ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Europarådet 2022-23 (2. samling)
ERD Alm.del Bilag 12
Offentligt

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| 16-17 MAY 2023

REYKJAVÍK DECLARATION

United

around

our values

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT OF

THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Reykjavík Summit of

the Council of Europe:

United around our

values

Reykjavík Declaration

We, Heads of State and Government, have gathered in Reykjavík on 16 and 17 May 2023

to stand united against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to give further

priority and direction to the Council of Europe’s work.

The Council of Europe was founded in the wake of the Second World War, born out

of the conviction that “the pursuit of peace based upon justice and international co-

operation is vital for the preservation of human society and civilisation”. It is a peace

project, built on the promise of “never again”, a promise that has been fundamentally

challenged by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

It underpins why we, the Leaders of Europe, have come together to state our resolve

to unite around our values and against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a

flagrant violation of international law and everything we stand for. We have a common

responsibility to fight autocratic tendencies and growing threats to human rights,

democracy and the rule of law. Those core values are the bedrock of our continued

freedom, peace, prosperity and security for Europe.

As we approach the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe, our vision for the

Organisation remains the same. Our European democracies are not established once

and for all. We need to strive to uphold them each and every day, continuously, in all

parts of our continent. The Council of Europe remains the guiding light that assists us

in fostering greater unity among us for the purpose of safeguarding and realising these

ideals and principles which are our common heritage. We reaffirm our commitment

to developing mutual understanding among the peoples of Europe and reciprocal

appreciation of our cultural diversity and heritage.

In the home of the Althingi, one of the world’s oldest parliaments, we recommit to

protecting our democratic foundations, and resolve to counter challenges to human

rights and the rule of law by renewing our commitment to the Council of Europe’s

values and principles, working through our Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary

Assembly and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

16 & 17 May 2023

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

We reaffirm our deep and abiding commitment to the European Convention on Human

Rights and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as the ultimate guarantors of

human rights across our continent, alongside our domestic democratic and judicial

systems. We reaffirm our primary obligation under the Convention to secure to

everyone within our jurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in the Convention in

accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, as well as our unconditional obligation

to abide by the final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in any case to

which we are Parties.

We stand in solidarity with those affected by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

and Russia’s aggression against Georgia which we condemn in the strongest possible

terms. We call, collectively, on the Russian Federation to comply with its international

obligations and to immediately withdraw completely and unconditionally its forces

from Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. We reassert our unwavering support

for their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, within their internationally

recognised borders.

We remain determined to strengthen the free and open international order based on

the rule of law, respect for the UN Charter, the sovereignty, and territorial integrity,

within internationally recognised borders, of all States, and respect for human rights

and fundamental freedoms.

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

United for Ukraine and accountability

We express our full support to Ukraine and its people. We will stand with Ukraine,

for as long as it takes. Without accountability, there can be no lasting peace and we

support the principles for a just and lasting peace as outlined in President Zelenskyy’s

Peace Formula. We therefore reaffirm the need for an unequivocal international legal

response for all victims, as well as for the State of Ukraine.

We stress the universal principle that no statutes of limitation apply to genocide,

crimes against humanity and war crimes, including conflict-related sexual violence,

notably rape. Only by respecting the right to truth, to justice, to reparation and to

guarantees of non-repetition will it be possible to overcome the past and create solid

foundations to build unity in the spirit of harmony and co-operation with respect for

human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

To this end, we have established the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register

of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine as

outlined in Appendix I. We invite all member and observer States of the Council of

Europe and the European Union, as well as any other State that is eligible according to

the Register’s Statute, to join.

We acknowledge that the Register is intended to constitute the first component of a

future international comprehensive compensation mechanism and express willingness

to engage with the international community in further developing such a mechanism

to be established by a separate international instrument, which may include a claims

commission and compensation fund, while emphasising the obligation for the Russian

Federation to pay for the damages caused by this war of aggression.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

We welcome international efforts to hold to account the political and military

leadership of the Russian Federation for its war of aggression against Ukraine and the

progress towards the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression

as highlighted at the Summit of the Special Tribunal’s Core Group chaired by President

Zelenskyy. The Council of Europe should participate, as appropriate, in relevant

consultations and negotiations and provide concrete expert and technical support to

the process.

We call on the Russian Federation to immediately release all civilians forcibly

transferred or unlawfully deported to the territory of the Russian Federation or to areas

temporarily controlled or occupied by the Russian Federation, in particular children,

and call on the Council of Europe to take action on the situation of the children of

Ukraine, as set out in Appendix II.

