Newsroom
Key challenges of 2023 and beyond: dire situation of people displaced by war, the rise of antisemitism and anti-Muslim racism
Addressing the situation of people displaced by war and other emergencies, countering the rise of antisemitism in Europe as a result of the current conflict in the Middle East, taking resolute action against anti-Muslim racism and discrimination across the continent – these were the key trends in...
Junior Crystal Scales of Justice Prize awarded at the CEPEJ plenary meeting
The award ceremony for the Junior Crystal Scales of Justice Prize took place during the 42nd plenary meeting of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), held in Strasbourg on June 18 and 19, 2024. The winning team of students from the Faculty of Law at Leiden University...
“Death is not justice”: Strasbourg workshop on the abolition of the death penalty
In collaboration with civil society partners Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) and the German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP), the Council of Europe is holding the second edition of a workshop, “Death is not justice – advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty”, in...
Secretary General marks 75th anniversary in Vilnius and opens EuroDig conference
“Lithuania has embarked on a positive and ambitious agenda for its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. One that respects the legacy and ongoing aims of our Organisation. But also addresses some of the more recent and defining challenges of our times. This really is the story of the Council...
Journalism Excellence Awards honour media professionals for ethical reporting in combating racism and antigypsyism
Five media professionals have earned Journalism Excellence Awards for the programme “Ethical Media Reporting on Roma and Combating Racism and Antigypsyism through the Media.” Organised under the EU-CoE Joint Programme EQUIROM (Equality and Freedom from Discrimination for Roma), as part of the...
Denmark protects German minority to a high level, but should improve protection of other communities
Denmark has a high level of social welfare, protection of citizen rights and a strong focus on gender equality, which benefits also persons belonging to minorities, be it the recognised German minority or other non-recognised communities. However, in an opinion on Denmark’s implementation...
First ‘No Hate Speech Week’ started at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg
The first ever No Hate Speech Week organised by the Council of Europe has kicked off in Strasbourg today, on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. The three-day conference offers a platform to discuss recent legal and policy developments, to share innovative practices, and to...
New report on role of Roma in Ukrainian war efforts and on post-war reconstruction
Roma people living in Ukraine are fighting on the front lines and in high numbers, many as volunteers, to defend the country against Russian aggression. This is the finding of a new report, Fighting for a Fairer Future: The Impact of the War in Ukraine on Roma and Lessons for Post-War...
European Dialogue on Internet Governance
The Council of Europe is taking part in the 2024 edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), which brings together representatives of governments, international organisations, business, civil society, academia and the technical community to discuss in internet-related...
Secretary General at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine
“Since the outset of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Council of Europe has been clear about its determination to do whatever we can to support the Ukrainian Government and people. President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula is equally clear about the way out of this brutal,...
PACE President attends Ukraine Recovery Conference, holds high-level meetings
PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos participated in the Ukraine Recovery 2024 Conference, organised under the theme “United for Defense. United for recovery. Stronger together.” The conference followed an annual series of high-level political events dedicated to the rapid recovery and long-term...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from Committee of Ministers
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has published the case-by-case decisions taken during the Committee’s meeting from 11 to 13 June to supervise the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee of Ministers adopted 42 decisions...
Congress Vice-President attends Ukraine Recovery Conference
Congress Vice-President Bernd Vöhringer welcomed the local dimension put forward at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2024) in Berlin on 11-12 June 2024. Organised by the governments of Germany and Ukraine, the Conference brought together heads of state and governments, international...
PACE summer session: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, challenges to democracy in Georgia, Vigdís Prize
A joint debate on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, on the role of sanctions and on the erasure of cultural identity, as well as an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (to be confirmed), are among the highlights of the summer plenary session...
Deputy Secretary General meets Italian Justice Minister
Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has met Carlo Nordio, the Minister of Justice of Italy. The meeting focused on the accountability for the Russian aggression against Ukraine, notably regarding the Register of Damage for Ukraine. They also discussed other ongoing initiatives in this context,...
Congress launches revision of the Youth Participation Charter
The Congress’ Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity has launched a survey among key partners as part of the revision of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in...
