OSCE PA and French Delegation event on the 30th Anniversary of the Charter of Paris - 20 November 2020

The 30th
Anniversary of the Charter of Paris:
A Parliamentary Perspective
Friday 20 November 2020, 14:30-16:30 CET, online
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the French Delegation to the OSCE PA are
co-hosting a high-level commemorative event to mark the 30th
anniversary of the Charter of
Paris for a New Europe. The Charter was adopted during the second Summit of Heads of State
or Government of the Conference for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (CSCE), held in Paris
on 19 – 21 November 1990, underscoring the end of the Cold War and setting the basis – also at
an institutional level - for what is today the OSCE. In the preamble, leaders emphasized that “we
assembled in a time of profound change and historic expectations. The era of confrontation and
division of Europe has ended. We declare that henceforth our relations will be founded on
respect and co-operation”. They also committed to continue to pursue the principles of the 1975
Helsinki Final Act as guiding values.
In these 30 years, the OSCE has provided to its participating States, now 57, a significant added
value as a platform for dialogue to discuss common security issues, and the progressive
development and implementation of important commitments in all three dimensions of its
comprehensive concept of security. It also continues to offer an indispensable and unique toolbox
to address all phases of the conflict cycle. However, today in 2020 the OSCE is suffering,
together with other international organizations, from a widespread crisis of multilateralism, and
cooperation in the Helsinki and Paris spirit seems to proceed with increasing fatigue. Is the OSCE
still relevant 30 years after the Paris Charter? Were the expectations of the signatories met? What
does the organization need to maintain its relevance and continue to provide the indispensable
added value it was created for also in today’s complex international security framework?
The Charter of Paris is also crucial for Parliamentarians, as it first called for the establishment of
the then CSCE Parliamentary Assembly. In this context, this event will place a special focus to
the parliamentary perspective on the OSCE, and it aims at debating the distinct role of the
Assembly in supporting the work of the Organization, both through parliamentary diplomacy
and through the activity of legislators in their national Parliaments. The OSCE PA stands ready
to provide its contribution with a set of initiatives - especially by leveraging on its significant
capacity of generating political thrust and raising public awareness – to stimulate the work of the
OSCE in these challenging times and bring back high level political attention to it.
The event, addressed mainly to parliamentary delegations and open to the general public, will be
held online, due to limitations posed by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
It will be opened and chaired by the Head of the French Delegation to the OSCE PA, Sereine
Mauborgne, and moderated by OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella. Keynote
addresses by high-level guest speakers will be followed by interventions of national parliamentary
delegations. OSCE PA Vice-President Pascal Allizard will deliver concluding remarks.
A detailed agenda will be shared in the coming weeks, together with additional information on
the event and registration modalities.
CONCEPT
MODALITIES
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2020-21
OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 3
Offentligt