We acknowledge the role played by the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary

Assembly in providing a robust response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

and setting forth an ambitious agenda for our support to Ukraine and to ensure

accountability.

In this context, we commit to strengthening the work of the Council of Europe to support

and promote national and international efforts, including the work of the European

Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, and of the International Centre

for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We call on all member

States to ensure that perpetrators within their jurisdiction can be tried.

We will support Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts, including through financing and

implementing the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and

Reconstruction”, and commit to using all means available within the Council, including

through the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

United around our values

Throughout its history, the Council of Europe’s standards on human rights, democracy

and the rule of law have been pivotal to ensuring and strengthening individual

freedoms, peace and prosperity in our member States. As we work to promote the

rights of the child, we underline the importance of education to give children and

young people the necessary references to grow up embracing our democratic values

in culturally diverse societies and take an active part in the protection of our cultural

heritage. We also stress the important role that the Council of Europe is playing to

promote and protect the rights of persons belonging to national minorities.

Moreover, the Council of Europe has played a crucial role to ensure that Europe is

a death penalty-free zone and should pursue the fight against the reintroduction

of the death penalty, and in favour of its universal abolition, in all places and in all

circumstances. It has also ensured that the absolute prohibition of torture and other

cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is upheld.

We are committed to securing and strengthening democracy and good governance at

all levels throughout Europe. We will work together to protect and promote the three

fundamental, interdependent and inalienable principles of democracy, rule of law and

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

human rights, as enshrined in the Statute of the Council of Europe and in the European

Convention on Human Rights.

However, democratic backsliding, external threats and new challenges lead us to

strengthen our resolve and to adopt the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy, set forth

in Appendix III. We commit to delivering on them to promote, protect and strengthen

democracy throughout our member States and to engage in regular, high-level dialogue

with member States and partners on the above-mentioned principles. The World Forum

for Democracy, organised every year in Strasbourg, provides one opportunity for such

an exchange.

We will continue supporting the Court’s efficient and timely response to pending

applications and redouble our efforts for the full, effective and rapid execution of

judgments, including through developing a more co-operative, inclusive and political

approach based on dialogue, as laid out in Appendix IV on “Recommitting to the

Convention System as the cornerstone of the Council of Europe’s protection of human

rights”.

We will also ensure the diligent respect for the rule of law, benefitting every citizen

and building a European legal community of shared values and dialogue between the

jurisdictions of its member States, including by raising the profile of, and strengthening

the Venice Commission, by for example giving more visibility and status to its Rule of Law

Checklist and exploring ways the Organisation can better support the implementation

of its recommendations.

Social justice is crucial for democratic stability and security and in this regard we

reaffirm our full commitment to the protection and implementation of social rights as

guaranteed by the European Social Charter system. We will consider the organisation

of a High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter, as a step to take further

commitments under the Charter where possible.

We reiterate the pan-European role of the Council of Europe and in this regard, we will

step up and strengthen the Council of Europe’s engagement with democratic actors in

Europe and its efforts to create an enabling environment for human rights defenders.

We will in particular pursue the work of the Contact Group on co-operation with

Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, and will find ways to strengthen co-

operation with Russian and Belarussian human rights defenders, democratic forces,

free media and independent civil society.

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

United to meet current and future challenges

The Council of Europe has played a pioneering global role in developing standards

in emerging and new policy areas and we underline our collective determination to

address current and future challenges.

We underline the urgency of additional efforts to protect the environment, as well as to

counter the impact of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and loss

of biodiversity on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We therefore commit

to strengthening our work on the human rights aspects of the environment and initiate

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

the Reykjavík process of focusing and strengthening the work of the Council of Europe

in this field, as laid out in Appendix V on “The Council of Europe and the environment”.

We acknowledge the positive impact and opportunities created by new and emerging

digital technologies while recognising the need to mitigate risks of negative

consequences of their use on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, including

new forms of violence against women and vulnerable groups generated and amplified

by modern technologies, and, in this context, we commit to ensuring a leading role for

the Council of Europe in developing standards in the digital era to safeguard human

rights online and offline, including by finalising, as a priority, the Council of Europe’s

Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence.

We welcome the Council of Europe’s prominent role in international standard-

setting on freedom of expression and related issues such as media freedom, and

access to information and combatting hate speech and disinformation, including the

instrumentalisation of history, in particular in the light of the increasing impact of

digital technologies on these issues. We will continue our collective efforts for the

safety of journalists and other media actors.

