Secretary General To Highlight Democratic Security At EPC Summit
Against the backdrop of war, democratic backsliding, and accelerating disruption in Europe and the world, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset will join over 40 European heads of state and government at the sixth European Political Community (EPC) Summit, hosted on 16 May in Tirana, Albania.
Under the Summit’s theme, “New Europe in a New World: Unity – Co-operation – Joint Action”, Secretary General Berset will underscore the Council of Europe’s commitment to strengthening its role within the EPC platform, advocating for democratic security to be placed at the core of Europe’s evolving security architecture.
“European security can no longer be conceived in silos. The traditional divide between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ security has become obsolete. Protecting our institutions, our rights, and our freedoms-against both external and internal challenges-has become a strategic imperative. Democratic security is our first line of defence,” said Secretary General Alain Berset, speaking at the 134th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Luxembourg (13-14 May 2025).
The Summit will feature a plenary session on security, including support for Ukraine, followed by three thematic roundtables:
As part of his engagement in Tirana, the Secretary General will also highlight the findings of his recently published 2025 annual report, “Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe”. The report takes stock of the state of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the Council of Europe’s 46 member states.
https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/secretary-general-to-highlight-democratic-security-at-epc-summit