5 How do we approach the challenges?

5.1 Strengthening democracy and democratic institutions

The challenges to democracy in Europe are real and serious, and the Government has adopted a comprehensive approach to international democracy promotion, underpinned by the principles of individual freedom, participation, equality, non-discrimination, and the rule of law. Civil society, free media and trade unions are essential to inclusive democratic processes.

Norwegian efforts to promote democracy encompass national authorities, academia, NGOs and international forums. The Council of Europe is an important arena for this work. The Government will strengthen and expand co-operation within the organisation, including by better coordinating Norwegian efforts to promote democracy.

The Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Democracy (CDDEM) is working to implement the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy. Norway holds the Vice-Chair position of the CDDEM and will work to promote the practical and effective implementation of the principles. In addition to the exchange of good democratic practices between Member States, the implementation of the Reykjavík Principles should also entail mutual accountability, whereby Member States hold each other to account in cases of democratic backsliding. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will be an important actor in promoting the implementation of the Reykjavík Principles in Member States.

Secretary General Berset has started work on a new Democratic Pact for Europe. He has expressed a desire to co-operate with Norway on the plan, which we have supported.

Elections and election observation

Independent election observation is crucial for elections to be trusted by the population. The OSCE/ODIHR and the Council of Europe/PACE are key actors in this area. Norway will continue to prioritise support for the ODIHR’s election observation activities, which is regarded as the gold standard for its methodologies and the confidence-building follow-up of election processes.

Local democracy

Both the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the OSCE’s ODIHR monitor local elections in Europe and make recommendations. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities works to strengthen local and regional democracy. For example, the Council of Europe has assisted municipalities in Moldova and Ukraine in improving electoral processes and enhancing citizens’ influence on local decisions.

The Government will continue to support efforts to promote local democracy through the Council of Europe. This is an important prerequisite for democratic development and social stability.

Anti-corruption

A well-known prerequisite for democracy and good governance is effective efforts to combat corruption. Anti-corruption efforts – through the strict enforcement of laws, transparency in public processes, and genuinely independent oversight bodies – are among the most effective tools for preventing democratic erosion. The aim is to build strong institutions and a zero-tolerance culture toward corruption, in order to counteract authoritarian backsliding in both emerging and established democracies. This is an important reason why Norway prioritises anti-corruption efforts, both nationally and internationally, and supports measures that ensure greater transparency, accountability and good governance.

Education and democratic resilience

Both the Reykjavík Declaration and the Declaration of the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe of September 2023 emphasise the central role of education for democratic values and resilience.

The Government will strengthen democratic resilience in Europe through education. Priority measures include strengthening democratic participation and values, promoting inclusion, preventing discrimination and radicalisation, and enhancing media and digital literacy in the face of disinformation. We will also increase our involvement and presence in initiatives to promote academic freedom.

Culture and cultural heritage, as well as the free exercise of art and culture, play an important role in shaping society by promoting democratic values such as inclusion, diversity, gender equality and active participation in society. The Government will cultivate a free and independent cultural life and safeguard artistic freedom in Europe.

The Council of Europe plays a key role in ensuring Member States’ compliance with the rights of children and young people. The Government will continue to emphasise this work based on the following priorities: protecting children from violence, promoting social inclusion, ensuring safe use of technology, developing child-friendly legal processes and services, strengthening children’s right to be heard and supporting children in emergency situations and crises.

5.2 Strengthening the rule of law

Judicial independence

The Venice Commission has highlighted many cases of power shifts between the three branches of government within the Member States, in particular where the executive branch (the government) has gained control of the judiciary. In countries with presidential systems, there have been instances where the president abolishes term limits to extend their time in office. The work of the Venice Commission and the Council of Europe’s other monitoring mechanisms are important contributions to the EU’s Rule of Law Reports for EU Member States and candidate countries. The Norwegian Courts Administration co-operates with the Council of Europe’s Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) and already contributes to other parts of the Council of Europe’s work and support to Member States in these areas.

Reykjavik Principles 4 and 5 address the separation of powers, balance of power, judicial independence and effective control. In the Council of Europe’s work on adherence to the Principles, the Government will emphasise measures that can effectively monitor compliance in practice. At the same time, the Government wants to strengthen the work of the Venice Commission in this area, including by enhancing its personnel resources.