We recall the increasing challenges of migration and the necessity to fight against

trafficking and smuggling of migrants. We commit to intensifying efforts to foster and

improve international co-operation in this regard, while continuing to protect the

victims and respect the human rights of migrants and refugees, as well as supporting

frontline States, within the existing Council of Europe frameworks.

Dignity and equality are the foundation of modern European societies. We acknowledge

the need to ensure equality and combat any kind of discrimination and the important

role the Organisation plays in this regard. We therefore commit to strengthening work

towards inclusive societies without marginalisation, exclusion, racism and intolerance.

In this regard, we will use an intersectional approach in the work of the Council of Europe

to address the multiple discriminations faced by people and groups in vulnerable and

marginalised situations.

We recall that gender equality and the full, equal and effective participation of

women in public and private decision-making processes are essential to the rule of

law, democracy and sustainable development. We underline the pioneering role of

the Council of Europe, including through the Istanbul Convention, in the fight against

violence against women and domestic violence.

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

United in our vision for the Council of Europe

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has forced us to re-evaluate how we can

best respond to the challenges facing us within Europe’s multilateral architecture and

the international rules-based order. We therefore commit to strengthening the role

of the Council of Europe in the evolving European multilateral architecture and in

global governance by enhancing its external dimension, through its liaison offices and

through a new engagement based on its core values with democracies in the world and

its southern neighbourhood.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

We will in particular strengthen our dialogue with our observer States, with which

the Council of Europe and its member States share a set of fundamental values and

common principles. We will also promote increased ratification of Council of Europe

conventions that are open to non-member States through targeted universalisation

campaigns, to advance compliance with the Organisation’s ambitious standards

beyond European borders. Through the active contribution of the observer States, our

outreach can be further extended to non-member countries.

The European Union (EU) is the main institutional partner of the Council of Europe in

political, legal, and financial terms. We underscore the importance of joint programmes

between the EU and the Council as a key expression of this strategic partnership

and mutual commitment to promoting common values. We welcome the unanimous

provisional agreement on the revised draft accession instruments as an important

accomplishment in the process of accession of the European Union to the Convention,

and we express our commitment to its timely adoption. This will set the relations

between the Council of Europe and the EU on a new path of reinforced co-operation.

We call for more political dialogue with other international organisations, including

the UN and the OSCE, to strengthen the partnership between these organisations and

the Council of Europe. We believe that further synergies are possible, notably when it

comes to the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and

underscore the need to avoid duplication of work and possibly competing standards.

To achieve our objectives, we need a modern Council of Europe enabling us to meet

current and future challenges as well as the expectations of future generations. We will

ensure that the Council of Europe, and especially the Court, is financially sustainable,

and that the Organisation is more agile, resilient and results-oriented, including

through adopting an integrated budget based on agreed strategic priorities, and

we will continue the reform process to achieve greater transparency, efficiency and

effectiveness.

We further recognise the important role of the Organisation’s co-operation dimension,

including its field offices, in providing targeted support to beneficiaries on the ground

and commit to further strengthening the work of the Organisation in the field, in co-

operation with the countries concerned.

We set the Council on a new path of increased transparency and co-operation with its

stakeholders, with strengthened visibility and sufficient resources. This should include

a youth perspective in the Organisation’s intergovernmental and other deliberations

as youth participation in decision-making processes improves the effectiveness of

public policies and strengthens democratic institutions through open dialogue. We

also call for a review and further reinforcement of the Organisation’s outreach to, and

meaningful engagement with, civil society organisations and national human rights

institutions.

Finally, we commit to strengthening the institution of the Council of Europe´s

Commissioner for Human Rights, particularly in light of the need for principled and

swift action to address backsliding and other evolving human rights challenges; to

continue to strengthen the co-operation and political dialogue with the Parliamentary

Assembly, including through the increased use of the Joint Committee; and to support

16 & 17 May 2023

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

the essential role of multilevel governance in delivering the Organisation’s vision,

including through the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities’ role to implement

the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

The Europe we want

When we created the Council of Europe in 1949, it was against the backdrop of war in

Europe. Those that came before us had the resolve to create the Council of Europe

to unite European countries in the common belief that true democracies that uphold

the rule of law and ensure respect for human rights were the best defence against

authoritarianism, totalitarianism and war on our continent.

As we now gather here in 2023, our European democracies are under attack again.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is not just a violation of international law,

but an attack on our democracies.

