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Human trafficking: UK urged to better identify and assist victims
The Council of Europe’s expert group on human trafficking has urged the United Kingdom to take further steps to improve the identification of trafficking victims, to make sure victims receive legal and psychological assistance and to ensure that more traffickers are convicted. These are among the...
Secretary General highlights poverty and trafficking as human rights violations
How many more people will be cast into poverty? How many more people will find themselves trafficked as a result? Speaking at a ceremony to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and European Anti-Trafficking Day 2021, Marija Pejčinović Burić called for essential coordination...
European Social Charter 60th anniversary: Committee of Ministers Declaration
Adopted on 13 October 2021 at the Ministers’ Deputies’ 1414th meeting
Congress President: “The European Social Charter now needs to develop an effective local anchorage”
60 years after the adoption of the European Social Charter, a multitude of challenges remain, especially regarding the local anchorage, underlined President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Leendert Verbeek, ahead of the Charter’s anniversary on October 18, 2021. When the Social...
Tackling human rights in the digital sphere: international seminar
An international seminar to be held on 18 October on the theme of “Human Rights in the digital sphere” will bring together experts from different legal systems and jurisdictions, judges of the European Court of Human Rights and governmental representatives from Europe and beyond to examine the...
Venice Commission holds hybrid plenary session
Meeting on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 October in Venice, the Council of Europe’s constitutional experts adopted – among other texts – an opinion on draft constitutional amendments in Serbia and an opinion on the legal protection of citizens in the Netherlands. Other opinions adopted concern the...
Social Charter 60th anniversary: the Social Constitution of Europe
Employment, housing, health, education, social protection and welfare rights: the European Social Charter - often referred to as the Social Constitution of Europe – is celebrating its 60th anniversary as a guardian of fundamental social and economic rights. The Charter, together with the European...
Committee of Ministers adopts recommendation on Revised European Sports Charter
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a recommendation on the Revised European Sports Charter submitted by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). The revised version concludes a process initiated by the 15th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for sport in Tbilisi in...
Secretary General at Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić is taking part in the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism on 13 October 2021. She is making a speech and is taking part in the panel entitled “Countering contemporary antisemitism and other forms of racism online...
Slovenia: first report on implementation of the Istanbul Convention notes many positive measures
The first evaluation report of Slovenia’s implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (“the Istanbul Convention”) has been published together with the comments by Slovenian authorities. The report highlights numerous...
European and World Day against the Death Penalty: Joint declaration
Ahead of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, have issued a joint declaration reaffirming the...
2021 Nobel Peace Prize: Statement by the Council of Europe Secretary General
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, today made the following statement: "I am delighted that the Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of...
Fundamental Rights Forum 2021: social rights, data protection and artificial intelligence among Council of Europe sessions
The Council of Europe will host a series of sessions at the hybrid Fundamental Rights Forum 2021 on 11 and 12 October. Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will take part in the opening session of the multi-location event from 13h30 Central European Summer Time (CEST) on...
Secretary General opens conference on women’s access to justice and full ratification of the Istanbul Convention
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention – the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – the Council of Europe is holding an international conference on 7-8 October 2021 to promote full ratification and implementation of...
Implementing ECHR judgments: new factsheet on freedom of assembly and association
The Council of Europe’s Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights has published a new thematic factsheet on cases related to freedom of assembly and association. The factsheet summarises measures reported by 17 member states to protect and further strengthen...
Czech Republic should intensify efforts to combat stereotypes and hate speech against national minorities
In its latest Opinion on the Czech Republic the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), whilst acknowledging some progress in combatting discrimination, urges the authorities to intensify their efforts to combat stereotypes and prejudice...
Secretary General exchanges views with Italian Undersecretary Della Vedova
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has had an exchange of views with Benedetto Della Vedova, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Italy. The meeting focused on the priorities of the up-coming Italian Presidency of...
