COPENHAGEN, 7 April 2025 – Meeting today at the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Bureau, joined by Special Representatives and Chairs of Ad Hoc Committees, discussed priority issues for the Assembly ahead of this summer’s Annual Session in Porto, Portugal.
On the agenda were discussions of OSCE PA President Pia Kauma (Finland)’s activities, the report of Treasurer Johan Büser (Sweden) and his presentation of the fiscal year 2025-26 budget, the presentations of OSCE PA Rapporteurs regarding their ideas and intentions for the Annual Session, and reports of Ad Hoc Committees and Special Representatives.
Welcoming OSCE parliamentarians to Denmark, the Acting Head of the Danish Delegation, Malte Larsen, recalled that inter-parliamentary gatherings such as today’s meeting are a powerful reminder of the importance of multilateral co-operation. Noting that the meeting takes place at a time that the rules-based international order is increasingly under threat, Larsen emphasized that it is important for OSCE parliamentarians and the broader international community to remain united to counter challenges to common security.
President Kauma provided an overview of her plans for the coming weeks and months before the Porto Annual Session, stressing the importance of responding proactively and robustly to emerging challenges. “A great deal has happened since we last met in Vienna for our Winter Meeting, with numerous events and political decisions shaping security in Europe,” she said. “The situation remains highly dynamic.”
The President highlighted a number of planned activities, including possible election observation missions to Albania, Romania, Moldova, and Serbia. She also pointed to her initiatives for parliamentary diplomacy, including a planned visit this week to Uzbekistan where she will take part in a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and intends to meet with several national OSCE PA delegations. She also highlighted possible trips to Greenland, Montenegro, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and the United States.
Committee on Political Affairs and Security Rapporteur Tobias Winkler (Germany) presented his report and draft resolution, highlighting the Ukraine war as the leading threat to security and stability in the OSCE area and reiterating OSCE PA calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian military forces from the territory of Ukraine. He also urged continued financial, political, diplomatic and military aid to Kyiv, noting the importance of ensuring strong engagement in defence of the Helsinki Final Act’s core principles, including respect for national sovereignty and the inviolability of borders.
The report for the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment was delivered by Ana Margarida Isidoro on behalf of Rapporteur Paula Cardoso (Portugal). In her report, Cardoso intends to focus on climate change, water scarcity, migration, clean energy, good governance, artificial intelligence, connectivity and re-industrialization, and rebuilding Ukraine. The report will focus heavily on maximizing the OSCE PA’s contributions in all of these fields, Isidoro said.
Carina Ödebrink (Sweden), the Rapporteur of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, presented her preliminary report and draft resolution, focusing on protecting people in armed conflict, fundamental freedoms, minorities and vulnerable groups, women’s rights and gender equality, and enhancing and protecting the OSCE human dimension. She stressed that dedication to human rights is paramount in safeguarding the people of the OSCE region.
Following the presentations of the draft resolutions, Bureau members discussed their content and offered feedback. Once the Rapporteurs consider this feedback and incorporate changes, the documents will be published on the OSCE PA’s website.
Chairs of Ad Hoc Committees and Special Representatives also reported to the Bureau, focusing on issues such as youth engagement, countering terrorism, and migration.
Photos of the Bureau meeting are available for public use on Flickr.