We see democratic security as key for member States to address current and future

challenges together and to secure peace and prosperity in Europe. We consider that

the Council of Europe, with its seat in Strasbourg, symbol of peace and reconciliation,

is uniquely placed to bring together, on an equal footing, all countries of Europe to

protect democratic security in Europe and to counter the undermining of human rights,

democracy and the rule of law.

At this 4th Summit of the Council of Europe, our common resolve is to unite around

our values and standards. With this Declaration, we set the path forward for our

countries and for the Council of Europe, for the benefit of all Europeans, including

future generations.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Appendix I

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Declaration in support of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the

We, the Heads of State and Government of […], as well as the representatives of [….]

and of the European Union,

Reiterating our condemnation in the strongest terms of the aggression of the Russian

Federation against Ukraine and expressing our full support for Ukraine and our

solidarity with its people and reiterating also our unwavering commitment to the

independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally

recognised borders;

Condemning all violations of international law, including international human rights

law and international humanitarian law, in particular attacks against civilians and

civilian objects, including civilian infrastructure, cultural and religious heritage

and the environment of Ukraine, and convinced of the exigent necessity to ensure

comprehensive accountability in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression

against Ukraine;

Bearing in mind the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-11/5 of 14

November 2022 “Furtherance of remedy and reparation for aggression against Ukraine”

recognising, inter alia, that the Russian Federation must bear the legal consequences

of all of its internationally wrongful acts in or against Ukraine, including making

reparation for the injury, and for any damage caused by such acts, and noting that

this Resolution also recognises the need for the establishment of an international

mechanism for reparation, and recommends the creation of an international register

of damage in co-operation with Ukraine;

Having assembled here in Reykjavík on 16 May 2023, in the margins of the 4th Summit of

the Council of Europe, express our political support by having joined or intending to join

the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of

the Russian Federation against Ukraine established within the institutional framework

of the Council of Europe.

In signature hereof:

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Appendix II

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Declaration on the situation of the children of Ukraine

We, Heads of State and Government,

Expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who are defending not only their

sovereign State but also the principles and values of the Council of Europe;

Calling on the Russian Federation to cease the aggression against Ukraine and respect

its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law;

Condemning the large-scale abuses and violations of the human rights and fundamental

freedoms of children of Ukraine by the Russian Federation;

Condemning the attacks by the Russian Federation on civilian objects, including

infrastructures protected under international humanitarian law, in particular places

that generally have a significant presence of children, such as homes, hospitals,

maternity clinics, schools, childcare facilities and recreational spaces;

Reaffirming that all children of Ukraine are entitled to enjoy the full range of human

rights enshrined in relevant international legal instruments and that the best interests

of the child shall be the primary consideration in all decision making;

Expressing grave concern with regard to the evidence of killings, injuries and sexual

abuse of children, unlawful transfers and deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian

forces to the Russian Federation and Belarus or to the areas temporarily controlled

or occupied by the Russian Federation and their forcible placement under custody or

adoption by Russian citizens, and other violations of their dignity and rights;

Underlining that all crimes committed against children must be independently

investigated and their perpetrators must not go unpunished, pursuant to the general

principles of international law and international humanitarian law, and reiterating our

support for the indispensable work of national and international justice to ensure that

all those responsible for the crimes committed in Ukraine are held to account;

Underlining the significance of the recent decision of the International Criminal

Court to issue arrest warrants for the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir

Vladimirovich Putin, and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the

President of the Russian Federation, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, in connection

with the alleged war crimes of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from

temporarily controlled or occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation;

Noting the findings and recommendations of the Council of Europe Commissioner for

Human Rights on the human rights violations flowing from Russia’s failure to return

Ukrainian children who have been transferred to the Russian Federation, Belarus, and

to the areas temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation to their families and legal

guardians and on the situation of internally and externally displaced children fleeing the

aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, including the need to protect them

from human trafficking, exploitation and sexual violence wherever they are;

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Recognising that the level of protection and support offered to people fleeing Ukraine by

Council of Europe member States has been commendable, while also noting challenges

in addressing the special needs of children, especially with regard to guardianship and

integrated child protection;

Aware of the need for additional protection and assistance measures for displaced

children from Ukraine who are unaccompanied and separated, and those in a situation

of multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities, such as children at risk of poverty or social

exclusion, children with disabilities, orphans and Roma children or those at risk of

violence, trafficking or revictimisation;

Taking note of the Ukrainian authorities’ expectations that children who have been

displaced or who have sought refuge in other Council of Europe member States, including

those from institutions, will be repatriated to Ukraine when it is safe to do so;