Commission against racism and intolerance publishes conclusions on Russia and Latvia
The Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published its conclusions on the implementation of its priority recommendations made in 2019, by Russia and by Latvia. In its conclusions ECRI expresses its concern about the non-implementation by Russia of the priority...
Digital technology and artificial intelligence on the agenda of justice ministers’ conference
Council of Europe ministers of justice are meeting in Gödöllő (Hungary) today for a conference held under the Hungarian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers on Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence – New Challenges for Justice in Europe. The conference is being opened by Hungarian...
2 October vote: a missed opportunity for local democracy in Georgia, says Head of Congress delegation
The Congress concluded its mission to observe the local elections held on 2 October in Georgia. David ERAY (Switzerland, EPP/CCE, R), Head of the delegation, underlined the extremely polarized political environment in the country as well as an increase in verbal aggression, hate speech and fake...
Statement by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe concerning the reported liquidation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has today made the following statement: “I am very concerned by reports that the Supreme Court of Belarus has this week liquidated the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, one of the oldest NGOs defending human rights in...
French Ministry of Justice wins the Council of Europe Crystal Scales of Justice Prize
The 2021 European "Crystal Scales of Justice" prize, organised by the Council of Europe and rewarding innovative judicial practices within European judicial institutions, was awarded to the French Ministry of Justice on 1st October 2021 in Ljubljana (Slovenia) for a project "Simplified filing of...
A warm welcome at the Council of Europe for Little Amal
There was a warm welcome today at the Council of Europe for Little Amal, a 3.5m-tall animated puppet of a nine-year-old refugee from Syria, the latest stop on her 8,000-kilometre journey across the continent to raise awareness of the situation of child refugees. “The Walk” is Amal’s epic voyage...
10th Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe: Online from 29 September-1 October
The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe Annual Advisory Forum 2021 “Resilient and Sustainable Cultural Routes – Innovating Out of Crisis" will take place online from 30 September-1 October. Organised by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) in...
Right to a healthy environment: reducing inequalities, protecting the rights of climate migrants and promoting research and development policies
Adopting a resolution today in Strasbourg, based on a report by Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said that access to the fundamental right to a safe, clean and healthy environment was unequally shared between regions, countries and...
PACE sets out steps to address humanitarian consequences of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Following the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan / Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, PACE has set out a series of recommendations to both countries to address the humanitarian consequences in the short and long term, and move towards a process of peace and reconciliation. Approving a...
Hungarian Foreign Minister presents the work of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The situation in Afghanistan, access to Covid vaccines, national minority rights, the persecution of Christian communities worldwide, and promoting family values online were among topics raised by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó, presenting the Communication from the Committee of...
Secretary General tells PACE: implementing ECtHR’s judgments is a non-negotiable obligation
In her regular dialogue with the PACE, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić underlined the vital importance of Council of Europe member states fully implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. This is a non-negotiable obligation, essential for upholding the system of...
“Cycling for Democracy” or hitting the road in pursuit of original initiatives that help answer the question “Can democracy save the environment?”
In 13 short films, each roughly 5 minutes long, Nicolas introduces us to the individuals behind environmental and community-based groups around the world, which have been selected for the World Forum for Democracy (8-10 November 2021, Strasbourg). In search of answers to the environmental...
2021 Václav Havel Prize awarded to Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava
The ninth Václav Havel Human Rights Prize – which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights – has been awarded to Belarusian opposition leader and activist Maria Kalesnikava. The 60,000-euro prize was presented at a special ceremony on the opening day of the autumn...
Poland: Judicial independence remains at risk according to new report from GRECO
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published a report on the prevention of corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. This report contains an update of GRECO’s critical assessment of the 2016-2018 reforms concerning the Polish...
Human rights and environment: the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights
Ahead of a series of Parliamentary Assembly debates on the right to a healthy environment, the Council of Europe has published a new “environment” section of its dedicated website highlighting the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights. The new section includes ten case studies showing...
