Ministerial Councils

The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE, convened once a year in the country holding the Chairmanship.

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The Ministerial Council is composed of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the OSCE participating States and is the central decision-making and governing body of the Organization. Summit meetings at the level of Heads of State or Government are the highest decision-making body of the OSCE.

Ministerial meetings, as a rule, are convened once a year in the country holding the Chairmanship. Additional meetings, including informal meetings may be called at any time.

History

The first meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) took place in Helsinki on 3-7 July 1973. Two years later, in August 1975, the so-called Helsinki Process culminated in the first CSCE Summit of Heads of State and Government, which adopted the Helsinki Final Act.

The Ministerial Council itself was established by the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990).

25th OSCE Ministerial Council, Milan
6-7 December 2018

24th OSCE Ministerial Council, Vienna
7-8 December 2017

23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, Hamburg
8-9 December 2016

22nd OSCE Ministerial Council, Belgrade
3-4 December 2015

21st OSCE Ministerial Council, Basel
4-5 December 2014

20th OSCE Ministerial Council, Kyiv
5-6 December 2013

19th Ministerial Council, Dublin
6-7 December 2012

18th Ministerial Council, Vilnius
6-7 December 2011

17th Ministerial Council, Athens
1-2 December 2009

16th Ministerial Council, Helsinki
4-5 December 2008

15th Ministerial Council, Madrid
29-30 November 2007