Council of Europe – Conversation between the Minister and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (11 April 2025)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot spoke on April 11 with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset.

The Minister reaffirmed France’s pride at hosting an organization whose founding mission since 1949 has been to ensure respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in all its 46 Member States.

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs hailed the European Pact on Democracy, a new initiative launched by the Secretary General. He underscored the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the election process, a cornerstone of our democracies. The Minister and Secretary General addressed the challenge posed by foreign interference and information manipulation for our democratic societies. France is fully engaged in combating these threats, in full compliance with the rule of law and the freedom of expression, for which the Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights serve as vital guarantors.

The Minister applauded the Council of Europe’s role in fostering the democratic resilience and reconstruction of Ukraine, which has been a victim of Russia’s war of aggression for the past three years, and for its fight against impunity and for the reparation of damages. The Minister and Secretary General discussed the imperative need to bring home the Ukrainian children forcibly displaced by Russia.

Lastly, the Minister and the Secretary General discussed the implementation of France’s decision to extend the European Social Charter to our Overseas Territories.