The Principality of Monaco will take over the Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (May-November 2026) for the first time, with a focus on ethics in sport, children's rights, combating gender-based violence and strengthening international cooperation on human-rights issues.
In the podcast "Monaco Info" Ambassador Gabriel Revel, Permanent Representative of Monaco to the Council of Europe, says that "The Presidency is a unique opportunity, not only to highlight our presidency priorities, but also to show another side of the country: that Monaco is more than the Casino or the Prince's Palace."
He also outlines the key reforms that Monaco needed to undertake before joining the Council of Europe, and the impact of its membership two decades later.
"Before acceding to the Council of Europe in 2004, Monaco went through a six-year accession process (1998-2004), during which it introduced constitutional reforms and revised its bilateral treaties with France, thereby reinforcing the Principality's sovereignty. These reforms were a request of the rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly, responsible for issuing an opinion before the accession to the Council of Europe, and who specified these elements as a prerequisite.
In concrete terms, this means that since 2002 appointments to the highest positions are available for Monegasque nationals. There is also the diplomatic aspect which has evolved with this reform, where Monaco has been able to open diplomatic posts in countries, and to install embassies in France and Italy in Monaco, for example."
Membership of the Council of Europe has also enabled a number of developments at the national level, including changes related to civil rights. "For example, the issue of divorce reform and the ending of the obligation for women to bear their husband's surname automatically. So, there has been a concrete impact over the past 20 years."
In addition, Monaco has launched a series of short videos entitled "The Council of Europe Minute" (La Minute du Conseil de l'Europe), aimed at raising awareness of the Council of Europe and its impact on European citizens through specific examples.
Listen to the podcast episode with Ambassador Gabriel Revel (in French only)
Watch the episodes of La Minute du Conseil de l'Europe (in French only):
- La minute Conseil de l'Europe : quel est son rôle ?
- La minute Conseil de l'Europe : les institutions européennes
- La minute du Conseil de l'Europe : la convention européenne des droits de l'homme - Monaco Info
