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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to our most frequently asked questions about the Helsinki Commission, Helsinki Commissioners, and the OSCE.

Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(U.S. Helsinki Commission)

What is the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe?

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe—also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission—is an independent U.S. government commission that advances American national security and national interests by promoting human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries.

The Helsinki Commission monitors and encourages compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments by strengthening human rights monitoring, defending those persecuted for acting on their rights and freedoms, and ensuring that compliance with Helsinki provisions are given due consideration in U.S. foreign policy.

The Helsinki Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine members from the U.S. House of Representatives, and one member each from the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.

The work of the Helsinki Commission covers issues in all three “dimensions” of the OSCE: politico-military challenges (“first”); economic and environmental cooperation (“second”); and the defense of human rights (“third”). Topics range from ongoing conflicts in the OSCE zone and emerging challenges including terrorism and insecurity in cyberspace, to combating corruption through economic transparency, to promoting full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms across the 57 OSCE participating States.

The commission regularly convenes public hearings and briefings to draw attention to violations of OSCE commitments, to assess the OSCE as a vehicle to address U.S. concerns in a given foreign policy area, and to explore different approaches and best practices within the OSCE region. Commission leaders regularly issue public statements pertaining to the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, and often initiate or are involved in the passage of related legislation.

The Helsinki Commission also authors articles and reports concerning implementation of OSCE commitments in participating States and organizes official delegations to participating States and OSCE meetings to address and assess democratic, economic, security, and human rights developments firsthand. It is the primary organizer of U.S. congressional delegations to meetings of the OSCE PA, and uniquely contributes to U.S.  representation in the OSCE by  joining the Department of State and other Executive Branch agencies to prepare for and participate in a wide variety of multilateral meetings, consultations, and negotiations.

Why is a U.S. government commission referred to by the name of a capital in Europe?

The Helsinki Commission takes its name from the location where the original 35 participating States of today’s OSCE gathered to sign the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Helsinki, Finland.

Why is the Helsinki Commission important?

The Helsinki Commission reflects the overarching commitment of the United States to security and cooperation in Europe, and has played a vital role in introducing and promoting the concept of human rights as an element in U.S. foreign policy decision-making globally.

Through its work, the Helsinki Commission has helped ensure U.S. support for democratic development in Eastern and Central Europe, and continues to push for greater respect for human rights in Russia and the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The Helsinki Commission participated in the debates of the 1990s on how the United States should respond to conflicts in the Balkans, particularly Bosnia, Kosovo, and elsewhere, and does the same today in regard to Russia’s aggression toward its neighbors. It has pushed U.S. policy to take action to combat trafficking in persons, anti-Semitism and racism, and intolerance and corruption, as well as other problems which are not confined to one country’s borders.

The Helsinki Commission also was the first to propose concrete OSCE commitments regarding free and fair elections. By 1990, commissioners and staff had already observed the conduct of the first multi-party elections in seven East and Central European countries transitioning from one-party communist states to functioning democracies. Since then, commissioners and staff have observed well over 100 elections, and the commission continues to support OSCE observation efforts, focusing on countries where resistance to democratic change remains the strongest.

What is the relationship between the Helsinki Commission and the OSCE?

The Helsinki Commission monitors and encourages compliance with the Helsinki Final Act—the founding document of today’s OSCE—and subsequent OSCE commitments. However, it is not part of the OSCE.

As part of its mandate, the Helsinki Commission regularly convenes public hearings and briefings to draw attention to violations of OSCE commitments, to assess the OSCE as a vehicle to address U.S. concerns in a given foreign policy area, and to explore different approaches and best practices within the OSCE region. Commission leaders regularly make public statements pertaining to the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, and often initiate or are involved in the passage of related legislation.

The Helsinki Commission also authors articles and reports concerning implementation of OSCE commitments in participating States and organizes official delegations to participating States and OSCE meetings to address and assess democratic, economic, security, and human rights developments firsthand. It is the primary organizer of U.S. Congressional Delegations to meetings of the OSCE PA, and uniquely contributes to U.S.  representation in the OSCE by  joining the Department of State and other Executive Branch agencies to prepare for and participate in a wide variety of multilateral meetings, consultations, and negotiations.

