Newsroom
Council of Europe highlights the role of women in multilateralism
Ahead of the International Day of Women in Multilateralism, the Council of Europe marked the occasion with an event organised by the Informal Network of Women Deputies of Permanent Representations and the Luxembourg Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. The gathering tackled pressing issues...
Assembly delegation to Kosovo* calls on all parties to work for inclusive elections despite growing polarisation
Concluding its pre-electoral visit to Pristina, a delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) commended the good preparation for the upcoming elections to the Assembly of Kosovo* despite growing polarisation and called on all stakeholders to act responsibly and...
Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur warns “So-called presidential elections in Belarus set to be a sham”
“The so-called presidential elections arranged in Belarus for 26 January 2025 are set to be a sham that, again, deny the right of the Belarusian people to participate in free and fair elections,” says Parliamentary Assembly ’s General Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus, Ryszard Petru (Poland,...
Congress presidential delegation to visit Georgia on 3 and 4 February
The aim of the mission is to assess the difficulties faced by local authorities in the light of the current political situation and discuss the organisation of local elections in Georgia scheduled for October 2025, to ensure that they are held in compliance with international standards for...
Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Norway
The Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CPT) published a report on Norway based on its visit there in May 2024. During its visit, the CPT examined the situation of persons deprived of their liberty in prisons, police stations, the Trandum...
Anti-torture Committee (CPT) visits Greenland (Denmark)
A delegation from the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out a visit to Greenland (Denmark) from 14 to 16 January 2025. The aim of this second visit to Greenland was to assess progress made since the CPT’s...
Young people in the digital age: Ministers’ Deputies discuss challenges for democracy
The Ministers’ Deputies will discuss youth democratic participation in the digital age during an informal meeting on 22 January aimed at better understanding new trends. The challenges around digital influencing The digital age has radically transformed the way in which young people participate...
Congress welcomes new law on local democracy in Ukraine
The Congress has welcomed a new law on local democracy in Ukraine (law No. 3703), which came into force on 8 January. The law, which was drafted with support from the Congress, broadens opportunities for citizens’ meaningful and direct engagement in policy and decision-making processes in their...
Parliamentary Assembly January session: humanitarian crisis and hostages in Gaza on the agenda
Debates on the humanitarian crisis concerning women, children and the hostages in Gaza; and on the need for a renewed rules-based international order - including a statement by Marko Bošnjak, President of the European Court of Human Rights - are among the highlights of the winter plenary session...
Malta presents strategic vision and goals for the fight against trafficking in human beings
On 15 January 2025, the Council of Europe, the European Commission (DG REFORM) and the Directorate for Human Rights of the Prime Minister's Office of Malta co-hosted the Final Conference of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) joint project "Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of...
New GRECO report on Poland’s progress to prevent corruption of MPs, judges and prosecutors
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) of the Council of Europe has published a report evaluating Poland’s compliance with its recommendations to prevent corruption in respect of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors, and with recommendations related to the 2016-2018 judicial reforms....
Parliamentary Assembly delegation makes pre-electoral visit to Kosovo*
A three-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC), will make a pre-electoral visit to Kosovo* on 16-17 January to assess the election campaign and political climate prior to the elections to the Assembly of Kosovo on 9...
Money laundering and terrorist financing: MONEYVAL publishes progress reports on Estonia and Slovakia
The Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) has published follow-up reports on Estonia and the Slovak Republic re-assessing their compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations. In...
Luxembourg launches publication: “When posters speak out - Illustrating the Council of Europe’s mission”
The Luxembourgish Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has launched the publication “When posters speak out – Illustrating the Council of Europe’s mission”. A launch event at the National and University Library of Strasbourg, showcases a selection of posters aimed at raising...
Anti-torture committee concerned about police practices and prison overcrowding in Switzerland
In a new report (French only) the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) raises a number of concerns about the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by the police, as well as prison overcrowding. The report follows a visit by the CPT from 19-28 March 2024,...
Member states should enforce standards to combat online disinformation while protecting human rights for all
“The recent measures for adjustments of its fact-checking policy taken by META, which were preceded by similar measures taken by X, may have adverse implications for human rights. Platforms must not retreat from facts. If they do so, they create a vacuum where disinformation thrives unchecked and...
Parliamentary Assembly monitoring co-rapporteurs to visit Georgia
As part of the ongoing monitoring procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the co-rapporteurs for Georgia, Claude Kern (France, ALDE) and Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC), will carry out a fact-finding mission to Tbilisi from 14 to 16 January. The aim is to assess...
53 years of the European Anthem
On 12 January 1972 the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, the fourth movement of the German composer’s 9th Symphony, as the European Anthem. Fourteen years later, in 1986, the Europe Community (now the European Union) adopted the same music for its own...
Record numbers of young people apply to take part in Congress plenary sessions
The Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has enjoyed a huge response to its call for applications from young people across the organisation’s member states, to take part in its 2025 youth delegates programme. 445 applications from 45 member states were received by the 31...
40 years of promoting local self-government in Europe
The European Charter of Local Self-Government (ECLSG) is marking its 40th anniversary in 2025. It was opened for signature in October 1985 and entered into force three years later. It has since been ratified by all 46 Council of Europe member states. The charter lays down standards for protecting...