The possibility of seconding Norwegian personnel, cf. below, will be considered. The Government will also use the opportunity to set conditions on respect for the rule of law in the use of voluntary contributions under the Council of Europe’s action plans and in the use of EEA and Norway Grants.

Efforts to combat organised crime and human trafficking

To protect society against organised crime, all relevant institutions in a democratic state governed by the rule of law must be familiar with the various issues generated by organised crime and criminal networks. A number of Council of Europe initiatives and programmes are highly relevant and important to efforts aimed at preventing and combating various forms of crime. These initiatives and programmes should therefore be followed up.

The Council of Europe conventions on action against trafficking in human beings, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cybercrime and extradition of offenders are examples of judicial co-operation to combat serious and organised crime. Norway recognises that organised crime poses a threat to the rule of law and democracy, and will contribute to various Council of Europe programmes to prevent and combat this type of crime. Norway will also strengthen its efforts against human trafficking through a new national strategy.

5.3 Protecting and promoting human rights

Implementation of the ECHR and ECtHR judgements

Member States’ follow-up and implementation of the ECHR and the judgements of the ECtHR is crucial to the effectiveness of the convention system and an important contribution to safeguarding human rights and the rule of law in Council of Europe Member States. Norway contributes to this by faithfully complying with its judgements in relation to us and by submitting high-quality reports to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. At the same time, there are challenges in several countries, often due to a lack of political will. Norway will raise issues at the highest level and urge like-minded countries to do the same, particularly in cases involving political prisoners.

Russia has been excluded from the Council of Europe, but there remain thousands of pending applications against Russia before the ECtHR. The Court aims to finalise these cases in 2025. The Secretariat of the Council of Europe has created an overview of measures that remain to be taken. Norway will support this work and emphasise that judgements in the ECHR constitute an international obligation.

Freedom of expression, independent media and disinformation

Norway gives high priority to protecting freedom of expression in its international human rights work. An independent, critical press is one of the most important institutions in any democratic society. In its political dialogue with other countries’ authorities, Norway shall be a clear defender of freedom of expression. In the Council of Europe, Norway shall also be clear in its criticism of human rights violations in individual countries.

Disinformation and influence campaigns are a growing problem. This undermines the population’s trust in democratic processes and institutions and has a polarising effect. Through its co-operation in the Council of Europe, Norway will contribute to countering the spread of disinformation by safeguarding freedom of expression and promoting open and informed public discourse. This includes supporting a free and independent press and strengthening critical media literacy among the population. It is also important to raise awareness of democratic preparedness and strengthen resilience to disinformation and influence operations throughout the population.

The Government will also contribute to strengthening the capacity of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM). Established in 1997, the RFoM is the world’s only inter-governmental «public watchdog», based in Vienna. The RFoM observes and advises on relevant media developments in all of the OSCE’s 57 Participating States and also addresses serious issues concerning media freedom and the safety of journalists. The Representative works closely with both states and civil society to contribute to a framework in which independent media, including critical journalists and human rights defenders, can carry out their work free from threats, harassment or violence.

International co-operation is essential to address the global challenges brought about by artificial intelligence (AI), especially in relation to human rights and democratic values. The Council of Europe has several ongoing processes pertaining to AI. Norway actively participated in the negotiations on a new Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This Convention was adopted in May 2024 and signed by Norway in September of the same year.

Media and technology companies play a major role in shaping the public sphere and influencing freedom of expression. Norway is advocating for increased transparency in the use of algorithms and content moderation. Disinformation spreads more readily in closed networks, highlighting the need for more effective international co-operation between governments, companies, and civil society. Therefore, Norway will contribute to strengthening global solutions for fact-checking, complement national regulations and promote corporate responsibility to respect human rights.

The crucial role of civil society

Civil society is often the decisive force driving democratic change. A strong civil society is a prerequisite for genuine democracy. Therefore, Norway will strengthen the participation of civil society in the Council of Europe and address instances where states restrict or penalise the participation of human rights defenders and civil society.

The Government will be a driving force in strengthening civil society’s access to active and meaningful participation in the work of the Council of Europe. We will also work to strengthen the ability of organisations to respond when Member States are responsible for reprisals against civil society, human rights defenders and others due to their participation.

The Government will support regional initiatives for the protection of human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders. Norway shall maintain a close dialogue with organisations working to protect human rights defenders on how best to prevent repression of civic space.