Congress’ Governance Committee debates development of circular economy at local and regional level
The Committee on Governance, Civic Engagement and the Environment (Governance Committee) of the Congress met for the first time under its new terms of reference on 11 June 2024 in Strasbourg....
Secretary General at Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin
“Since the beginning of Russia’s brutal and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, the Council of Europe has been actively supporting Ukraine in its judiciary reforms, even more so after Ukraine was granted EU candidate status last June. As part of the Action Plan on Resilience, Recovery, and...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 11 to 13 June. Cases proposed for detailed examination concern Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium,...
CEB and Ukraine sign a loan agreement to address urgent housing needs
At the Ukraine Recovery Conference on 11 June 2024 Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) Governor Carlo Monticelli and the Minister of Finance of Ukraine Serhii Marchenko signed a €100 million loan agreement on project “HOME: Compensation for destroyed residential properties,” supporting the...
ERIAC Board discusses Roma inclusion and democratic backsliding
The 13th Board Meeting of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) was held on 10 June in Berlin, Germany and focused on the preparation of ERIAC’s strategy, 2026-2030. Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge emphasised that “7 years after its launch in Berlin, on 8...
MONEYVAL: the Republic of Moldova has improved its compliance with FATF recommendations, but further progress is needed
The Republic of Moldova has strengthened its legal and institutional framework to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, but it still needs to address several shortcomings, concludes MONEYVAL in a follow-up report released today. The follow-up report welcomes that the Republic of...
GRETA: Finland should ensure access to compensation for human trafficking victims and effective sanctions for traffickers
In a new report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has called on Finland to strengthen the criminal justice response to human trafficking and to provide victims with compensation and specialised assistance. The report...
Secretary General at Privacy Symposium 2024 Conference in Venice
“How do we ensure that legal systems across our Continent and beyond are able to protect the personal data of citizens in the digital age? The Council of Europe has developed specific treaties to help governments achieve this. Convention 108 was opened for signature 43 years ago and it has been...
Today, tomorrow, together for public health – EDQM high-level conference celebrating 60 years of excellence in public health protection
The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) of the Council of Europe is proudly marking its 60th anniversary this year, celebrating six decades of pioneering work in protecting public health and striving for a world in which everyone can enjoy better health. Marija...
In Luxembourg, parliamentarians seek solutions for Belarusians in exile
Participants at a major conference in Luxembourg have explored ways that national parliaments can help to address the challenges faced by Belarusians in exile – whether practical support on issues such as avoiding reprisals and entry and residence procedures, or by helping to preserve Belarusian...
Acting together, meeting Europe’s challenges – Reykjavik Joint Meeting of the Council of Europe Development Bank
Disaster risk management and climate action are amongst the priorities and new projects under discussion at the 57th joint meeting of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) held in Reykjavik, Iceland today, bringing together the bank’s governing bodies, appointed officials and management....
Warsaw Ukrainian School in Poland wins CEB Social Cohesion Award 2024
Top marks awarded for innovative curriculum designed to help integrate refugee children from Ukraine
GRETA: Germany should ensure effective sanctions for traffickers and access to assistance and compensation for human trafficking victims
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has urged the German authorities to take further action against human trafficking, notably by providing specialised assistance and compensation for victims and ensuring effective sanctions for human...
Prison overcrowding remains a problem in Europe: Council of Europe’s annual penal statistics for 2023
Prison overcrowding continues to be an acute and persistent problem in a significant number of European prison administrations, according to the Council of Europe’s Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations (SPACE I) for 2023, released today (see also the Key findings). In countries with over...
Combating hate speech in sport : from words to action with a powerful commitment by the sport community
In Madrid, Spain, the Council of Europe/European Union project “Combating hate speech in sport” is presenting effective tools and progress made in the participating countries (Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Montenegro) to address hate speech in sport. The event is bringing together key...
EDQM celebrates 60 years of advancing public health
In a landmark celebration of six decades of co-operation, excellence and leadership, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), part of the Council of Europe, is set to host its 60th anniversary conference on 11 and 12 June 2024, under the theme “Today, tomorrow,...