What is the relationship between the Helsinki Commission and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly?

With 17 of 323 seats, the United States has the largest representation in the OSCE PA, which assures a strong U.S. commitment to security in the OSCE region. The Helsinki Commission is the primary organizer of U.S. congressional delegations to OSCE PA meetings, and provides additional support to commissioners who hold various leadership positions in the assembly.

Members of the U.S. Congress have consistently held leadership positions in the OSCE PA since its inception.

What is the difference between the Helsinki Commission and the Helsinki Committees found in other countries?

The Helsinki Commission is an independent U.S. government commission. Helsinki Committees are non-governmental human rights organizations that play a vital role in monitoring the compliance of their respective participating States with the Helsinki Final Act. Helsinki Committees generally have no formal affiliation with their national governments.

How does the Helsinki Commission help implement the Helsinki Accords?

The Helsinki Commission has no enforcement power, not least because the Helsinki Accords are politically—not legally—binding. As an independent commission of the U.S. government, the Helsinki Commission monitors and encourages compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments by strengthening human rights monitoring, defending those persecuted for acting on their rights and freedoms, and ensuring that compliance with Helsinki provisions are given due consideration in U.S. foreign policy.

How does the Helsinki Commission decide what issues to focus on?

The work of the Helsinki Commission covers issues in all three “dimensions” of the OSCE: politico-military challenges (“first”); economic and environmental cooperation (“second”); and the defense of human rights (“third”). Topics range from ongoing conflicts in the OSCE zone and emerging challenges including terrorism and insecurity in cyberspace, to combating corruption through economic transparency, to promoting full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms across the 57 OSCE participating States.

Promoting basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, along with other humanitarian concerns, has historically been the cornerstone of the commission’s work and remains central to its mandate. The Helsinki Commission pays particular attention to those countries where severe and persistent violations of human rights and democratic norms occur.  In practice, this has translated into a strong focus on Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.  The commission also responds to shortcomings and setbacks in other countries, including those with more extensive development in the areas of democracy and human rights.

In response to the recent sharp geopolitical deterioration in the OSCE region, highlighted by Russian aggression against Ukraine and Georgia, the commission has renewed its focus on political-military challenges. This has included a focus on Russia’s violations of key Helsinki Final Act commitments, which have also included flouting key arms control and military transparency measures.

Is the Helsinki Commission a part of Congress?

No. The Helsinki Commission is an independent U.S. government commission. However, 18 of the 21 Helsinki Commissioners represent the legislative branch. The remaining three Helsinki Commissioners represent the executive branch.

Is the Helsinki Commission a part of the Department of State?

No. The Helsinki Commission is an independent U.S. government commission. However, the Helsinki Commission maintains a close working relationship with the Department of State: one of the 21 Helsinki Commissioners represents the State Department; the Helsinki Commission hosts a State Department detailee in its office; and one Helsinki Commission staff member is a full member of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE.

How is the Helsinki Commission funded?

Like all U.S. government entities, the commission is funded by an appropriation from the U.S. Congress: in this case, as part of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation.

What do Helsinki Commission staff members do?

Members of the Helsinki Commission are supported by a professional staff with in-depth regional and policy expertise. Helsinki Commission staff work with commissioners to organize public hearings and briefings to draw attention to violations of OSCE commitments, to assess the OSCE as a means to address U.S. concerns in a given foreign policy area, and to explore different approaches and best practices within the OSCE region. They also support commissioners in the development of statements and legislation related to the Helsinki Final Act; author articles and reports concerning implementation of OSCE commitments in participating States; and organize official delegations to participating States and OSCE meetings to address and assess democratic, economic, security, and human rights developments firsthand.

Is the Helsinki Commission affiliated with a political party?

No. The Helsinki Commission is an independent, bicameral, bipartisan, and inter-branch organization. The Helsinki Commission consists of 21 Commissioners, 18 of whom come from the U.S. Congress. Nine Senators and nine Representatives—five from the majority and four from the minority in each chamber—are selected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively. The remaining three commissioners are appointed by the President of the United States from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce, usually at the Assistant Secretary level.

