Across Mr Skoog’s engagements, he underscored that CoE institutions are the EU’s natural partners. Both come from the same vision, spirit and ambition, to preserve peace and ensure prosperity through human rights, democracy and the rule of law. To recall, the EU itself uses many of the standards and guidance set by the Council of Europe. In September 2024, on behalf of the EU, the Commission signed the CoE Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, one of CoE’s recent groundbreaking achievements, an area of interest for the EUSR mandate. The EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) remains an unfinished business. The EUSR was pleased to inform Secretary General Berset that the President of the European Commission defined accession to the ECHR as one of the objectives of her second term in office. EUSR Skoog received updates on CoE work in the South Caucasus in view of his own engagements.