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Congress recommendation on Reykjavik Summit: Local and regional authorities contribute to embedding democracy and human rights at grassroots level
On 22 March the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities adopted its recommendation on “the future of the Council of Europe and the role of the Congress therein” as contribution to the Council of Europe Summit to be held in Reykjavik on 16 and 17 May. The recommendation calls on Heads of State...
Council of Europe welcomes progress in preventing corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors in Ukraine
The Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published a report on Ukraine assessing progress made in implementing the recommendations issued to the country in the Fourth Round Evaluation Report (2017) on preventing corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges...
Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Italy
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published its report on its periodic visit to Italy in March/April 2022, together with the response of the Italian authorities (see executive summary). During the visit, the CPT's...
GRETA: North Macedonia’s legislative framework improved, but human trafficking victims need better access to justice
In its third-round evaluation report the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) welcomes North Macedonia’s progress in developing the legislative anti-human trafficking framework, but calls for its better implementation in terms of victims’ access to justice and...
Greece: New report urges better protection for human trafficking victims and increased attention to labour inspections
In its second report on Greece, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) acknowledges positive steps taken by the Greek authorities to combat human trafficking, but also highlights a number of shortcomings. The report examines progress made by...
UK Summer School on Council of Europe Law: Resilience in Troubling Times
The first Summer School on the Law of the Council of Europe will be held from 3 to 14 July at Liverpool University School of Law and Social Justice. With Europe at a crossroads, its future, stability and prosperity depend on how effectively it responds to the unprecedented challenges facing it....
War in Ukraine : Congress adopts strong declaration
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe unanimously adopted on 21 March a Declaration to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine, presented by the Congress President and Rapporteur on The Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, Leendert...
European Committee of Social Rights’ Conclusions on Labour Rights
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its Conclusions 2022 in respect of 33 States on the articles of the European Social Charter relating to Labour Rights. In accordance with the reporting procedure, the ECSR adopted 611 conclusions: 255 conclusions of conformity and 245...
Icelandic Presidency: meeting between Secretary General and Minister Jóhannsson
In the framework of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić emphasised, in a meeting with Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, the country’s leadership at this crucial time for the continent and the Council of Europe. The...
Secretary General meets President of Federal Council of Austria
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the President of the Federal Council of Austria Günter Kovacs to discuss the upcoming Council of Europe Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik (16th – 17th May). Marking 67 years of Austria having joined the...
Secretary General meets Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Iryna Mudra. During the meeting the Secretary General expressed full support for the country and solidarity with its people for their extraordinary resilience and underlined the relevance of the proposal...
Support to Ukraine at all levels the focus of Secretary General’s address to the Congress
The role of the Council of Europe in supporting Ukraine and addressing threats to human rights and democracy in Europe in the face of continued Russia’s aggression was the main theme of Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić’s address to members of the Congress of Local and Regional...
Secretary General meets with OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro. In the framework of the continuous degradation of media freedom in Europe, the exchange underlined the relevance for national...
Supporting Belarus journalists in exile: workshop in Strasbourg
The Council of Europe and the Strasbourg Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists and Media Freedom are holding a workshop to examine ways of strengthening support for exiled Belarusian journalists. In recent years, the government of Belarus has created a legal and political climate that...
PACE leadership meets representatives of Russian democratic forces
The leadership of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has held an exchange of views with representatives of Russian democratic forces, to step up dialogue and to explore ways of co-operating with the Assembly in future. The meeting, which took place in Paris on 20 March,...
Secretary General on official visit to Latvia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Latvian president and key ministers during an official visit to discuss the priorities of the country’s upcoming Committee of Ministers presidency (May – November 2023). Meeting Latvian President Egils Levits, the Secretary General welcomed...
Statement by Committee of Ministers President on the anniversary of the expulsion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe
The Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, has made the following statement on the anniversary of the expulsion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe: “On this day, one year...
Victims of crime: Committee of Ministers recommendation aims to ensure their access to justice
The Committee of Ministers has issued a Recommendation to the 46 Council of Europe member states providing legal and policy guidance on rights, services, and support for victims of crime. The recommendation calls upon member states to actively seek out and remove any barriers in the access to...
New training programme to help cities in Poland integrate refugees and migrants
The Council of Europe is teaming up with three international organisations and the Union of Polish Metropolises to launch the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish Cities, a series of training courses to help cities respond to the challenge of integrating refugees and...
Congress session : War against Ukraine, future of the Council of Europe, youth engagement at local level, protection of the environment on the agenda
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will hold its 44th Session from 21 to 23 March 2023 in Strasbourg, France Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, Parliamentary Assembly President Tiny Kox and Icelandic Infrastructure Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson are due...