How can I get a job or fellowship with the Helsinki Commission?

Visit our join our team page.

If I have an issue I want to bring to the Commission’s attention, who do I contact?

Email info[at]csce[dot]gov or call (202) 225-1901 and one of our staff members will respond to your inquiry.

Helsinki Commissioners

Who are the Helsinki Commissioners?

The Helsinki Commission consists of 21 Commissioners, 18 of whom come from the U.S. Congress. Nine Senators and nine Representatives—five from the majority and four from the minority in each chamber—are selected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively. The remaining three Commissioners are appointed by the President of the United States from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce, usually at the Assistant Secretary level.

What do Helsinki Commissioners do?

Commissioners regularly communicate with the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and other senior U.S. officials on OSCE-related matters and issue public statements on matters of concern as needed.  Commissioners meet officials and prominent visitors from other OSCE participating States in Washington, D.C., and travel to countries of concern to monitor and encourage implementation more directly, including through election observation.

When warranted, Senate and House Commissioners act in their capacity as members of Congress to introduce and seek passage of legislation, and a Helsinki Commission perspective is often evident in their foreign policy work.

How are Helsinki Commissioners selected?

Eighteen of the 21 Commissioners are selected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively. The remaining three Commissioners are appointed by the President of the United States from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce, usually at the Assistant Secretary level.

How long do Commissioners serve on the Helsinki Commission?

Commissioners may serve on the Commission as long as they remain eligible and are selected by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, or the President of the United States.

Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe

What is the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe?

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest regional security organization. It spans 57 participating States reaching from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

Originally known as the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, today’s OSCE has its origins in the early 1950s, when the Soviet Union first proposed the creation of a pan-European security conference. After the Warsaw Pact renewed calls for such a conference, in May 1969, the Government of Finland sent a memorandum to all European countries, the United States, and Canada, offering Helsinki as a conference venue.

On August 1, 1975, after three years of negotiation, the leaders of the original 35 participating States gathered in Helsinki and signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Also known as the Helsinki Accords, the Final Act is not a treaty, but rather a politically binding agreement consisting of three main sections informally known as “baskets,” adopted on the basis of consensus.

Basket I—the Security Dimension—contains a Declaration of Principles Guiding Relations between participating States, including Principle VII, which governs respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.

It also includes a section on confidence-building measures and other aspects of security and disarmament aimed at increasing military transparency.

Basket II—the Economic Dimension—covers economic, scientific, technological and environmental cooperation, as well as migrant labor, vocational training, and the promotion of tourism.

Basket III is devoted to cooperation in humanitarian and other fields: freer movement of people; human contacts, including family reunification and visits; freedom of information, including working conditions for journalists; and cultural and educational exchanges. Principle VII and Basket III together have come to be known as the “Human Dimension.”

Since 1975, the number of signatories has expanded to 57, reflecting the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia, and the desire of other nations to join.

Institutionalization of the conference in the early 1990s led to its transformation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, effective January 1995.

Today, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe sets standards in fields including military security, economic and environmental cooperation, and human rights and humanitarian concerns. In addition, the OSCE undertakes a variety of initiatives designed to prevent, manage, and resolve conflict within and among the participating States.

The OSCE is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, where weekly meetings of the Permanent Council are held. In addition, specialized seminars and meetings are convened in various locations and periodic consultations are held among senior officials, ministers, and heads of state or government.

What is the Helsinki Final Act? What are its three dimensions?

Defining security in a uniquely comprehensive manner, the Helsinki Final Act of 1975—the founding document of today’s OSCE—contains 10 principles guiding inter-state relations, among them respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Also known as the Helsinki Accords, the Final Act is not a treaty, but rather a politically binding agreement consisting of three main sections informally known as “baskets,” adopted on the basis of consensus.

Basket I—the Security Dimension—contains a Declaration of Principles Guiding Relations between participating States, including Principle VII, which governs respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.

It also includes a section on confidence-building measures and other aspects of security and disarmament aimed at increasing military transparency.

