Newsroom
The fight for Ukraine is a fight for justice: Secretary General releases report on Council of Europe’s response to Russia’s war on Ukraine
Ahead of 24 February 2025, that marks the third anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has released a report highlighting the organisation’s action since the first day of the war to help its member state...
Liverpool Summer School to tackle effectiveness of Council of Europe in responding to pressing challenges
The third edition of the Liverpool Summer School in the Law of the Council of Europe (7-18 July 2025) will focus on the effectiveness of the Council of Europe in tackling pressing challenges such as the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the complexities of migration...
Council of Europe to mark third anniversary of start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
On 24 February the Council of Europe will hold a ceremony to mark the start three years ago of the Russian Federation’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, along with an extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Ministers (to be broadcast live). Ambassador Patrick Engelberg, Permanent...
GRECO: Ukraine makes further progress in preventing corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors, but more efforts needed
In a new report the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption group (GRECO) concludes that Ukraine has satisfactorily implemented 18 out of 31 recommendations on corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. Of the remaining recommendations, 11 have been partly...
Digital development: “People must come first”
Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge attended the 4th General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) in Amman, Jordan. He spoke in the session dedicated to exchanges of views between DCO member and guest states and invited international organisations. The Deputy...
Anti-racism commission assessed the implementation of its priority recommendations by Bulgaria, France and Greece
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published its conclusions on whether and how Bulgaria, France and Greece are implementing its recommendations provided in 2022. The recommendations concerned rights of LGBTI persons, including intersex children, situation of Roma...
Secretary General on official visit to Geneva from 24 to 26 February
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset will pay an official visit to Geneva, Switzerland, from 24 to 26 February as part of the process of stepping up co-operation between the Council of Europe and the international institutions based there. The programme will begin on 24 February with...
Dismissal of Mayor of Van: Statement by Congress co-Rapporteurs on local democracy in Türkiye
David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE) and Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), co-Rapporteurs of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on local democracy in Türkiye, have made the following statement: “The recent dismissal of Abdullah Zeydan, Mayor of the...
ECHR awarded Dresden Peace Prize for 2025
The 2025 Dresden Peace Prize (Friedenspreis Dresden) has been awarded to the European Court of Human Rights. On 16 February 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, attended the award ceremony to receive the prize in the Semper Opera House in Dresden, where he made a speech. He was...
Social rights committee backs Belgium over Roma discrimination complaint
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has decided that Belgium did not violate the European Social Charter during police operations targeting two Travellers’ sites in April 2020. The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) had complained that the seizure of caravans and property by the...
Bosnia and Herzegovina: further progress needed in implementing anti-corruption recommendations
In a new compliance report on Bosnia and Herzegovina the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) assesses the country’s progress in implementing recommendations from GRECO’s fifth evaluation round report on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central...
Breaking barriers: persistent gender gaps in sport revealed
EU-CoE project calls for urgent action
Deputy Secretary General engages in dialogue with President of the UN Human Rights Council
The Deputy Secretary General Mr Bjørn Berge welcomed the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council Mr Jürg Lauber for an exchange of views on the contemporary challenges to multilateralism and the respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy. They discussed the need for an...
Secretary General on official visit to Republic of Moldova pledges continued support to the country’s reforms, European aspirations
The Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, has started today his first official two-day visit to the Republic of Moldova. The goal is to reiterate the Council of Europe’s commitment to strengthening co-operation with the country, including in the framework of the Action Plan for...
Congress invites Belarusian democratic forces to take part in its sessions
The Bureau of the Congress has decided to invite a delegation of the Belarusian democratic forces to participate in the work of Congress sessions and statutory committees, as a further step in its support for local democracy and self-government in a free and democratic Belarus. Meeting in...
Canada and Japan sign Council of Europe’s first ever global treaty on AI
Canada and Japan have signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of law, joining the eleven signatories that have already signed this international treaty. The signing ceremony took place prior to the Council of Europe’s...
Celebrating 'Council of Europe Days' in Greek schools
A video on the history of the Council of Europe and Greece's relationship with the organisation will soon be distributed to high schools in Greece and Greek schools abroad. Its aim is to raise awareness and understanding of the activities of the Council of Europe and its pertinence and influence...
Statement by the Congress Bureau on the urgent situation in Georgia
The Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has adopted the following statement: “The Congress Bureau calls on the government of Georgia to fully respect European standards in human rights, democracy and the rule of law, paving the way to free and fair...
MONEYVAL calls on Guernsey to step up efforts against money laundering
The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body, MONEYVAL, has published a report urging Guernsey to improve the investigation, prosecution and conviction of money laundering offences whilst also highlighting Guernsey’s good understanding of the risks of money laundering/terrorist financing...
Secretary General expresses his concerns about Georgian Government’s reversal on the ‘foreign influence’ law
On 3 February, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, spoke by telephone with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, to discuss the status of the joint working group aimed at amending the so-called ‘foreign influence’ law. The decision to set up the group had...
