Visit to Bern by the President of the European Court of Human Rights

Today, the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Jean-Paul Costa, has travelled from Strasbourg to Bern for an official working visit. He has held talks with the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, and the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, Eveline Widmer Schlumpf.  

Switzerland will take over the chair of the Council of Europe from 18 November 2009 to mid-May 2010. In this context a number of different activities have been planned in Switzerland, all expressing the policy line that Switzerland is currently pursuing in the Council of Europe which is to concentrate the Council of Europe’s activities on its three core areas: the protection of human rights and the promotion of democracy and the rule of law. Special attention will be given to the urgent reform of the Court of Human Rights.  

The visit will mark the first official visit of the current President since he took up office at the beginning of 2007.

Contact:Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA),
Information: 031 322 31 53
Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP),
Information: 031 322 18 18

Address for enquiries:

Press and Information Service
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: (+41) 031 322 31 53
Fax: (+41) 031 324 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs