VIENNA, 28 October 2025 — The Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, will address the OSCE Permanent Council at the Vienna Hofburg on Thursday 30 October.

In his address, Secretary General Berset will focus on Europe’s security challenges, calling for a renewed emphasis on democratic security.  In response to rising democratic backsliding and increasing rearmament, Berset will highlight the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe as a collective effort to strengthen Europe’s security architecture and make democracies in Europe more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to contemporary challenges.

Journalists are invited to cover Secretary General Berset’s address at 10:45 am (CET) on Thursday, 30 October (spaces limited).

Following the address to the Permanent Council, a short stand-up press briefing by Secretary General Berset is foreseen tentatively for 11:45 am (CET).

To attend, please register by 12:00 (noon, CET) on Wednesday, 29 October, by sending an email to press@osce.org with your name, outlet and position. Please note that arrival time for the address to the Permanent Council will be at 9:30am (CET).

If you are interested in an individual interview with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, please contact tatiana.baeva-frachon@coe.int

The OSCE Permanent Council is the decision-making body gathering representatives of all 57 participating States of the Organization and 11 Partners for Co-operation. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area.