DRAFT SPEECH BY MR. EDUARDO CABRITA, PORTUGUESE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR LOCAL ADMINISTRATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE 12TH PLENARY SESSION OF THE CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Mr President,
It is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the Portuguese Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, I address the Congress here today.
Portugal has just taken over the Chairmanship from Poland. It was in Warsaw that we received, at the close of the Third Summit, the ceremonial key of office for our safe-keeping over the next six months.
We also received the Warsaw Declaration and Action Plan which defines the organisation’s priorities for the next few years. Portugal will do all it can to implement the Plan. It is a blue-print for the Organisation's 46 member states in how to deal with the crucial challenges facing them. We are glad to assume our responsibilities in the coordination of the Organisation’s action.
I am sure you will have studied the text of the Declaration and the Action Plan. I will therefore not comment on them at length. The Third Summit highlighted the Council of Europe’s core values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law and underlined the need to strengthen and protect them. In addition to this overriding priority, Portugal will, during its Chairmanship, pay particular attention to the cultural dimension in support of those values. It will also play its part in consolidating social cohesion.
In the promotion of the core values, the European Court of Human Rights plays a pivotal role for the protection of human rights in Europe. Its reputation and credibility is such that some say the Court is a victim of its own success. I would rather say that it is a victim of the way our national systems of justice are run. Portugal fully supports the Third Summit’s decisions to improve the functioning of the Court and the implementation of its rulings by member states. The importance of Protocol No. 14 to the Convention on Human Rights has been underlined and Portugal will ratify this Protocol in the very near future, in the hope that it will come into force before May 2006.
Another important issue raised in Warsaw was the need to strengthen the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights. For nearly six years Mr Gil Robles has done tremendous work in developing his office. I should like to congratulate him on his achievements. He has promoted privileged relations with national and international institutions, thereby doing much for the effective protection and promotion of human rights throughout Europe. This institution has enormous potential for raising awareness on human rights education and on fundamental freedoms. Portugal will spare no effort when it comes to reinforcing the human and financial resources to be placed at the disposal of the Commissioner.
Last year, when the shock waves that followed the events of 11 September 2001 were still present in our memories, Europe witnessed a number of terrorist attacks on an unprecedented scale. The Istanbul, Madrid and Beslan tragedies turned the fight against terrorism into the highest priory for the Council of Europe. This fight calls for an appropriate balance between the guarantee of full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the provision of legal safeguards. Portugal fully backs this approach and endorses the special guidelines on human rights and the fight against terrorism, adopted by the Council of Europe. They represent the first ever international legal instrument on this issue. Portugal also welcomes the adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism and the Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism which were opened for signature in Warsaw.
The action of the Council of Europe in the prevention of terrorism should not be limited to legal matters. We must not wait for crises to happen. The Council of Europe must pursue measures to address the root causes of terrorism. It is culture – that is education, culture, heritage and youth policy – which can play a vital role in preventing conflicts. Associating legal aspects of the fight against terrorism with the promotion of intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, education and awareness of shared values will contribute to the struggle against terrorism. The management of diversity means creating the conditions for the implementation of dialogue and engaging in constructive exchanges with our neighbouring regions, such as the Southern Mediterranean Shore. I am sure we can continue to count on the activities of the Lisbon North-South Centre which have proved to be most valuable in building bridges in both sides of the Mediterranean. And your Congress must continue to play an important role in tackling all questions concerning dialogue.
Let me address one human rights issue of particular interest to the Portuguese Chairmanship: that is the protection of the rights of the child. Unfortunately children are potentially exposed to manifold types of violence, trafficking and sexual harassment. We are deeply committed to guaranteeing the physical and psychological well-being of children and we shall foster the debate on best practices and recommendations to be made with a view to putting an end to the violation of children’s rights. Next week there will be a conference in Lisbon where we will welcome some of the most distinguished experts dealing with violence against children and trafficking. We shall be helped with the close cooperation of UNICEF’s Innocenti Research centre.