Recalling the right of children to freely express their views in all matters affecting them

and for their views to be given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity,

and if necessary, to be provided with assistance to realise that right;

Bearing in mind that the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-

2027) calls for special procedural safeguards and support services for children in crisis

and emergency situations;

Noting the State Parties’, including the Russian Federation’s, main obligations under the

Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation

and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention), applicable in crisis and emergency situations

and the relevant recommendations and statements of the Lanzarote Committee;

Welcoming the extensive efforts by the Council of Europe, in close co-operation with the

Ukrainian authorities, to provide assistance with documenting abuses and violations

of children’s rights and enhancing the capacity of those working with children affected

by the conflict;

Noting with appreciation the on-going efforts by Ukraine’s authorities to both

document violations of children’s rights and to locate and return children who have

been unlawfully deported or forced to seek refuge elsewhere;

Welcoming Ukraine’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing

and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention),

and stressing the need to protect Ukrainian girls and boys from any form of violence,

including sexual and gender-based violence, psychological violence and domestic

violence, including as witnesses;

1. We underline the need to intensify efforts, at all levels of governance, to guarantee

the effective protection of the rights of children of Ukraine in the current context

and resolve, in full compliance with the applicable Council of Europe standards, to:

16 & 17 May 2023

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

ensure the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of the

children of Ukraine, including their right to life, to freedom from violence, to

respect for their family life, to non-discrimination, to enjoy their own language

and culture, to social security, to the highest attainable standards of physical

and mental health, education and housing, and to access to justice;

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

ii.

provide effective measures of protection, including guardianship, for

unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration and to

ensure their proper identification and registration;

support children from Ukraine living in alternative care in Council of Europe

member States, including by taking all necessary measures to ensure the

effective prevention of violence and sexual and gender-based violence in such

settings;

ensure the highest possible standard of reception and care so that children

are hosted in line with the relevant standards of community- and family-based

care, while recognising the legitimate desire of the Ukrainian authorities to

keep track of these particularly vulnerable categories of children in order to

enable their safe return to Ukraine;

ensure that children in Ukraine have effective access to integrated child

protection systems, including the timely provision of psychological support

tailored to their specific needs and paying particular attention to the rights

and needs of children with disabilities;

ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations of the Council of

Europe monitoring bodies that concern the situation of children in Ukraine, as

well as of the other bodies of the Council of Europe, including the Commissioner

for Human Rights, and of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

on Migration and Refugees;

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

iii.

iv.

vi.

vii. support the implementation of specific measures that target the protection

and well-being of the children of Ukraine, including those in the Council of

Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction (2023-

2026)” and the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons

in the Context of Migration and Asylum (2021-2025);

viii. provide displaced children with opportunities to participate in decisions that

affect them, in accordance with their age and maturity.

2. Furthermore, we are resolved to assist the Ukrainian authorities to implement a

comprehensive reform of the child protection and care system, in due respect of

the rights of the child, which will ensure that the best interest of the child is the

primary consideration for the repatriation of children who have been displaced

from Ukraine.

3. We call on the Council of Europe to facilitate co-operation between States, the

European Union, and relevant international organisations, through an appropriate

mechanism, in order to:

exchange information on legal and policy frameworks regarding the situation,

status and needs of children from Ukraine residing in its member States;

advise on the reform of the Ukrainian child protection and care system;

facilitate the sharing of relevant information, including information from the

Network of Focal Points on Migration and, as far as possible, the co-ordination

of measures taken with regard to the best interests of the children of Ukraine.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

4. We are fully committed to fight against the impunity of perpetrators of crimes

committed against children, including the deportation of children, by continuing

our support for international and national jurisdictions investigating these crimes.

5. We are committed to working with the international community and to supporting

the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the immediate return to Ukraine of children

who have been unlawfully transferred and deported from Ukraine to the Russian

Federation, Belarus or to the areas temporarily controlled or occupied by the

Russian Federation.

6. We are determined to ensure co-operation and co-ordination with other international

and European organisations, including civil society organisations, to safeguard and

protect the rights, safety and well-being of the children of Ukraine.

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Appendix III

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Reykjavík Principles for Democracy

We, the Heads of State and Government, are committed to securing and strengthe-

ning democracy and good governance at all levels throughout Europe. We will work

together to protect and promote the three fundamental, interdependent and inalie-

nable principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights, as enshrined in the Sta-

tute of the Council of Europe and in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights

and Fundamental Freedoms.

