The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, has made a two-day visit to Denmark, during which he took part in the 7th meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) on 2 October and undertook an official visit on 3 October.

Participation in the European Political Community
At the EPC summit, the Secretary General reiterated his central message: military security and democratic security must go hand in hand. He warned that a Europe investing massively in defence, but weakened by democratic backsliding, disinformation and foreign influence, would remain vulnerable.

He highlighted the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact, which offers practical tools for strengthening the rule of law and protecting civic space and electoral integrity. He also mentioned the work under way on a new Convention against foreign interference and disinformation.

“The issue is clear: if states rearm but extremist governments come to power tomorrow, what happens? Hence the need to link military security and democratic security, at a time when the latter is in decline,” concluded the Secretary General.

Ukraine was at the heart of the discussions. The Secretary General reaffirmed the Council of Europe’s commitment to accountability, notably through the Register of Damage, the Claims Commission and the preparations for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. He also referred to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine, which aims to strengthen justice and the fight against corruption and to support democratic reforms.

On the sidelines of the summit, he met several European leaders, including Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, to discuss the link between military and democratic security.

Official visit to Denmark
On 3 October, as part of his official visit, the Secretary General was received by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. He also met the Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, the Minister of Immigration and Integration, Rasmus Stoklund, and the Danish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The issue of migration and the role of the European Convention on Human Rights were at the forefront of the discussions. The Secretary General reaffirmed that the right method is based on dialogue and co-operation, and not on putting pressure on the European Court of Human Rights. In this context, he presented concrete proposals aimed at structuring and strengthening dialogue. The Secretary General and the Prime Minister agreed to continue their discussions on this basis.

At the University of Copenhagen, the Secretary General gave a lecture entitled “Democratic Security or Strategic Irrelevance: Shaping Europe’s Future” in the presence of students, academics and representatives of the international community. He also gave interviews to the Danish and international press.