Gender equality

The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029 emphasises equal treatment and equal opportunities for women and men. It is a stated objective that a gender equality perspective and non-discrimination be incorporated in all Council of Europe policies and activities. It is also important to work to ensure that as many countries as possible ratify the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. In this context, information and awareness-raising about the Convention’s purpose and scope are crucial to securing support for the work of the Convention’s monitoring body, GREVIO. The notion of an equal Europe, with equal opportunities and rights for all citizens, is being challenged in Europe and beyond. Rollback policies entail a growing resistance to diversity, equality and inclusion. Measures that promote diversity, equality and inclusion are portrayed as forced, unlawful and immoral. Such trends erode human rights and threaten the right to equal treatment of individuals, irrespective of gender, disability, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. A European backlash against gender equality threatens to undermine equal opportunities for participation and representation in democratic processes. Therefore, the European fight for gender equality is about protecting democracy and preserving our values.

Norway prioritises efforts that promote gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, the human rights of LGBT+ people, prevent and combat racism, combat all forms of discrimination and violence, and counteract anti-gender narratives, conspiracy theories and gender-related disinformation. Together with like-minded countries, Norway and the Nordic Region will seek to strengthen the Council of Europe as a meeting place for constructive dialogue on opportunities and challenges in gender equality policy based on the exchange of knowledge and experience.

Protection of minorities

The Council of Europe plays an important role in safeguarding the cultural rights of national minorities, and Norway has ratified both the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which covers national minorities and the Sami as indigenous peoples in Norway. This framework covers areas including freedom of expression, cultural activities, cross-border co-operation and media access. Norway participates in the Council of Europe’s steering committees on gender equality and non-discrimination, and supports the Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029.

To address challenges related to discrimination, hate crime and restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression, Norway supports projects under the auspices of the Council of Europe that promote inclusion, equal treatment and social cohesion.

With the increase in immigration in recent decades, Norway has seen a significant rise in the number of religious communities and religious minorities in mainstream society. Greater awareness of the normative framework surrounding freedom of religion or belief, more strategic efforts to safeguard this freedom in a diverse democracy, and a deeper understanding of discrimination and polarisation based on religion or belief are essential for ensuring inclusion and broader participation from minority groups, which will, in turn, strengthen the resilience of democracy.

Economic and social rights

The European Social Charter guarantees economic and social rights, including rights related to employment, housing, health, welfare, and education. It places particular emphasis on the protection of vulnerable groups such as children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities and migrants. The Social Charter contains 31 different rights (principles) that are to be the aim of Contracting Parties’ policies and which they must endeavour to achieve by all appropriate measures. The Charter sets out 31 articles containing provisions that impose obligations on the Contracting Parties to implement the rights concerned; however, the Parties have a degree of flexibility in choosing which articles to accept. The Social Charter builds upon the rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Compliance is monitored by the European Committee of Social Rights.

The importance of good tripartite co-operation

Tripartite co-operation between the government, trade unions and employers can make a significant contribution to strengthening democracy by ensuring that all stakeholders are heard in decision-making processes affecting working life. In turn, this contributes to building trust and co-operation between authorities and society. Decisions made through tripartite co-operation can enhance the legitimacy and accountability of the social partners, including during challenging times. The tripartite co-operation provides a platform for dialogue and negotiations between the parties even in crisis situations. This is particularly important in countries where democratic institutions are weak or under pressure.

A good and trusting social dialogue can contribute to resolving conflicts peacefully and prevent work-related unrest. This is an important contribution to maintaining stability and promoting economic development.

The Government will continue to pursue a coherent policy to protect and promote workers’ rights and social dialogue internationally, including through the Council of Europe.

Climate, environment and human rights

The interrelationship between the environment, climate and human rights is an important issue at the national, European and global levels.

As a follow-up to the Reykjavík Summit, the Council of Europe has set up a working group to develop a new environmental strategy. The aim is to strengthen the Council of Europe’s efforts to protect democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the context of the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises. Although the ECHR does not explicitly address the environment, the ECtHR has ruled in several judgements that serious climate and environmental damage may constitute violations of the right to life (Article 2) and the right to respect for private and family life and home (Article 8). Norway will contribute to the work of the Committee of Ministers and relevant steering committees on human rights aspects of climate and environmental issues.

In November 2024, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights submitted a report to the Committee of Ministers on the need and feasibility of further Council of Europe instruments on human rights and the environment. The report presents various feasible instruments, both legally binding and non-binding. One of several proposals is to draft an additional protocol to the ECHR. The matter is currently being discussed by Member States in the Committee of Ministers.