PACE Summer Session: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Vigdís Prize, election of the next Council of Europe Secretary General
A joint debate on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the role of sanctions and the erasure of cultural identity, with an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (to be confirmed), are among the highlights of the summer plenary session of the...
Congress President calls for concerted action at all levels of governance to tackle the environmental crisis
To mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2024, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, made the following statement: “Not a day goes by without local and regional elected representatives taking a decision relating to the environment....
Expert committee calls on Finland to strengthen education in the different Sami languages and ensure their use in services
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has called on the Finnish authorities to further strengthen education of Inari Sami, North Sami and Skolt Sami and ensure their effective use in social and health care services. The committee also recommends that...
Congress advocates for deliberative processes to restore trust in democratic institutions
On 30 May 2024, Congress Vice-President Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE) held an exchange of views with the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Council of Europe’s...
Congress Spokesperson warns against risks of AI for human rights
“Artificial intelligence (AI) is now an integral part of our private and professional lives and of governance at every level. However, the unregulated design and use of AI tools present...
"Nothing about us without us" - new guidelines on engaging with victims and survivors of childhood sexual violence
Ahead of the International Children’s Day celebrated on 1 June, the Council of Europe has published Guidelines for policy makers on engaging with victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse – “Nothing About Us Without Us” . This initiative is in line with the day’s mission...
Advancing the Abolition of the Death Penalty Among Belarusian Society and Diaspora: Workshop in Vilnius
A training workshop on the advancement of the issue of abolition of the death penalty in Belarus among Belarusian society, including diaspora, took place in Vilnius, Lithuania from 30-31 May. The event was opened by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Jonas Survila on behalf of the...
At the French Senate, Congress calls for a global strategy against hate speech
“In recent years, there has been a deplorable rise in all kinds of violence against local elected representatives in Europe, whether physical, psychological or verbal. A global strategy is urgently needed to protect them against hate speech...
Congress assists Finland in historic local government reform
After 30 years of discussions, Finland embarked in 2023 upon the largest public administrative reform in its history – with the creations of its wellbeing counties. Ensuring access to quality...
Deputy Secretary General and Finnish Sports Minister discuss values-based sport
On the occasion of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) annual plenary meeting in Strasbourg, Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has met with the Minister of youth, sport and physical activity of Finland, Sandra Bergqvist. Their meeting focused on current global challenges for sports...
Launching Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029; ten years since Istanbul Convention entered into force
A conference entitled “United around gender equality: making space for women and girls” will launch the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029 and mark ten years since the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (also...
Secretary General marks 10 years of the Istanbul Convention launching the Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029
“Throughout my mandate, I have returned over and over to the importance of the Istanbul Convention. Marking its 10 years in force here today, I am very happy to speak about it once again. The Istanbul Convention is a landmark treaty in the battle to end violence against women and domestic...
Stricter regulation needed to prevent corruption in top executive functions of central governments, says GRECO
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has called on governments to adopt stricter regulations to prevent corruption and promote integrity in the top executive functions of central governments, particularly regarding lobbying and contacts with third parties, and to...
Ministerial 2024: a vision for an agile and flexible Commissioner's mandate
Address at the 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Mesdames et Messieurs les Ministres, Monsieur le Président, Excellences, Il y a un an, à Reykjavik,...
IDAHOT+ Forum 2024, not a time for business as usual: wake up!
Speech given at the Opening Plenary Session of IDAHOT+ Forum 2024 at The Hague Minister, Excellencies, Friends, It is a great pleasure to be with you. I'm a 65-year-old gay Irish man,...
Slovak Republic: new draft laws risk having a chilling effect on civil society and interfering with independence of public service media
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic (Parliament) and several Committee chairpersons, published today, the Council of Europe...
Commissioner O'Flaherty calls for greater efforts to protect press freedom
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day 2024, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, issued the following statement: “Despite a growing awareness...
Human Rights Commissioner O’Flaherty calls for stronger support to Ukraine
From 23 to 25 April 2024, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty carried out a visit to Ukraine (Kyiv). This was his first visit to a member state...