Newsroom
Ten-year trends in European prisons
New Council of Europe report
Adoption of the first European Ethical Charter on the use of artificial intelligence in judicial systems
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) of the Council of Europe has adopted the first European text setting out ethical principles relating to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in judicial systems. The Charter provides a framework of principles that can guide policy...
Council of Europe Development Bank provides financial assistance for refugee healthcare in Ceuta and Melilla
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Ambassador Tomáš Boček, attended the Council of Europe Development bank’s (CEB) signature ceremony of a grant agreement with Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria (INGESA), in Melilla today. The CEB is...
Statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
“The Council of Europe strives to protect and promote human rights of all, including people with disabilities of which there are an estimated 80 million in Europe,” Mr Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland pointed out...
Council of Europe discussed European academic cooperation with Russian universities
The Council of Europe discussed yesterday and today in Moscow with leading Russian universities the prospects for enhanced academic cooperation on the Council of Europe's conventions. As a first step, a new training course on human rights and biomedicine (bioethics) was presented at the Faculty...
“Ethics and Human Rights must guide any use of genome editing technologies in human beings”
Statement by the Council of Europe Committee on Bioethics
Statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, on death penalty in Belarus
“I deeply regret the reported executions of Mr Syamyon Berazhny and Mr Ihar Hershankow in Belarus, which were carried out despite the strong call made by the Committee of Ministers in October 2018 to the authorities of Belarus to establish a formal moratorium on executions as a first step towards...
Corruption among judges: the CCJE adopts an opinion
Corruption among judges is one of the main threats to society and the functioning of a democratic state. It undermines judicial integrity, which is fundamental to the rule of law and a fundamental value of the Council of Europe. Judicial integrity is the first prerequisite for the efficiency and...
Portugal assumes four-year presidency of the Pompidou Group
New programme includes focus on growing threat of online addiction
European Prevention prize: Winning projects from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey
Three projects from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey were awarded the Pompidou Group’s 2018 European Prevention Prize. Prize winners in 2018 – Civil Life Association in Turkey, Workshop of Life in Greece and Take Me in Your Village in Bulgaria – were selected out of 18 candidate projects. Special...
Statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, on the situation in the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait
Mr Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, today made the following statement: “I am deeply concerned about the current situation in the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait following the grave incidents that took place yesterday....
Statement by the Secretary General on the situation around the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait
Free passage of the Kerch Strait is guaranteed by the Agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine about the cooperation on the usage of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. It was signed in 2003 and came into force in 2004. According to this Agreement, the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait are...
30 new cases highlight the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights
Thirty new case studies have been added to the Council of Europe’s interactive website showing how the European Convention on Human Rights has changed people’s lives across the continent. The website now includes 131 examples of how judgments from the European Court of Human Rights, and their...
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Declaration by the Finnish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers
Azerbaijan: How to prevent and detect trafficking for labour exploitation
Azerbaijan: progress made in countering human trafficking, but more must be done to prevent and detect trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation
Fulfil the promise of a comprehensive response to violence against women
“All women and girls have the right to live free from violence. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. One in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence – 22% at the hands of their partner. More than half of all women have been sexually harassed with 20% of young women reporting...
Upholding the child’s right to a family after parents’ separation
Shared parenting after separation/divorce, children’s rights and the role of the states in safeguarding best interests of the child is the key theme of the 4th International Conference for Shared Parenting held under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 22-23 November...
From meth addicted online gambling to AI cocaine simulation: Pompidou Group set to tackle new drug challenges
Participants at a ministerial conference of the Council of Europe’s drug policy platform the Pompidou Group are expected to express grave concerns over new types of drugs and worrying trends in drug abuse linked to online gambling. Open entirely to the press, the 17th Ministerial Conference of...
Ending misconceptions about the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
Ending violence against women is not about ending traditions or ending sexual differences
Ukraine: the fight against human trafficking must go on
GRETA publishes second report on Ukraine
Democracy Innovation Award 2018: and the winner is...