Another decisive matter raised in Warsaw was the issue of real gender equality in all spheres in our societies. This is clearly a matter of protection and promotion of human rights. But we believe that balanced participation of women and men at all levels of society is also a democracy-enriching element. Later this month the Portuguese Chairmanship will invite all member states to gather in Lisbon to discuss this issue and make specific recommendations.
Trafficking in human beings is an old scourge with a new face. It is above all a threat which we must not ignore. Strict judicial and legal measures must be imposed to strengthen its prevention. The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings was opened for signature in Warsaw and we call for its swift entry into force. Portugal will continue to promote cooperation among all member states with a view to ensuring the protection of the victims of human rights.
Mr President, during its Chairmanship Portugal will be looking forward to lead efforts in favour of the enrichment of the quality of democracy. In Warsaw the decision was taken to intensify the work within the Council of Europe on this issue, in particular the establishment of the Forum of the Future of democracy. We will welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter with you in greater detail.
The Portuguese Chairmanship will pay particular attention to the consolidation of democratic systems with the promotion of local and regional democracy and also new participation in political life. This is particularly important when our societies are subject to challenging political, social and economic transformations.
The Council of Europe encompasses the quasi-entirety of Europe in all its diversity. Cultural diversity, Mr President, demands adequate answers from the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe's main goal of promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law will only be feasible if Europe’s divisions, at various levels, are overcome. During its Chairmanship, Portugal will back further policies to improve results in European cultural cooperation.
In this respect, the European Cultural Convention has been one of the most important instruments of the Council of Europe. Portugal is actively engaged in the celebrations of its 50th anniversary. In October 2005 it will organise the closing session. On this occasion, it will look forward to the possibility of extending the scope of the Convention to promote the Framework Convention on Cultural Heritage.
Against the background of the challenges that weaken Europe’s unity what could be Europe’s trump card for the coming years? The Portuguese Chairmanship advocates the strengthening of social cohesion. The guarantee of social justice and the respect of the social and economic rights of European citizens are key ways of ensuring the sustainability of European democratic societies.
The original and revised versions of the European Social Charter and the Strategy for Social Cohesion should be regarded as a starting point in order to reach a higher degree of social and economic well-being.
Some social domains will be addressed by the Portuguese Chairmanship more specifically. One of them is policy making concerning such issues as employment, social security housing or health. Here the norms worked out in the Council of Europe Steering Committees have already been of great value. The protection of the family will also be one of our main concerns in preparation for the 28th Session of the Conference of European Ministers of Family Affairs which will take place in Lisbon in 2006.
Mr President, yesterday I took part in the round table on the 20th Anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. My presence was designed to demonstrate Portugal’s support for the valuable work of the Congress in this area. To underline even more its importance, the Portuguese Chairmanship will host a conference on the 20th anniversary of the text in July.
This will be in line with the Wroclaw Declaration which was adopted at the beginning of the celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of the Cultural Convention last December. This means, for example, developing efforts to foster democratic participation. Encouraging and reinforcing local and regional democracy and good governance, which should be considered key elements of 21st-century European democracy, will be one of our priorities. The results of the 14th Session of the Conference of European Ministers for Local and Regional Government (Budapest, 24-25 February 2005) have just been examined by the Committee of Ministers. The agenda for delivering good local and regional governments adopted at the conference has been entrusted to Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR). The Committee of Ministers has also requested that a substantial report by drawn up on the development in regional self-government in Council of Europe member states.
Over the last twelve months the intergovernmental achievements of the Council of Europe have been considerable. But I must salute the work of the Congress over this period. Your cooperation agreement with the Committee of the Regions of the European Union is a good example of the practical way cooperation is being forged. The Heads of State and Government paid tribute to all your good work over the years in the Warsaw Declaration.
Now, I shall be happy to answer your questions.

2 June 2005