Basket II—the Economic Dimension—covers economic, scientific, technological and environmental cooperation, as well as migrant labor, vocational training, and the promotion of tourism.

Basket III is devoted to cooperation in humanitarian and other fields: freer movement of people; human contacts, including family reunification and visits; freedom of information, including working conditions for journalists; and cultural and educational exchanges. Principle VII and Basket III together have come to be known as the “Human Dimension.”

Is the Helsinki Final Act a treaty?

No. It is a politically—though not legally—binding agreement.

What is the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly?

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) was established in 1991 to offer opportunities for engagement among parliamentarians from the OSCE participating States. Today, the OSCE PA is an independent, consultative body consisting of 323 parliamentarians from OSCE participating States.

As part of its remit, the OSCE PA assesses the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States; discusses subjects addressed during meetings of the OSCE Ministerial Council and summit meetings of OSCE heads of state or government; develops and promotes mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts; supports the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States; and contributes to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations and cooperation between existing OSCE institutions.

The OSCE PA also allows parliamentarians from participating States to introduce new issues and concerns that will ultimately need to be addressed by the OSCE itself in Vienna.  Efforts to combat trafficking in persons or to respond to anti-Semitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance in society became central to the OSCE’s work as a result of initiatives coming from the Parliamentary Assembly.

With 17 of the 323 seats, the United States has the largest representation in the OSCE PA.  The active involvement of Members of Congress helps ensure that U.S. objectives and interests are advanced and that new issues of concern are placed on the OSCE diplomatic agenda, and assures other participating States of the depth of the U.S. commitment to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

Members of the U.S. Congress have consistently held leadership positions in the OSCE PA since its inception.

What are the other key OSCE institutions?

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) gets involved in situations where tensions involving national minorities could develop into a conflict. The High Commissioner addresses the short-term triggers of inter-ethnic tension or conflict and long-term structural concerns. If a participating State is not meeting its political commitments or international norms, the High Commissioner will assist by providing analysis and recommendations. Based on experience, the HCNM publishes thematic guidance on common challenges and best practices. The High Commissioner also provides structural support through small collaborative projects that aim to achieve sustainability through increasing local ownership.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provides support, assistance and expertise to participating States and civil society to promote democracy, rule of law, human rights, and tolerance and non-discrimination. ODIHR observes elections, reviews legislation and advises governments on how to develop and sustain democratic institutions. The office conducts training programs for government and law-enforcement officials and non-governmental organizations on how to uphold, promote, and monitor human rights.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments as part of an early warning function and helps participating States abide by their commitments to freedom of expression and free media. The representative also holds annual regional media conferences, bringing together journalists, representatives of civil society and government, as well as academics, to discuss current media freedom issues.

What does the U.S. Mission to the OSCE do?

The United States Mission to the OSCE is a multi-agency team of more than thirty staff members from the Department of State and the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A representative from the Helsinki Commission is also fully integrated into the mission.

The mission coordinates with the rotating OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office and the OSCE Secretariat, negotiates with the other national delegations in Vienna, and works closely with U.S. embassies and the OSCE field presences situated throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.

The U.S. Mission to the OSCE represents the United States in the Permanent Council, the OSCE’s principal policy-making body. It also represents the United States in several other entities, including the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC), the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the Treaty in the Joint Consultative Group (JCG), and the Open Skies Consultative Commission (OSCC).

What is the difference between an OSCE participating State and an OSCE Partner for Cooperation?

The OSCE maintains special relations with 11 countries—known as Partners for Cooperation— to better address shared security challenges. Six of them (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia) are in the Mediterranean region, and four (Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Afghanistan) are in Asia. Australia is also an OSCE Partner for Cooperation.

Although the OSCE dialogue with its Partners for Cooperation encompasses the full range of the organization’s activities, each group of partners focuses on specific issues of common interest. For example, Mediterranean Partners are particularly engaged with issues including anti-terrorism, border security, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, and tolerance and non-discrimination. Asian Partners look to the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and to confidence-and security-building measures as possible sources of good practice for their own region.