About the Commission

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments in the 56 OSCE participating States. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

Chairman: Congressman Christopher H. Smith

Co-Chairman: Senator Benjamin L. Cardin

The Commission contributes to the formulation of U.S. OSCE policy. It convenes public hearings and briefings with expert witnesses on OSCE-related issues; issues public 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, and human rights developments firsthand.

Selection of Recent Hearings

• Northern Ireland: Why Justice in Individual Cases Matters (March 16, 2011)
• Lithuania's Leadership of the OSCE (February 16, 2011)

Recent Articles

• Canada Considers Next Steps in Extractive Industry Transparency (February 4, 2011)
• The Year in Review: 2010 Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings (January 28, 2011)
• Belarusian Regime Resolutely Dashes Any Hopes for Democractic Liberalization (January 6, 2011)