Newsroom
Secretary General at COP29 in Baku
Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, participated in the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in the context of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (COP29) which took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 12-13 November 2024. In...
Countering abusive lawsuits aimed at stifling free expression: European Anti-SLAPP conference in Strasbourg
The second European Anti-SLAPP Conference, held in Strasbourg on 14 November, is addressing ways of effectively implementing the legislative and policy frameworks recently adopted in Europe to counter strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), including the Council of Europe’s...
Implementing ECHR judgments: new factsheet on the misuse of state power
The Council of Europe has published a new factsheet on changes that member states have introduced after the European Court of Human Rights found violations of Article 18 of the human rights convention. Article 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights reads as follows: The restrictions...
Luxembourg takes over Presidency of Committee of Ministers
Luxembourg has taken over the rotating Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Lithuania at a meeting of representatives from the organisation’s 46 member states. Addressing the Committee of Ministers, the outgoing Chairperson, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign...
CPT on Armenia: some progress in countering informal prisoner hierarchy, but material conditions in prisons should be urgently improved
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published the report on its September 2023 periodic visit to Armenia (see also the executive summary), together with the response of the Armenian authorities. The delegation examined...
Council of Europe Information Point for Belarusian people to be set up in Vilnius
The Council of Europe and the Government of the Republic of Lithuania have signed an agreement for the establishment of the Council of Europe Information Point for Belarusian people in Vilnius. “This is an important contribution to our support for Belarusian democratic forces and civil society....
Pope Francis receives Parliamentary Assembly President Rousopoulos at private audience
The President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Theodoros Rousopoulos, met His Holiness Pope Francis on Friday 8 November in the Vatican. In their discussion, they emphasised the importance of safeguarding human dignity and promoting human rights. They addressed pressing issues...
Moldova: Anti-Racism Commission calls for further action against hate speech and hate crime
In a new report the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) praises the Moldovan authorities for their efforts to improve the equality and hate crime legislation, and better integrate migrants. However, further action is needed to address hate speech and hate crime as well as...
Safeguarding academic freedom in Europe – two-day conference in Strasbourg
A conference “Academic Freedom in Action,” taking place in Strasbourg from 13-14 November, will highlight the democratic mission of higher education and the importance of safeguarding academic freedom, ensuring that higher education remains a cornerstone of democracy and critical thinking. The...
Council of Europe Secretary General condemns violent events in Amsterdam
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe resolutely condemns the violent events that took place in Amsterdam. In our democracies, nothing can justify aggression and violence against Israeli citizens, whatever the context. The Council of Europe will relentlessly pursue its fight against all...
Secretary General attends European Political Community meeting in Budapest
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, attended the summit of heads of state or governments at the fifth meeting of European Political Community on 7 November in Budapest. At the meeting, Mr Berset had a number of exchanges including with President Maia Sandu, Prime...
What's the current state of the video games industry in Europe?
The European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, has published its latest report, "Legal challenges and market dynamics in the video games sector". This is the first time the Observatory has ever looked at the gaming industry and the result is a comprehensive...
MONEYVAL: Europe needs effective implementation of standards to counter money laundering and terrorist financing
The Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL Committee has called on its 33 member states and territories to improve the effective implementation of international standards on combatting money laundering, the funding of terrorism and of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In its annual report...
Brazilian project “Mine, yours, our vote” wins Democracy Innovation Award
At the closing session of the 12th World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its 2024 Democracy Innovation Award was the Brazilian project “Mine, yours, our vote”, developed by the Aurora Institute for Human Rights, in co-operation with various Brazilian...
Council of Europe provides comprehensive support to Republic of Moldova to address needs of war-displaced people from Ukraine
The Council of Europe has extended comprehensive support to the Republic of Moldova in strengthening human rights protections for refugees and migrants, particularly for those in vulnerable situations, such as women and children displaced from Ukraine by Russia's large-scale military aggression....
Protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse: threats and opportunities of new technologies
“Emerging technologies: threats and opportunities for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” is the theme of a capacity-building event held in Vienna on 5 November by the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Committee (the body that monitors the Convention on the...
Council of Europe reinforces standards to ensure independence and impartiality of prosecutors
In a new opinion the Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE) gives member states recommendations on managing prosecution services to ensure their independence and impartiality. The independence and impartiality of prosecutors are crucial for the proper functioning...
Dismissals of mayors in Türkiye: Statement by the Congress President
Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, has made the following statement: "I express my grave concern about the recent decisions of the Turkish authorities to dismiss the elected mayors of four municipalities (Mardin, Batman, Halfeti and...
Montenegro signs Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence
Montenegro has signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law (CETS No. 225). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Ervin Ibrahimović signed the treaty in Strasbourg in the presence of...
Athens conference on sport focuses on inclusion and good governance
The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Constantine An. Tassoulas, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Theodoros Rousopoulos, and Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Bjørn Berge, have opened a two-day Conference on promoting safety, integrity, equality...