We consider democracy as the only means to ensure that everyone can live in a peaceful,

prosperous and free society. We will meet our obligations under international law. We

will prevent and resist democratic backsliding in our continent, including in situations

of emergency, crisis and armed conflicts and will stand firm against authoritarian

tendencies by enhancing our shared commitments as member States of the Council

of Europe.

Together we commit to the following Reykjavik Principles and will:

1. actively enable and encourage DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION at national, regional and

local levels through free and fair elections. As appropriate, forms of participatory

democracy, including deliberative democracy, may be encouraged;

2. hold ELECTIONS AND REFERENDA in accordance with international standards and

take all appropriate measures against any interference in electoral systems and

processes. Elections are to be grounded in respect for relevant human rights

standards, especially FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, including for the creation of political parties and

associations in accordance with national and international standards;

3. maintain and protect INDEPENDENT AND EFFECTIVE PARLIAMENTS AND OTHER

DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS which determine their own rules and procedures and in

which representatives from across the political spectrum can participate. All elected

representatives will maintain HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS;

4. uphold the SEPARATION OF POWERS with appropriate checks and balances between

different State institutions, at all levels, to prevent any excessive concentration of

power;

5. ensure INDEPENDENT, IMPARTIAL AND EFFECTIVE JUDICIARIES. Judges must be

independent and impartial in the exercise of their functions, and free from external

interference, including from the Executive;

6. pursue a relentless FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION, including through prevention,

and by holding accountable those exercising public power, and continue fighting

organised crime;

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

7. ensure the right to FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, including academic freedom and

artistic freedom, to hold OPINIONS and to receive and impart information and ideas,

both online and offline. Free, independent, plural and diverse media constitutes one

of the cornerstones of a democratic society and journalists and other media workers

should be afforded full protection under the law. Disinformation or misinformation

posing a threat to democracy and peace will be countered, in a manner compatible

with international law, including the right to freedom of expression and freedom of

opinion;

invest in a DEMOCRATIC FUTURE by ensuring that everyone is able to play their

role in democratic processes. Priority will be given to support the participation of

young persons in democratic life and decision-making processes, including through

education about human rights and core democratic values, such as pluralism,

inclusion, non-discrimination, transparency and accountability;

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

9. reaffirm that CIVIL SOCIETY is a prerequisite for a functioning democracy and

commit to supporting and maintaining a safe and enabling environment in which

civil society, as well as human rights defenders, can operate free from hindrance,

insecurity and violence;

10. ensure FULL, EQUAL AND MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE

for all, in particular for women and girls, free from violence, fear, harassment, hate

speech and hate crime, as well as discrimination based on any ground.

We will share and promote these principles together with States and international

organisations including the UN, the OSCE and the EU, as well as all those willing to

work with the Council of Europe to further the achievement of greater unity and better

global governance.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Appendix IV

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Recommitting to the Convention System as the cornerstone of

the Council of Europe’s protection of human rights

We, the Heads of State and Government:

Recalling the extraordinary contribution of the system established by the European

Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Convention”) to the protection and

promotion of human rights and the rule of law in Europe, as well as its central role

in the maintenance and promotion of democratic security and peace throughout the

Continent;

Recalling the important achievements of the European Court of Human Rights

(hereinafter “the Court”) through its judgments and decisions in supervising compliance

with the Convention and defending the values underpinning the Council of Europe;

Recalling that the work undertaken in the framework of the Interlaken process has

contributed significantly to the tangible evolution of the Convention system;

Underlining the primary obligation for all High Contracting Parties to the Convention

to secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in the

Convention in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the importance of taking

into account the case-law of the Court in a way that gives full effect to the Convention,

and the unconditional obligation to abide by the final judgments of the Court in any

case to which they are parties;

Underlining that the Russian Federation, despite no longer being a High Contracting

Party to the Convention, still has the duty to co-operate with the Court and the binding

and unconditional obligation under international law to implement all final judgments

and decisions of the Court in relation to its acts or omissions capable of constituting a

violation of the Convention that occurred until 16 September 2022;

Welcoming the unanimous provisional agreement on the revised draft accession

instruments as an important accomplishment in the process of accession of the

European Union to the Convention; underlining that the accession will enhance

coherence in human rights protection in Europe, and encouraging timely adoption of

that agreement;

Underlining the importance of the principle of subsidiarity and the margin of

appreciation for the implementation of the Convention at the national level by the