Today, at the closing session of the World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its Democracy Innovation Award was the initiative Self-Representation of Women in Kenyan Courts. Three initiatives out of the 30 or so presented at the Forum were shortlisted for the...
Committee of Ministers: Croatia hands over presidency to Finland
The Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from Croatia to Finland, at a meeting at the Organisation’s Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States. The outgoing Chair, Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister and...
Marlène Schiappa: gender equality, a priority for the French Chairmanship of the Council of Europe in 2019
The French Minister of State for gender equality has announced that practical measures will be taken during the French Chairmanship to promote the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (better known as the “Istanbul Convention”)....
Universal Children’s Day (20 November)
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe welcomes decision of German bishops’ conference to commemorate victims of sexual abuse on 18 November
The Council of Europe welcomes the decision of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference (DBK) to introduce a commemoration day dedicated to the victims of sexual abuse. The Bishops’ Conference announced the annual commemoration should take place on or around the 18th November, which coincides with...
Romania should improve the protection of persons with disabilities, combat violence against women, safeguard press freedom and maintain the independence of the judiciary
“Romania needs to strengthen its institutional framework to better protect the rights of persons with disabilities, and should step up the efforts to combat violence against women,” said today Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of her five-day visit to...
Statement on the detention of prominent academics in Turkey including Hakan Altinay
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland said: "I am very concerned by the detention of a group of academics including Hakan Altinay and will raise this alarming development with the Turkish government as a matter of urgency."
Making sport safe for children: Stop Child Sexual Abuse Day
Governments and sports organisations must redouble their efforts to break the silence surrounding sexual abuse of children in sports, prevent it and fight impunity, stressed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe ahead of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual...
Execution of Mr Roberto Ramos Moreno (USA)
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
The Grand Chamber delivers judgment on Aleksey Navalnyy’s case: various violations found
Today, the Grand Chamber delivered a judgment on the case of Navalnyy v. Russia (application no. 29580/12 and four others) which concerned the applicant’s complaint that his arrest, detention and administrative conviction on seven occasions in 2012 and 2014 had breached his rights and had been...
Tolerant and inclusive societies in Western Balkans: conference in Montenegro
A Regional Conference taking place on 14 and 15 November in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, is discussing standard setting, monitoring and co-operation in anti-discrimination work, combating hate speech and protecting minority rights. The event, entitled “Tolerant and Inclusive Societies in...
International Day of Tolerance, 16 November
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Launch of New Education Campaign in Oslo
A new Council of Europe education campaign is being launched this week (14-16 November) in Oslo, Norway. Free to Speak, Safe to Learn – Democratic Schools for All is aimed at creating ‘safe spaces’ in schools, where controversial subjects can be openly and safely debated, to prevent ideas that...
Secretary General participates in Paris Armistice centenary commemoration
At the invitation of France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Council of Europe Secretary General Jagland is taking part in the ceremonies to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War on 11 November in Paris. Together with other heads of state, government and international...
Pompidou Group workshops in Ukraine: Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine calls for health reforms in prisons
“This workshop is an opportunity for us to learn from international experiences and use these to improve our penitentiary system, leading to a more secure society”, said Denys Chernyshov, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, when addressing executives of the State Penitentiary Service of...
Secretary General Jagland meets Finnish Foreign Minister, President and Parliament speaker
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is on an official visit to Helsinki, in preparation for Finland’s upcoming presidency of the Committee of Ministers, which will run from 21 November 2018 until 17 May 2019. He said ”Finland will take up the presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of...
Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers: “The European Charter of Local-Self-Government is a major achievement of the Council of Europe”
“These are, undoubtedly, difficult times. At the European level, at the national and local level and also at an institutional level. Pan-European challenges are more present than ever,” said Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia,...
Council of Europe to take part in Internet Governance Forum in Paris
A Council of Europe delegation will take part in discussions to be held at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from 12 to 14 November, under the heading of “Internet of Trust”. Throughout the Forum, which will bring together representatives of governments,...
