Belarus And The Council Of Europe: Membership Status

Belarus is the only country in Europe that has never been a member of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across the continent. Belarus applied for full membership in 1993 and participated in Council of Europe projects from 1992 onwards, but its special guest status was suspended in 1997 following a referendum that upheld the death penalty. The Council of Europe has continued to work with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile, and in 2022, it established a Contact Group on Cooperation with Belarusian Democratic Forces and Civil Society.

Belarus's relations with the EU

Belarus has never been a member of the Council of Europe. However, the Council has been working to spread its values in the country and bring Belarus closer to the standards required for membership. Belarus applied for full membership in 1993, and its parliament held special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly from 1992 to 1997. This status was suspended following the 1996 constitutional referendum upholding the death penalty and enforcing limits on democratic freedoms, such as freedom of expression.

Mutual relations between Belarus and the European Union (EU) were initially established after the European Economic Community recognised Belarusian independence in 1991. Diplomatic relations were established in August 1992, and a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was signed in March 1995. However, this agreement was not ratified by the EU. Belarus is also a member of trade relations agreements based on the EU Generalised System of Preferences and the Most Favoured Nation.

Relations between Belarus and the EU have been cold and distant since the election of Alexander Lukashenko in 1994, with the EU condemning the Belarusian government several times for authoritarian and anti-democratic practices. The EU has imposed sanctions on the country and excluded Belarus from its European Neighbourhood Policy. Belarus has also been criticised for its stronger ties with Russia, particularly after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

In 2015, the EU suspended most of its sanctions against Belarus following the release of political prisoners. This led to a period of improved relations, with the EU lifting the majority of restrictive measures and increasing financial assistance. Negotiations on EU-Belarus Partnership Priorities began in 2016, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and setting a strategic framework for cooperation. Belarus was an active participant in the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative, joining in 2009. However, in 2021, Belarus suspended its participation in the Eastern Partnership and the readmission agreement with the EU.

Since 2020, the EU has scaled down its relations with the Belarusian authorities and redirected its assistance towards Belarusian civil society and the people, providing support in sectors such as civil society, human rights, independent media, education, culture, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in exile. The EU has also imposed restrictive measures against individuals and entities in Belarus, including asset bans, travel bans, and targeted economic sanctions.

The EU has developed close engagement with Belarusian citizens and civil society, increasing support in areas such as education, mobility, and youth exchanges. The EU-Belarus Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements entered into force in 2020, making it easier for Belarusian citizens to acquire visas to the EU.

The Council of Europe's work with Belarusian civil society

Belarus is the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. Despite this, the Council of Europe has been working to spread its values in Belarus and bring the country closer to the standards needed for membership.

In September 2022, the Council of Europe decided to launch a Contact Group on Cooperation with Belarusian Democratic Forces and Civil Society. The group first met in November 2022 and has been working to support Belarusian civil society and the democratic forces in exile, particularly focusing on young people, independent media, and human rights defenders.

The Council of Europe has outlined a list of activities for 2024-2025, which includes training for Belarusian lawyers and human rights defenders on European human rights standards and principles, such as equality and non-discrimination. There are also plans to raise awareness about the abolition of the death penalty and to encourage the participation of Belarusian democratic forces in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Additionally, the Council of Europe is committed to supporting Belarusian journalists, civil society, and youth organizations in exile.

The Council of Europe's previous 15-point plan for Belarus, launched in February 2023, included projects to promote human rights and the rule of law, change attitudes toward the death penalty, support journalists in exile, and strengthen pluralist democracy with a focus on involving civil society and young people.

One of the key priorities of the Contact Group is to support the development of the rule of law in Belarus by offering study visits and workshops for Belarusian lawyers on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Additionally, the group aims to work with international journalism organizations and European governments to counter disinformation and propaganda from the Belarusian authorities, as well as provide practical support for journalists in exile.

The Council of Europe is actively working towards bringing Belarus closer to the standards required for membership, despite the country not currently being a member.

The Council of Europe's support for Belarusian democratic forces

Belarus is the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. Despite this, the Council of Europe has been working to spread its values in Belarus and bring the country closer to the standards required for membership.