High Contracting Parties, reinforced by the entry into force of Protocol No. 15, as well

as the notion of shared responsibility between the High Contracting Parties, the Court

and the Committee of Ministers to ensure the proper functioning of the Convention

system; also recalling that executive, national and local authorities, national courts

and national parliaments bear responsibility for implementing the Convention and

complying with the judgments of the Court;

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Underlining the fundamental importance of the execution of the Court’s judgments

and the effective supervision of that process to ensure the long-term sustainability,

integrity and credibility of the Convention system;

Underlining our rejection of attacks at high political levels on the rights protected by

the Convention and the judgments of the Court seeking to safeguard them;

Recalling that the large majority of judgments are fully implemented but concerned

also by lack of engagement, delays and failings in implementing certain judgments,

undermining the authority of the Court and seriously threatening the effectiveness of

the Convention; recalling in this context, the relevant decisions of previous Ministerial

Sessions in which the Committee of Ministers’ agreed to continue to enhance the

efficiency of the process of supervision of execution of the Court’s judgments,

particularly its Human Rights meetings;

Regretting that problems encountered in implementing judgments at the national level

are often due to limited resources and technical expertise;

Recognising that the Court’s current resources are insufficient and unsustainable to

adequately deal with the influx of new and pending applications, including inter-State

applications arising from conflicts, many of which concern complex legal, political and

societal issues as well as repetitive cases, which place a significant burden on the

Court;

Consequently, undertake to:

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Firmly recommit to the Convention System

Reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the Convention system as a mechanism to

promote peace and stability in Europe and the Council of Europe’s core values of

human rights, democracy and the rule of law;

Reaffirm our strong attachment to the right of individual application to the Court as a

cornerstone of the system protecting the rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention;

Recommit to resolving the systemic and structural human rights problems identified by

the Court and to ensure the full, effective and prompt execution of the final judgments

of the Court, taking into account their binding nature and the obligations of the High

Contracting Parties under the Convention whilst also recalling the importance of

involving national parliaments in the execution of judgments;

Reaffirm also the principle of subsidiarity and that respondent States remain free

to choose the means by which they discharge the obligation, under Article 46 of the

Convention, to abide by the final judgments of the Court in any case to which they are

a party;

Support the Court’s efforts to ensure that, through the expeditious processing of

individual and inter-State applications, in particular those arising from conflicts, States

are held accountable for their actions;

Affirm the need to make every effort to ensure the execution of the Court’s judgments

by the Russian Federation, including through the development of synergies with other

international organisations such as the United Nations;

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Ensure the allocation of sufficient and sustainable resources to enable the Court to

exercise its judicial functions effectively and to deal with its workload expeditiously;

Continue improving the effectiveness of the supervision mechanism of the execution

of judgments and ensure that the Department for the Execution of Judgments has the

necessary resources to assist member States and the Committee of Ministers in this task;

Recognise the role of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and

of national human rights institutions and civil society organisations in monitoring

compliance with the Convention and the Court’s judgments;

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

Develop a more co-operative, inclusive and political approach based on

dialogue

Affirm the need for a co-operative and inclusive approach, based on dialogue, in the

supervision process to assist States in the execution of the Court’s judgments;

Scale up co-operation programmes to assist member States in the implementation of

judgments, which may involve, as appropriate, States facing the same or similar issues

in implementation, and increase synergy between the Department for the Execution of

Judgments and the Council of Europe co-operation programmes;

Call for greater synergy between Council of Europe monitoring and advisory bodies,

the Department for the Execution of Judgments and other relevant Council of Europe

departments, as appropriate, to facilitate the exchange of good practice and expertise

among member States, and underline the importance of holding an annual meeting

with national co-ordinators for the execution of judgments and the Department for the

Execution of Judgments;

Call for a strengthening of the institutional dialogue between the Court and the

Committee of Ministers on general issues related to the execution of judgments;

Take note of the comprehensive dialogue between the Court and the Supreme and

Constitutional Courts of the States Parties including through the Superior Courts Network,

and the advisory opinions of the Court, and encourage the strengthening of this dialogue;

Invite the President of the Committee of Ministers, the Secretary General, the President

of the Parliamentary Assembly and the President of the Congress of Local and Regional

Authorities to strengthen their political dialogue with their respective national

interlocutors on the implementation of judgments;

Invite national authorities, as appropriate, to strengthen co-operation with local and

regional authorities in order to facilitate the process of executing the judgments which

concern them;

Call for a strengthening of political dialogue in the event of difficulties in the

implementation of judgments and encourage the participation of high-level

representatives from the respondent State;

Call on the Committee of Ministers to continue their work enhancing the tools available

in the supervision of the execution of judgments with clear and predictable, gradual

steps in the event of non-execution or persistent refusal to execute the final judgments

of the Court, in an appropriate and flexible way, that takes into account the specificities

of each case.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

Appendix V

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

The Council of Europe and the environment

We, the Heads of State and Government, underline the urgency of taking co-ordinated

action to protect the environment by countering the triple planetary crisis of pollution,

climate change, and loss of biodiversity. We affirm that human rights and the

environment are intertwined and that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights by present and futures generations.

