Date of release : 17-05-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : Participation of the Presidency at the 3rd Summit of the Council of Europe

In his speech given in Warsaw on 17 May 2005 at the 3rd Summit of the Council of Europe, the Luxembourg Prime Minister currently presiding over the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, spoke about the architecture of European organisations.

Calling to mind the signature of the Warsaw Treaty in 1955, the Prime Minister emphasised "the opportunity presented by the moment and by the location" which, fifty years later, reunited the great European family in Warsaw in order to examine the architecture of Europe.

Jean-Claude Juncker mentioned the valuable work of three major European organisations: the OSCE, which concerns itself with the "important social, security and economic issues for the continent", the Council of Europe, which "excels in the normative area, putting human rights at the forefront" and the European Union – a far more integrated body than the other two.

The Prime Minister spoke of his regret that there could be any duplication of areas of responsibility that may exist among the three institutions, declaring that "things must be put into order" – above all to eliminate "this pointless rivalry" between the Council of Europe and the European Union. These two organisations must "develop in harmony with one another...through the introduction of greater mutual cooperation", said Jean-Claude Juncker.

With this in mind, Jean-Claude Juncker accepted "with pleasure" the special assignment to produce a report on the architecture of Europe given to him in person by the Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski on behalf of the Polish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.