The Council of Europe stands united in the fight against antisemitism
On 23 September the Ministers’ Deputies held an informal meeting under the Hungarian Presidency on “Combating and preventing antisemitism in Europe: challenges and perspectives” with guest speakers: Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Chief Rabbi of Moscow and President of the Conference of European...
PACE Autumn Session focuses on the right to a healthy environment
A high-level panel and interactive debate on “The environment and human rights: the right to a safe, healthy and sustainable environment”, as well as a full day of debates on this topic, forms the centrepiece of the Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),...
European Day of Languages 2021: “All voices matter” says Secretary General
26 September 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the European Day of Languages. Since 2001, the Day has been celebrating the rich tapestry of languages coexisting in Europe and beyond. According to Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić “The European Day of Languages reminds...
San Marino: GREVIO reports substantial progress in national policies to stop violence against women
In its first report on San Marino’s implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the “Istanbul Convention”), the Group of Experts (GREVIO) highlights several positive developments. These include the enactment...
Statelessness and the right to a nationality in Europe
Strengthening efforts to end statelessness in Europe and guarantee the provision of fundamental rights to everyone was the key theme of the events organised on 23-24 September in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe’s European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee...
Secretary General attends UN General Assembly in New York
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić is taking part in the high-level General Debate of the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York. Her participation includes a series of bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from a number of countries. Prior to this the...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The Committee adopted 44 decisions concerning 20 member states during the meeting, including three...
Impact of Covid-19 on mental health in prisons and probation
The impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of offenders and staff and the enhanced use of new technologies lead the agenda of the annual conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services of Council of Europe member states, taking place in Funchal on the island of Madeira (Portugal) on 20...
Poland: Promising initiatives against domestic violence but urgent steps needed to combat other forms of violence against women
In its first report on Poland, the Council of Europe’s GREVIO – the independent group that monitors implementation of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) – praises recently introduced emergency barring orders, allowing...
Congress President: “Cities and regions build a democracy of proximity”
On the International Day of Democracy on 15 September 2021, Congress President Leendert Verbeek desired to draw attention to the situation of local and regional democracy. In his words, this “democracy of proximity” – the first level of democracy – enables citizens to most quickly “witness their...
Artificial intelligence – a new portal to promote global cooperation launched with eight international organisations
On 14 September 2021, eight international organisations joined forces to launch a new portal promoting global cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI). The portal is a one-stop shop for data, research findings and good practices in AI policy. The objective of the portal is to help policymakers...
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Anti-torture committee calls for vigorous action to prevent police ill-treatment
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) calls on the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to take vigorous action to address the problem of police ill treatment (summary of the report)....
Governments must step up the fight against antisemitism in all its forms, says anti-racism commission
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) issues a new General Policy Recommendation to the 47 Council of Europe member states
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 14 to 16 September.Cases proposed for detailed examination concern Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium,...
Secretary General participates in International Remembrance Ceremony at Natzweiler - Struthof
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić took part on Sunday in the international ceremony of Remembrance in the former concentration camp of Natzweiler – Struthof. The Secretary General lit the commemorative flame after having received the torch from deported victims Pierre Rolinet and Henri...
CPT calls on Sweden to improve conditions for remand prisoners
In a new report the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) calls on the Swedish authorities to limit restrictions on remand prisoners to only exceptional circumstances and to refrain from detaining foreign nationals in prisons instead of placing them in centres specifically designed for...
Crystal Scales of Justice Prize: shortlisted projects announced
The Council of Europe’s “Crystal Scales of Justice Prize” identifies, publicises and shares innovative practices aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of judicial systems. Of 23 applications received from 15 countries, the jury, composed of justice professionals, selected three projects...
Implementing ECHR judgments: new factsheet on rights of LGBTI people
The Council of Europe’s Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights has published a new thematic factsheet on cases related to the rights of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people. The factsheet summarises measures reported by 18 member...