We underscore the role that the Council of Europe may play as an Organisation

working not only in the area of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, but with

a longstanding and widely acknowledged track record in protecting the environment,

environmentally friendly landscape management and public health. It has both the

tools and the structures to address human rights and the environment, in the spirit of

co-operation and by sharing experience and promising practice.

We note that the right to a healthy environment is enshrined in various ways in several

constitutions of the Council of Europe member States and the increased recognition of

the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in, inter alia, international

instruments, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions, legislation and

policies.

We recall the extensive case-law and practice on environment and human rights

developed by the European Court of Human Rights and the European Committee

of Social Rights. We appreciate the ongoing work of the Committee of Ministers,

the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the

Commissioner for Human Rights, the youth sector and other parts of the Council of

Europe to strengthen the protection of human rights linked to the protection of the

environment.

We consider the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural

Habitats (the “Bern Convention”) a unique international instrument aimed at aligning

national standards and practices in conserving wild flora and fauna and their natural

habitats at pan-European level and beyond, providing the necessary tools to strengthen

intergovernmental co-operation and giving an opportunity to civil society to engage

with governments and bring to their attention concerns about threats to biodiversity

and natural habitats and their detrimental consequences.

We recall that the Council of Europe Landscape Convention - the first international treaty

devoted exclusively to all dimensions of the landscape – specifies that the landscape

has an important public interest role in the cultural, ecological, environmental and

social fields and is a key element of individual and social well-being, and that landscape

protection, management and planning entail rights and responsibilities for everyone.

We recognise the importance of access to information, access to public participation

in decision-making processes and access to justice in environmental matters, as set

out in the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (the “Tromsø

Convention”).

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

We recognise and support the vital role of civil society and other stakeholders,

including national human rights institutions, regional institutions for the protection

and promotion of human rights, youth, indigenous peoples, religious leaders and

communities, as well as cities, regions and other sub-national authorities and local

communities, in the protection of the environment.

We consider that strengthened Council of Europe action in this field will contribute to

progress towards the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

Together we commit to:

Strengthen our work at the Council of Europe on the human rights aspects

of the environment based on the political recognition of the right to a clean,

healthy and sustainable environment as a human right, in line with United

Nations General Assembly Resolution 76/300, The human right to a clean,

healthy and sustainable environment, and by pursuing implementation of the

Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)20 on human rights

and the protection of the environment;

Reflect on the nature, content and implications of the right to a clean,

healthy and sustainable environment and, on that basis, actively consider

recognising at the national level this right as a human right that is important

for the enjoyment of human rights and is related to other rights and existing

international law;

Encourage the Council of Europe Development Bank to focus on the social

dimensions of climate change and environmental degradation, and to help

member States achieve a fair and inclusive transition that leaves no one

behind by funding projects in its key sectors of activity, in line with its strategic

framework;

Conclude as soon as possible the Council of Europe’s ongoing work on a

convention superseding and replacing the European Convention on the

Protection of Environment through Criminal Law and on the consideration of

the need for and feasibility of a new instrument or instruments in the field of

human rights and the environment;

Initiate the “Reykjavik process” of strengthening the work of the Council of

Europe in this field, with the aim of making the environment a visible priority

for the Organisation. The process will focus and streamline the Organisation’s

activities, with a view to promoting co-operation among member States. We

will identify the challenges raised by the triple planetary crisis of pollution,

climate change and loss of biodiversity for human rights and contribute to the

development of common responses thereto, while facilitating the participation

of youth in these discussions. We will do this by enhancing and co-ordinating

the existing Council of Europe activities related to the environment and we

encourage the establishment of a new intergovernmental Committee on

environment and human rights (“Reykjavík Committee”).

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

ii.

iii.

iv.

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration

REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT

| Council of Europe

16 & 17 May 2023

ERD, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 12: Reykjavik Summit Declaration