In September 2022, the Council of Europe decided to launch a Contact Group on Cooperation with Belarusian Democratic Forces and Civil Society. The group first met in November 2022 and has been meeting several times a year since then. The group's work includes training and workshops on human rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Council of Europe has also been working to support independent media and human rights defenders in Belarus. They have been helping journalists in exile counter disinformation and propaganda from the Belarusian authorities, and providing them with the means to work, such as easing visa restrictions and providing political and financial support.

The Council of Europe has also been working with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile, particularly young people. They have held workshops on local self-government for Belarusian democratic forces, with a focus on developing a local self-government system in a future democratic Belarus and its alignment with the European Charter of Local Self-Government.

The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together parliamentarians from the Council of Europe's 46 member states, has expressed its strong support for democratic forces in Belarus. It has condemned repression by the Lukashenka regime and demanded the release of political prisoners. The leader of Belarus's democratic forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has addressed the Assembly on several occasions.

In January 2024, the Assembly set out wide-ranging proposals to build a democratic future for Belarus, including the creation of a representative delegation of Belarusian democratic forces to the Assembly. The Assembly has also called for an international tribunal for Belarusian leaders involved in aggression against Ukraine and urged a ban on Belarusian athletes participating in the Paris Olympics.

Belarus's participation in the EU's Eastern Partnership

Belarus has never been a member of the Council of Europe. However, it has participated in the EU's Eastern Partnership.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative of the European Union and its member states with six Eastern European countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The EaP was inaugurated in May 2009 and aims to improve political and economic trade relations with the six post-Soviet states.

Belarus initially joined the EaP as a full member. However, in June 2021, Belarus suspended its participation in the Eastern Partnership. This decision came after a series of events and tensions between Belarus and the EU:

• The EU had progressively imposed restrictive measures on Belarus since October 2020 due to concerns over human rights violations, including the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters following the 2020 presidential election.
• The EU did not recognize the results of the 2020 Belarusian elections, condemning them as neither free nor fair.
• There were allegations of Belarus's involvement in Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, which the EU strongly condemned.

Impact of Suspension:

The suspension of Belarus's participation in the Eastern Partnership has had several consequences:

• The EU has adopted various measures in response to Belarus's actions, including individual and economic sanctions, restrictions on trade, and prohibitions on transactions with Belarusian financial institutions.
• Belarus has been excluded from certain EU programs and initiatives, such as the EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue and the EU-Belarus Coordination Group.
• The EU has scaled down bilateral cooperation with the Belarusian authorities and recalibrated its financial assistance to focus on supporting Belarusian civil society and democratic forces.

Ongoing Engagement with Belarus:

Despite the suspension of its participation in the Eastern Partnership, Belarus continues to engage with the EU through various channels:

• The EU has established a Contact Group on Belarus, which works with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
• The EU has adopted resolutions and statements expressing support for democratic forces in Belarus, condemning human rights violations, and calling for the release of political prisoners.
• There are ongoing discussions and initiatives to promote democratic values, strengthen civil society, and support independent media and human rights defenders in Belarus.

Future Prospects:

The future of Belarus's relations with the EU and its participation in the Eastern Partnership remains uncertain. The EU has expressed its willingness to engage with Belarus constructively, but this is dependent on Belarus's commitment to upholding democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law.

The Council of Europe's conditions for membership

The Council of Europe is an international organisation that was founded on 5 May 1949 to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe. It is distinct from the European Union (EU), although the two organisations share the same European flag and anthem. The Council of Europe is the oldest European intergovernmental organisation, with 46 member states and a population of approximately 675 million as of 2023. It operates on an annual budget of approximately €500 million.

• Any European country may apply for membership, provided they meet specific democratic and human rights standards.
• The country must respect the democratic values of the EU and be committed to promoting them.
• The country must have stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities.
• The country must have a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU.
• The country must be able to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic, and monetary union.
• The country must have the consent of the EU institutions and EU member states, as well as the consent of their citizens, expressed through approval in their national parliaments or by referendum.

Belarus applied for full membership in the Council of Europe on 12 March 1993. However, its application was not successful, and Belarus remains the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. Despite this, the Council of Europe has continued to work with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile, particularly focusing on young people, independent media, and human rights defenders.

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