Priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

Support for Ukraine Defending Itself against Russia’s war of aggression:

• Strengthening of the democratic institutions of Ukraine and support for reconstruction efforts, including through the implementation of the Action Plan “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction”.
• Ensuring accountability for international crimes: further steps towards a comprehensive compensation mechanism linked to the Register of Damage and use of the Council of Europe expertise for the establishment of a Special International Tribunal for the crime of aggression, as well as consider a discussion on consolidated efforts to harmonize sharing of information regarding cases of Russia and Belarus sanctions circumvention.
• Protection of rights, safety, and well-being of the children of Ukraine, safe return of Ukrainian children unlawfully deported by Russia.

Council of Europe at 75 – Consistent Implementation of Reykjavik Summit Decisions and Outlook Beyond:

Protection of Our Values against Aggression and Authoritarianism

• Protection of human rights in conflict areas.
• Support for civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders from Belarus and other countries oppressed by authoritarian regimes, working in their home countries or in exile.
• Reform and strengthening of the Organization to meet the challenges of the future.
• Aligning Secretariat employment with Council of Europe membership.

Democracy, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law at Home and Worldwide

• Implementation of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights.

• Reinforcement of social rights.
• Promoting anti-corruption and good governance.
• Gender equality and women’s rights, children, and youth.
• Addressing the impact of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
• Cultural diversity and heritage.

Digital Dimension of Freedom

• Freedom of expression and safety of journalists, including online.
• Artificial intelligence and human rights.
• Fight against disinformation, hate speech and distortion of history, access to information.
• Non-traditional media, progress of digital technology, media literacy.