- - The Netherlands gave an interpretative declaration on the relationship between Article 7 (2) and Article 8 about the loss of nationality by a minor due to the parent having renounced the nationality. Ukraine made an interpretive declaration on Article 8 (renunciation). 75. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted two recommendations which provide further guidance on the rules regarding acquisition and loss of nationality: Recommendation No. R (99) 18 on the avoidance and the reduction of statelessness and Recommendation 13/2009 on the nationality of children. 76. The 2006 Council of Europe Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in Relation to State Succession builds upon the provisions of chapter VI of the European Convention on Nationality by developing more detailed rules with a view to preventing cases of statelessness in the context of state succession. It only addresses state succession where statelessness is an issue and leaves aside sensitive issues as the right to opt for the most appropriate nationality. This European Convention was also accompanied by a detailed Explanatory Report (consisting of 69 paragraphs). 77. Only 7 Council of Europe member states acceded to this convention: Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, and Norway. Furthermore, this treaty was signed by Germany and Ukraine. No reservations or declarations were made. SESSION 2 - JOINING FORCES TO ERADICATE STATELESSNESS IN EUROPE 78. Ms Melanie Khanna, Chief of Statelessness Section, Division of International Protection, UNHCR, stressed the need to build stronger partnerships between member states, international and regional organisations, NGOs and civil society to address statelessness issues. She highlighted that co-operation is essential at the broad policy level and is a prerequisite to overcoming existing administrative hurdles where authorities involved in the acquisition or withdrawal of citizenship need to coordinate across state lines to avoid situations that would otherwise give rise to statelessness. 79. Mr Christoph Kamp, Director of the Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, recalled the positive collaboration between UNHCR and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities which led to the publication of the OSCE-UNHCR “Handbook on Statelessness in the OSCE Area: International Standards and Good Practices” in 2017. The good practices presented in the Handbook demonstrate how cooperation between states, international organisations and civil society partners can support the identification of lasting solutions to statelessness in member states of the OSCE. 80. Mr Adolfo Sommarribas, Senior Legal Migration Expert at European Migration Network presented the EMN Platform whose primary aims are to determine the state of play of statelessness in the European Union and facilitate the exchange of information and goods practices in the field. The platform collects and analyses information on statelessness via the EMN Ad-hoc query system; organises relevant trainings to state officials on statelessness and coordinates with NGOs and international organisations. 25