CYIL vol. 14 (2023)

PETR VÁLEK CYIL 14 (2023) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REGISTER OF DAMAGE AS A RESPONSE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE In honor of Mr. Benjamin Ferencz, the Nuremberg prosecutor and role model for generations of international lawyers, whom I had the pleasure to know and who sadly left us this year. Petr Válek 1 Abstract: The Council of Europe, being the international organization based on the rule of law, had to adequately respond to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Its first step, directed against the aggressor, was the exclusion of the Russian Federation from this organization. Its second significant step, this time focused on the victims, became the establishment of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine through an Enlarged Partial Agreement. The author of this article provides an overview of the process leading towards the establishment of this Register of Damage, clarifies the legal nature of enlarged partial agreements of the Council of Europe and explains the key provisions of the Statute of the Register of Damage. In conclusion, he stresses the need to create for the benefit of Ukrainian victims without undue delay also the subsequent Compensation Mechanism. Resumé: Rada Evropy coby mezinárodní organizace založená na vládě práva musela adekvátně reagovat na ruskou agresi proti Ukrajině. Jejím prvním krokem namířeným proti agresorovi bylo vyloučení Ruské federace z této organizace. Jejím druhým významným krokem, tentokrát zaměřeným na oběti, se stalo založení Registru škod způsobených agresí Ruské federace proti Ukrajině prostřednictvím Rozšířené parciální dohody. Autor tohoto článku podává přehled procesu vedoucího ke zřízení tohoto Registru škod, objasňuje právní povahu rozšířených parciálních dohod Rady Evropy a vysvětluje hlavní ustanovení Statutu tohoto Registru škod. Na závěr zdůrazňuje potřebu vytvořit ve prospěch ukrajinských obětí bez zbytečného zpoždění také kompenzační mechanismus. Key words: Council of Europe, United Nations, Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine, Reykjavík Summit, crime of aggression, enlarged partial agreement, International Criminal Court, Rapporteur Group on Legal Co-operation, Compensation Mechanism. On the Author: Mr. Petr Válek has been the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Council of Europe since August 2021. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of the International Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (from 2012 to 2021) and the Legal Advisor of the Czech Permanent Mission to the UN (from 2009 to 2012). Before that, he worked as the Legal Officer in the International Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 2007 1 The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily correspond with the official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and do not bind this institution in any way. Furthermore, I would like to thank my dear colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Emil Ruffer and Mr. Marek Zukal, for their valuable comments that led to the improvement of the text of this article.

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