COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 21 January 2008
Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union
on closure of the regional offices of the British Council in
Russian Federation
The EU is very concerned at Russia's continued demand to close the regional offices of the
British Council in St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, and recalls its statement of 21
December 2007 on this issue. The EU deeply regrets in particular the harassment of British
Council staff, as well as the administrative and other measures announced by the Russian
authorities. These actions are contrary to the spirit of the cultural cooperation Russia
agreed to pursue at the first EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council on Culture on 25
October 2007 in Lisbon.
The EU again underlines the valuable and important role that the British Council, as well
as all other cultural institutes of EU Member States in Russia, play in fostering cooperation
between the Russian Federation and the EU. Cultural institutes form an essential element
for the mutual knowledge of peoples and cultures, and should be strongly supported. They
are also key to developing EU-Russia cultural relations under the EU-Russia Partnership
and Cooperation Agreement.
The EU urges the Russian Federation to allow the British Council to operate freely and
effectively in Russia and to take no further actions that might hinder its activities.
"The Candidate Countries Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the
Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and the EFTA country Norway, member of the
European Economic Area, as well as Georgia align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the
Stabilisation and Association Process."