Europe’s New Democratic Security Imperative: Council of Europe at EPC Summit

Europe’s New Democratic Security Imperative: Council of Europe at EPC Summit

Titled “Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe”, the report offers a comprehensive stocktake of the state of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the Council of Europe’s 46 member states.

RMN News Report
May 16, 2025

Against a backdrop of war, democratic backsliding, and accelerating disruption in Europe and the world, the Council of Europe is underscoring the critical need for a new approach to security. Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset is set to join over 40 European heads of state and government at the sixth European Political Community (EPC) Summit hosted on 16 May in Tirana, Albania.

Speaking at the 134th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Luxembourg (13–14 May 2025), Secretary General Alain Berset stated that “European security can no longer be conceived in silos”. He declared that the traditional divide between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ security has become obsolete.

According to Berset, protecting Europe’s institutions, rights, and freedoms—against both external and internal challenges—has become a strategic imperative. This approach, focusing on democratic values and institutions, is seen as the “first line of defence”, termed Democratic Security.

The Council of Europe is committed to strengthening its role within the EPC platform, specifically advocating for democratic security to be placed at the core of Europe’s evolving security architecture. The EPC Summit in Tirana will operate under the theme, “New Europe in a New World: Unity – Co-operation – Joint Action”.

A plenary session on security is a key part of the summit, including discussions on support for Ukraine. This will be followed by three thematic roundtables addressing crucial challenges and opportunities for the continent:

• Securing Europe and Strengthening Democratic Resilience
• One Europe: Boosting Competitiveness and Security through Innovation and Resilience
• An Open Europe with Secure Borders: Addressing Mobility Challenges and Fostering Youth Empowerment

As part of his engagement in Tirana, the Secretary General will also highlight the findings of his recently published 2025 annual report. Titled “Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe”, the report offers a comprehensive stocktake of the state of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the Council of Europe’s 46 member states.

By placing democratic security at the heart of the discussion, the Council of Europe, through Secretary General Berset, aims to promote a unified and resilient Europe capable of facing contemporary challenges head-on.