5.4 Dilemmas relating to the community of common values

When ten countries came together to establish the Council of Europe in 1949, most European states were not yet democracies. There were several military dictatorships in Western Europe, and communist states in the East. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, all Central and Eastern European states were invited to join the Council of Europe, provided they supported the shared community of values, meaning that the states became democratic, guaranteed human rights and respected the rule of law.

Thus, the Council of Europe is based on a shared community of values – an organisation for like-minded states, or those on that trajectory. The Council of Europe’s statutes stipulate that a state that seriously violates these values may be suspended from the organisation and, in extreme cases, expelled. This was the sanction imposed on Russia following the attack on Ukraine in 2022.

Authoritarian elected officials, as well as the threat of Russian hybrid warfare, now threaten the European project. In the areas of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, we are witnessing member states of the Council of Europe failing to comply with the rules, and the backlog in the implementation of judgments of systemic significance from the ECtHR is growing. In some countries, the authorities are more openly opposed to legislative compliance than before.

There is an ongoing debate, particularly among members of PACE, about what the threshold should be for membership in the Council of Europe. The debate was prompted by the situation in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh and the mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region in 2023, alongside the large number of political prisoners and the failure to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, may be viewed as violations of the fundamental criteria for the country’s membership in the Council of Europe. The debate also involves Georgia following the elections in the autumn of 2024.

Council of Europe Member States do not hold a unified position on this matter, which may also be influenced by the geopolitical considerations of each individual country. The Government’s position to date has been that maintaining dialogue with all Council of Europe Member States is important, as such dialogue provides an opportunity to influence the situation. This does not mean that there is no minimum threshold for what can be accepted from a Member State, but rather that this must be assessed specifically on a case-by-case basis and cannot be determined unequivocally in advance.

With regard to Azerbaijan, the Government believes that the Council of Europe must take further action and that suspension or exclusion cannot be ruled out if the situation does not improve. The Government adopts a principled stance on the need to uphold the shared community of values and the legitimacy of the Council of Europe. States that lack the political will to fulfil the obligations of Council of Europe membership should not be members of the organisation.

5.5 Accountability of Russia

The solidarity in support of Ukraine has been, and remains, strong within the Council of Europe, albeit with some exceptions.

The Register of Damage for Ukraine was established in 2023 under the auspices of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe has demonstrated that its role as a ‘home’ for pan-European joint activities, in which states outside Europe can also participate, is useful when Europe is united and the UN is divided.

• The Register of Damage for Ukraine, where Ukrainians can report damage caused by Russian warfare, was established during the 2023 Summit. This marks a first step, and the Register has been operational since April 2024. As of December 2024, approximately 13,000 claims had been filed.

• A compensation mechanism has been proposed as the next step. There is a draft agreement on the establishment of a claims commission. The Council of Europe has offered to assist in the establishment of this commission, which will assess the claims submitted. The financing, whether from frozen Russian assets or other sources, remains a difficult issue.

• Norway participates in a Core Group of countries discussing the prosecution of those responsible for the Russian aggression against Ukraine. One possible option is the establishment of a special tribunal through an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, with other states acting as a steering committee through an enlarged partial agreement.

Secretary General Alain Berset is working to ensure that the Council of Europe has a role in both the establishment and operation of a compensation mechanism and a special tribunal. Norway is supportive of this.

5.6 Summary: «The Government will»

The Norwegian Government will:

Strengthening democracy and democratic institutions

• Strengthen the position of democracy in Europe by bolstering independent courts, free media, trade unions and other civil society organisations.

• Stand up for democratic values, the rule of law and human rights when they are challenged.

• Strengthen and coordinate Norwegian efforts to promote democracy in the Council of Europe.

• Strengthen the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ (ODIHR) election observation efforts, including in co-operation with other Nordic countries.

• Advocate for the implementation of the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy in a manner that promotes the exchange of good practices and provides support and guidance to member states in preventing and resisting democratic decline. Furthermore, be a driving force in ensuring that member states are effectively held accountable for democratic backsliding.

• Strengthen the dialogue with the European Commission and the presidency of the Council of the EU on initiatives to reinforce democracy and the rule of law in Europe.

• Use Nordic and Nordic-Baltic co-operation as forums to discuss the rule of law and democracy in Europe and communicate shared messages.

