Check against delivery

Mr Chairman,

Norway has a strong commitment to European cooperation and to the Council of Europe.

We reached many important conclusions at the Warsaw Summit. Now our main focus should be a thorough follow-up of the Action Plan.

I would like to outline what Norway sees as five main challenges facing the Council.

Firstly, we must act now to consolidate and strengthen the European human rights protection system and the Court of Human Rights.

With more than 80 000 applications to deal with, and a constantly growing backlog, the Court is facing serious problems as a guarantor for human rights protection.

Norway welcomes all measures taken by the Court itself to enhance its efficiency and prepare for the entering into force of Protocol 14 of the Human Rights Convention. We appeal to the remaining member states to ratify Protocol 14 without further delay. Addressing the sustainability of the Court should be our main priority.

I welcome the interim report from the Group of Wise Persons and I look forward to its final report. As the report points out, important measures both to prevent and to redress violations of human rights, must be implemented in member states themselves.

Norway proposes that a trust fund is established to support national efforts in implementing the Convention on Human Rights. We propose that the fund is administered by the Council of Europe Development Bank and developed in cooperation with the Secretariat. We will be pleased to consult with all interested parties on the further development of the proposal.

Secondly, I strongly support closer co-operation between the Council of Europe and the EU.

I welcome the report of Prime Minister Juncker on the future relationship between the two organisations, and I share his vision and the concept of a partnership between the two. The MoU will be a valuable tool for avoiding duplication and creating synergies. The promotion of joint programmes and a strengthened political dialogue will contribute to ensure a unified set of human rights standards in Europe.

Thirdly, Norway shares the vision of a Europe of regions.

Many of the challenges – as well as opportunities – we face in the era of globalisation appear at the community level. Therefore, many of the solutions are to be found at this level as well.

I appreciate the proposal to set up a Council of Europe Centre for inter-regional and cross-border cooperation in St. Petersburg, and I encourage all member states to support the initiative.

Fourthly, the Council of Europe is carrying out important work to promote intercultural dialogue.

I consider programmes and policies focussing on young people and education to be especially important in building a more inclusive Europe.

Norway encourages increased cooperation with other international organisations such as the OSCE, the EU and the UN, in promoting tolerance through dialogue, understanding and inclusiveness.

Finally, Mr Chairman, the administrative and budgetary reform process remains an urgent priority.

I encourage the Secretariat to pay special attention to initiatives that will promote efficiency and coherence in the organisation. A ceiling on total staff expenditure is an appropriate measure. Countries that are in a position to do so should cover the expenditure for the participation of their national experts in meetings in Strasbourg.

If we are to strengthen the Council of Europe’s standing, we must concentrate on our core objectives – securing human rights, democracy and the rule of law for all citizens of Europe.

Mr Chairman, my warm thanks to you and your team for your dedication and leadership throughout the Romanian Chairmanship. I would also like to wish the incoming Russian Chairmanship every success, and assure my Russian colleague that Norway looks forward to cooperate closely with Russia also in this important function.

Thank you, Mr Chairman.