Council of Europe – Switzerland takes over from Slovenia as Chair of the Committee of Ministers

Switzerland is to take over the Chair of the Committee of Ministers from Slovenia during a meeting to be held in Strasbourg on Wednesday 18 November.

Under the joint chairmanship of Samuel Žbogar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, and Micheline Calmy-Rey, Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies will start at 4 p.m. (Committee of Ministers meeting room, Palais de l’Europe).

Samuel Žbogar will take stock of the Slovenian Chairmanship and outline the main achievements since it began on 12 May. He will also present a report on action taken by the Council of Europe during the last six months following the conflict in Georgia in August 2008.

Micheline Calmy-Rey will then outline the priorities of the Swiss Chairmanship for the coming six months, after which there will be an exchange of views with the Ministers’ Deputies.

During the meeting, the Committee is due to adopt Council of Europe Policy Guidelines on Integrated National Strategies for the Protection of Children from Violence. It should also take note of the follow-up given to its Declaration of February 2008 on Council of Europe action to improve the protection of Human Rights defenders and promote their activities.