• Strengthen co-operation between the Council of Europe and the OSCE, particularly in conflict areas where the OSCE has an operational presence.

• Support the development of national legislation and institutions that safeguard media pluralism and diversity and editorial freedom, protect sources and prevent censorship and surveillance of the media.

• Be a driver of international co-operation to combat the spread of disinformation, enhance critical media literacy, and ensure greater transparency and better control of content moderation on the major social media platforms.

• Strengthening democratic resilience in Europe through education.

• Contribute to promoting culture and cultural heritage as a prerequisite for democratic societies based on mutual understanding and with favourable conditions for a free cultural life, artistic freedom and cultural diversity.

• Effectively deploy EEA and Norway Grants to support common binding standards and norms.

Strengthening the rule of law

• Continue efforts to strengthen and improve the efficiency of criminal justice co-operation in Europe, including through participation in relevant expert groups in the Council of Europe.

• Continue the Norwegian Courts Administration’s work on collecting and contributing to good practices for independent courts through participation in European judicial co-operation.

• Promote the principles of the rule of law in all European co-operation, including by considering third-party interventions before the European Court of Justice in cases of fundamental importance to the rule of law.

• Be a driving force behind efforts to prosecute crimes against humanity.

Human rights

• Continue to support the legitimacy of the ECtHR, including by faithfully complying with its judgements in relation to Norway and ensuring that our reports to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the follow-up of judgments are submitted on time and of high quality.

• Use findings and recommendations from the Council of Europe’s monitoring mechanisms and the ECtHR’s rulings more systematically as a knowledge base in bilateral dialogue with member states.

• Be a vocal defender of freedom of expression and freedom of the media, including through strengthened support for the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

• Support international efforts to protect journalists and media workers and combat impunity for abuses.

• Advocate for international regulation that ensures effective reporting and removal of illegal hate speech on social media.

• Support initiatives to map and combat digital violence against girls and women, as well as other vulnerable groups.

• Be a driving force for strengthening civil society participation in the work of the Council of Europe.

• Counteract the curtailment of democracy and human rights and oppose violations of international law, including international human rights law, wherever they may take place, with particular emphasis on freedom of expression, religion or belief and assembly.

• Make active use of the tripartite co-operation between the government, trade unions and employers and emphasise labour rights in efforts to promote human rights.

• Contribute to co-operation between Norwegian artists and artists in countries where human rights and freedom of expression are under pressure.

• Be a driving force for gender equality efforts in the Council of Europe, including the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029.

• Work to strengthen the Council of Europe as a forum for constructive knowledge-based dialogue for equality and non-discrimination.

• Support international efforts to combat gender-based violence, including by promoting adherence to and implementation of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

• Support measures that promote the inclusion and equal treatment of minorities, including through conflict-mitigating and dialogue-promoting measures between groups in society.

• Combat persecution and discrimination of people on the basis of sexual orientation.

• Support regional initiatives for the protection of human rights defenders.

Interaction between Norway, the Council of Europe and the EU

• Pursue an active and comprehensive European policy to safeguard Norwegian interests.

• Promote the Council of Europe as a platform for co-operation and accountability and as an instrument for upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe.

• Continue efforts to recruit more Norwegians to the Council of Europe.

• Use the work of the Council of Europe to strengthen regional and bilateral co-operation with prioritised European countries.

• Through the Council of Europe, assist countries and regions that are particularly vulnerable to disinformation, attacks on democracy and the undermining of human rights and the rule of law.

• Contribute to promoting a mutually reinforcing interaction between climate and environment and security, democracy, rule of law and human rights, in co-operation with the EU and like-minded countries.

• Strengthen contributions to the Council of Europe’s action plans, with a particular focus on Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia. Contribute to improving the efficiency and impact of the Council of Europe’s work at the country level to develop the rule of law and democracy.

• Actively deploy EEA and Norway Grants as a unique foreign policy instrument with a clear profile that promotes civil society, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including increased resilience against foreign malign influence.

• Continue to set requirements for the use of EEA and Norway Grants.

• Strengthen strategic co-operation with the Council of Europe, the OECD and the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) through EEA and Norway Grants.

Accountability of Russia

• Use the Council of Europe to build resilience against Russian subversion of fragile states.

• Use the Council of Europe to hold Russia accountable.

• Coordinate with like-minded countries and build alliances with more distant countries on weakening Russian narratives and attempts at subversion.