Anders Knape elected new president of the Congress
Meeting at their 35th session in Strasbourg (France), Congress members have elected Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE) president of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities for a two-year term. “Our Congress is a political body tasked with protecting local democracy. We represent not...
Luxembourg must improve the identification of victims of trafficking in human beings
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published today its second evaluation report on Luxembourg as regards the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The report assesses developments since the...
HIV prevention and drug treatment in European prisons: training in Ukraine
The Council of Europe's Pompidou Group drug policy experts are holding a workshop and an executive training on drug treatment and HIV prevention in prisons in Kyiv Oblast from 5 to 9 November. Ukraine’s 40% increase in annual new HIV infections from 9,500 in 2010 to 15,680 in 2017 is especially...
Greece should safeguard social rights for all and improve the reception and integration of migrants
“Greece should take urgent steps and adopt long-term policies to improve the reception and integration of migrants and to reverse the adverse effects of austerity measures on access to health care and education”, says Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, publishing...
Secretary General Jagland meets German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will meet German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday 6 November in Berlin. The meeting will focus on challenges to human rights in Europe and the current situation at the Council of Europe. A press briefing is scheduled at 11:45 in the...
Tackling hate speech in the media: Zagreb conference
The Council of Europe and the Croatian Agency for Electronic Media are organising a conference on 6 and 7 November in Zagreb (Croatia) to discuss the different ways European states have regulated hate speech, and specifically the measures to tackle it taken by national regulatory authorities, the...
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Finland
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is making an official visit to Finland on 8 November 2018. The Secretary General is going to hold meetings in Helsinki with President Sauli Niinistö, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini and Speaker of the Parliament Paula Risikko. The...
World Forum for Democracy - “Gender Equality: Whose Battle?”
A year after the #MeToo movement first started, the World Forum for Democracy 2018, from 19 to 21 November, will focus on gender equality and women’s rights, in particular, women’s public, political and economic participation, and on combating violence against women. Dolores Delgado Garcia,...
World Day of Romani Language
Secretary General statement
Brain drain or brain gain? Seminar in Zagreb
A two-day seminar with this title is taking place in Zagreb, Croatia, to look at the phenomena of “brain drain” (the emigration of educated young people) and “brain gain” (the influx of qualified people who are either immigrating or returning home). It will also examine the possible role of the...
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Liechtenstein
On official visit in Liechtenstein on 29 October, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland held meetings with Prime Minister Adrian Hasler, Speaker of Parliament Albert Frick and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture Aurelia Frick, as well as with the delegation to the...
Tirana: international conference on transparency of beneficial ownership
The Council of Europe is organising an international conference under the theme “Transparency of beneficial ownership” on 30 and 31 October in Tirana, Albania, in the framework of its work to strengthen capacities in member states to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The...
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Liechtenstein
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is making an official visit to Liechtenstein on 29 October. The Secretary General is holding meetings in Vaduz with Prime Minister Adrian Hasler, Speaker of Parliament Albert Frick and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justice and Culture Aurelia...
Russia: Excessive fine for ‘New Times’ endangers media pluralism and press freedom
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland
Europe and North America Education 2030 consultation
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Romania criminal justice reform proposal weakens fight against corruption and serious crime
Venice Commission Opinion
Human trafficking in the Netherlands: Significant progress, but further action needed in several areas
The Council of Europe’s group of experts on human trafficking has welcomed the significant progress made by the Netherlands in recent years, whilst also calling on the authorities to take further action in a number of areas. In its second evaluation report on the Netherlands, published today, the...
Access to justice for women victims of violence in Eastern Partnership countries
Regional Conference of the PGG Project "Strengthening Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence in the Six Eastern Partnership Countries"
#MeToo: alarming levels of sexual abuse and violence found in parliaments
A new study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) shows that acts of sexism, abuse and violence against women are widespread in parliaments across Europe. The findings reveal that 85 per cent of women MPs have suffered from...
