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Violence against women: Switzerland must take new measures
In its first report on Switzerland, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) calls on Switzerland to consolidate the measures it has already taken by strengthening its system of protection for women victims of violence and...
GREVIO publishes its report on Iceland
In its first (baseline) evaluation report on Iceland, the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) welcomed the comprehensive action taken over the past decades to advance women’s rights and gender equality through action plans, legislative measures...
Special call for activities to support young people from Ukraine
The European Youth Foundation (EYF) has launched a special call to support young people from Ukraine. This initiative responds to current needs identified by the Ukrainian authorities and stakeholders in the youth field. Youth organisations in Ukraine or youth organisations working with young...
Iceland takes over Chairmanship of Committee of Ministers
Iceland has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Ireland during a meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 46 member states. The incoming Chair – Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir –...
Astrea Justice (Zimbabwe) wins Council of Europe’s Democracy Innovation Award
At the closing session of the 10th World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its 2022 Democracy Innovation Award was the Justice Code Foundation Trust (Zimbabwe) for its human rights remedy application Astrea Justice. The Justice Code Foundation Trust uses...
Bosnia and Herzegovina should take further measures to comply with the Istanbul Convention
In its first baseline evaluation report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) highlights positive legal and policy measures introduced by the authorities, but also outlines measures to meet...
Taking stock of Ireland’s Presidency
The Council of Europe has published a summary of Ireland’s six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, which comes to an end on 9 November 2022. Ireland took over the Presidency on 20 May, a critical time in the Council of Europe’s history as the organisation sought to respond to the war...
World Forum for Democracy: “Democracy: A new hope?”
“Democracy: A new hope?” is the theme of this year’s World Forum for Democracy, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The event, taking place from 7 to 9 November at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, will bring together intellectuals, politicians, activists, experts and young people from...
Secretary General opens first meeting of Contact Group on Belarus with democratic opposition representative Tsikhanouskaya
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has opened the 1st meeting of the Contact Group on Belarus, together with representative of the Belarusian democratic opposition Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The meeting focused on the priorities of the newly-established group on co-operation between the...
4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
Summit in Reykjavik to renew ‘the Conscience of Europe’
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland Simon Coveney, Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have all welcomed the Committee of Ministers’ decision to hold a Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe on 16-17 May 2023...
PACE President’s statement on 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government
Following the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers’ decision to hold a Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe on 16-17 May 2023 in Reykjavik, PACE President Tiny Kox made the following statement: “Our Assembly is convinced of the need for a new, 4th Summit of...
30th anniversary of European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
On 5 November 1992, eleven Council of Europe member states, convinced that the preservation and development of Europe's cultural traditions and wealth depended on the protection of its regional or minority languages, signed the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Today, this...
Combatting LGBTI-phobic hate crime discussed in Dublin
Right to life, security and protection from violence, and combating hate crime based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC-based) across Europe were the themes of a roundtable held in Dublin on 27 October. It was organised under Ireland’s...
PACE President: “There should be no impunity, neither for the Russian President and Government, nor for the Parliament”
“The State Duma and Federation Council have given full support to the war of aggression against Ukraine and validated the recent illegal attempted annexations, after they acted in a similar way in 2014. Together with the Russian President and the Russian Government, the Russian Parliament...
Council of Europe anti-trafficking expert body says Belarus failed to prevent human trafficking on its borders
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action Against Human Trafficking (GRETA) has its second evaluation report on the implementation of the Council of Europe Anti-trafficking Convention by Belarus. The report assesses progress in the implementation of the Convention since the publication...
Environment : The Congress calls for the drafting of an Additional Protocol to the European Charter of Local Self-Government
A report newly adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has called for a green reading of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the benchmark treaty for local democracy, and for consideration to be given to drafting an additional protocol to ensure proper recognition for...
"We are defending not only Ukraine, but also European democratic values," Kyiv Mayor Klitschko and Minister Chernyshov tell Congress
The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and the Ukrainian Minister for Community and Territorial Development, Oleksiy Chernyshov have taken part (online) in a Congress debate on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The debate followed the Congress' statements deploring the loss of life and...
Mathieu Mori elected as Congress Secretary General
Mathieu Mori (France) has been elected as Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities for a five-year term of office. Addressing the Congress members attending the 43rd Congress session, Mr Mori highlighted the current unprecedented context in Europe, marked by the...
Secretary General in Sofia to mark 30th anniversary of Bulgaria’s accession to European Human Rights Convention
The 30th anniversary of accession to the European Convention on Human Rights is an “important milestone in Bulgaria’s European journey”, said Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić in her address to a special conference in Sofia on Tuesday 25 October. What Bulgaria has achieved through the...
