six months. Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey took over from her Slovenian counterpart, Samuel Žbogar, at a meeting of the Delegates of the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg.
 Media Release 18.11.2009
 Text of statement to the press (fr)

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