Secretary General Jagland on official visit to Slovakia
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is making an official visit to the Slovak Republic on 16 and 17 October. The Secretary General is holding meetings in Bratislava with President Andrej Kiska, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav...
Turkey and Montenegro: Council of Europe experts on ending violence against women publish monitoring reports
Reports that monitor the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) by Turkey and Montenegro have been published by the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic...
Latvia should step up efforts to integrate national minorities and combat Roma discrimination
The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities today urged the Latvian authorities to promote integration and participation of national minorities in society and combat discrimination of the Roma. In a new Opinion assessing the progress made since...
Protecting Human Rights and Fighting Corruption in Sport
Which steps could be taken by public authorities to address human rights’ violations in the context of sport? How to support sport movement to protect and promote human rights? What are the obstacles to leading a more effective fight against corruption in the field of sport? Taking stock of...
Combating corruption –Šibenik international conference
The Croatian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) of the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Justice of Croatia are organising an international conference on 15 and 16 October in Šibenik (Croatia) to discuss ways to...
European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation 2018
“Be ready to save lives, become a superhero! Say yes to organ, tissue and cell donation!”
E-relevance of Culture in the Age of AI
Culture, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence will be discussed at an expert seminar in Rijeka, Croatia on 12-13 October 2018. The seminar “E-relevance of Culture in the Age of AI”, organised in the framework of the Croatian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,...
Secretary General: Russia leaving the Council of Europe would be a “huge setback” for human rights
Answering a question from a PACE member relating to Russia’s continued non-payment of its budget contributions, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland warned that if Russia were to leave the organisation, its citizens would no longer have access to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHtR). Mr...
Gudrun Mosler-Törnström: “It is through synergy that we will succeed to strengthen democracy”
“We, in the Congress, and our mayors and council members, need our MPs as much as you need local and regional elected representatives to carry out successful decentralisation policies that meet the needs of our citizens”, today said Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, President of the Congress of Local and...
Open minds are needed to improve the protection of LGBTI asylum seekers in Europe
“In many states around the world, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons face serious violations of their human rights on account of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics”, says Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights,...
‘Pursuing a constructive dialogue between the Committee of Ministers and the Assembly’
The Committee of Ministers is determined to pursue a constructive dialogue and close co-operation with the Assembly. It is by joining forces that we can meet current challenges and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe,” said Marija Pejčinović Burić, Deputy Prime Minister...
Council of Europe treaty bolstering data protection opened for signature
Twenty-one states signed today a Council of Europe treaty aimed at strengthening the principles and rules for the protection of personal data at international level. The treaty, an Amending Protocol, updates the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to...
Slovenia adopts a declaration on the creation of a Children’s House for child victims of sexual abuse
Representatives of Slovenian authorities have signed and adopted the Declaration on the creation of a Barnahus (Children’s House) for child victims of sexual abuse in Slovenia. The declaration was signed by the Slovenian Minister of Justice Andreja Katič; Minister of Family, Labour, Social...
Tunisian Foreign Minister thanks Council of Europe for its support
“May I pay tribute to the Council of Europe for the precious support it has given to Tunisia in this period of democratic transition, and for its commitment to accompanying us in implementing constitutional arrangements and the process of reforming Tunisia’s institutional and legal frameworks,”...
Jagland calls for immediate action in defence of journalists
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement today: "Although the motives remain unclear, this week we have again witnessed a brutal murder of a journalist in a Council of Europe member State – the fourth in a year. We cannot remain passive following such an outburst of...
European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation (EODD) 2018
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia
10 October: European Day against the Death Penalty
The 47-nation Council of Europe and the 28-member European Union have published a joint declaration to mark the European and World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October. The declaration underlines the two organisations’ strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances. “The...
Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2018 awarded to Oyub Titiev
The sixth Václav Havel Human Rights Prize – which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights – has been awarded to the head of the Grozny office of the Memorial Human Rights Center in Chechyna, Oyub Titiev (Russian Federation). The prize was presented at a special...
