Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today met with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague at the Foreign Office in London. Mr Hague and Mr Jagland agreed on the need for reform of the Council of Europe, and in particular reform of the European Court of Human Rights, which will be a priority of the UK chairmanship beginning in November. Both emphasised the importance of EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights. "EU accession to the Court will close an important gap in the European legal system", said Thorbjørn Jagland. Jagland also presented the Eminent Persons' report "Living Together – Combining diversity and freedom in 21st-century Europe” at an event in the Chatham House. The top think-tank defines its mission as analysing and promoting the understanding of major international issues and current affairs.

Speech by Thorbjørn Jagland