Speech
Strasbourg 01 October 2009
Cecilia Malmström, Minister for EU Affairs
Speech on the 60th birthday of the Council of Europe
Mr Secretary General,
Presidents, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to start by thanking you for inviting me to Strasbourg. Its an honor to be here at this ceremony celebrating the 60th birthday of the Council of Europe.
The European Union and the Council of Europe share the same roots. They were both created in the ruins after the second World War.
Looking back the Council of Europe can be very proud. The Council of Europe has given the EU its core values, that are enshrined in the Treaties. Human rights, democracy and rule of law. Respect for these values are a prerequisite for even beginning negotiations about membership in the EU. To use Angela Merkel's word last year, the Council of Europe, and not least its Parliamentary Assembly, has been the "European conscience".
The work of the Council of Europe, and in particular the Court, has had a significant impact on all member States. It has also played a vital role for security and stability after the fall of the totalitarian regimes in various parts of Europe in the last decades. The extensive cooperation between the EU and the Council of Europe has contributed greatly to the development of these new and restored democracies.
The EU's strength comes from our diversity and from our power to influence the world beyond our borders. The eastern enlargement of the EU has been one of the most significant achievements of European integration. It has been a powerful driving force for political legal and economic reform. This is why we need to keep our doors open to all European countries interested in membership and who meet the all the necessary criteria. It is important that we build a wider community of stable, prosperous democracies.
There are still great challenges ahead. Democracy and respect for human rights are still fragile in some states. The EU must continue to develop towards a more secure and open Europe. The Council of Europe has an important role to play in this development. International law, human rights, democracy and the rule of law must continue to permeate EU's external policy.
Promoting the respect for human rights is a priority of the 2009 Swedish EU Presidency. At the same time we are facing the worst financial and economic crisis we can remember, and the greatest challenge of our generation, the climate. There is no conflict between these challenges and our common values. Economic interests or geopolitical considerations must never prevail over respect for human rights.
Looking to the future, the EU will continue to play an active and role in support of the Council of Europe and its core values.
Allow me to congratulate you on your 60Th birthday! I am looking forward to future good cooperation between our two institutions.
