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“Our rights, our future”
Secretary General 2024 report on democracy, human rights, and rule of law in Europe
L’Atelier de l’Europe: immersion in the Council of Europe’s art collection
To mark its 75th anniversary, the Council of Europe is offering a unique audio experience featuring 12 works of art that are emblematic of the organisation’s history, heritage and values. L’Atelier de l’Europe (Europe’s workshop), a 12-episode podcast in French, will be available from 1 May. The...
Anti-trafficking group GRETA issues 2023 report
The Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published its latest general report of activities, highlighting the key achievements in 2023. These include the publication of 11 new country evaluation reports (in respect of Azerbaijan, Estonia,...
Secretary General welcomes new three-year contract “Strasbourg, European Capital”
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
Ukraine: Anti-torture committee expresses concern over prison overcrowding and informal hierarchies
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published the report on its October 2023 periodic visit to Ukraine, the first since the start of the full-scale military aggression by Russia in February 2022. Despite the efforts by...
Human Rights Commissioner calls for stronger support for Ukraine
The new Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, carried out a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine from 23-25 April. This was his first visit to a member state since taking up his post on 1 April. With the current human rights landscape in Europe being dominated by Russia’s war...
Secretary General attends OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna
“I said at the very beginning of my mandate, in 2019, that I wanted to reinforce co-operation between the Council of Europe and other international organisations in the interest of people in Europe, and the wider world. And I cannot think of a better way to mark the Council of Europe’s 75th...
Anti-torture annual report: Rights of transgender prisoners in focus
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has issued a set of standards and recommendations to European prisons aimed at ensuring that transgender prisoners, a highly vulnerable segment of the prison population, are treated with respect and protected from the risks of...
Secretary General meets Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia Lasha Darsalia. During the meeting, the Secretary General highlighted once more the unwavering commitment of the Council of Europe to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, as...
Serious human rights concerns about United Kingdom’s Rwanda Bill
“The adoption of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill by the UK Parliament raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law more generally”, said Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. “The United Kingdom government...
The Netherlands: “Council of Europe is your friend who helps you stick to the rules”
On the 3rd of April 2024, at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security and at the Utrecht University, Ambassador Tanja Gonggrijp, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Council of Europe gave presentations on the Council of Europe’s central role in strengthening human rights, the...
Secretary General meets French Minister Delegate for Europe
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the French Minister Delegate for Europe Jean-Noël Barrot. The meeting focused on current global challenges for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Marija Pejčinović Burić and Jean-Noël Barrot exchanged views mainly on the finalisation of...
Secretary General on official visit to Lithuania
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with President of the Republic Gitanas Nauseda, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska, and other key personalities during an official visit to Lithuania to discuss...
Council of Europe to celebrate the Freedom of Artistic Expression at Venice Biennale
On the occasion of the 60th Venice Biennale, the Council of Europe is organising an event in Venice on 20 April under the title the Other Session, to discuss and assess, through dialogues, performances and exhibitions, the landscape of artistic freedom in Europe, and to identify measures needed...
Congress Secretary General urges Bulgaria to advance fiscal decentralisation
“Fiscal decentralisation is not about administrative restructuring; it is about political empowerment and citizen trust”, stated the Secretary General of the Congress Local and Regional Authorities, Mathieu Mori, at closing the final conference of the EU/CoE project “Developing fiscal...
2024 Europe Prize awarded to Terrassa (Spain)
The 2024 Europe Prize has been awarded to Terrassa, Spain. This award is given annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to the town most active in promoting the European ideal. Terrassa is a city of 225,000 inhabitants in central-eastern Catalonia (Spain). A...
“There will be no peace without justice” – H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois tells PACE
“Aggressive power politics must not prevail. Those challenging our common commitment to the rules base international order must be held to account,” was the message at the heart of His Serene Highness Hereditary Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein’s address to the Parliamentary Assembly of the...
Secretary General meets Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met His Serene Highness Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein. The meeting has been an opportunity to take stock of the Liechtenstein Presidency and of the celebrations for the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Organisation. The exchange of views...
Armenia: GRECO calls for stronger oversight and accountability in police and top executive functions
In a new report the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Armenia to pursue its efforts to prevent corruption in respect of persons with top executive functions and the police (see the non-official translation in Armenian). GRECO notes the positive steps taken...
PACE pays tribute to Alexei Navalny, calls for sweeping measures to counter Putin’s totalitarian regime
PACE has paid tribute to Alexei Navalny, declaring that the Russian state bears full responsibility for his death, and urged a series of sweeping measures to counter what it called Vladimir Putin’s “totalitarian regime”. Unanimously adopting a resolution based on a report by Emanuelis Zingeris...
Foreign Affairs Minister of Liechtenstein addresses PACE
In her communication, Dominique Hasler, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport of Liechtenstein and President of the Committee of Ministers, mentioned the need for continued support to Ukraine and referred to the Presidency’s priorities. “In Reykjavík our leaders sent a strong message...
Montenegro to introduce Barnahus model to support child survivors and witnesses of violence, abuse and sexual exploitation
The government of Montenegro, with support from UNICEF, the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU), have announced the introduction of a multidisciplinary model that provides child-friendly support for child survivors and witnesses of violence, abuse and exploitation: Barnahus (Children’s...
Secretary General meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Principality of Liechtenstein and President of the Committee of Ministers Dominique Hasler. The meeting focused on the current state of play of the Liechtenstein Presidency and the upcoming 75th anniversary...
Secretary General meets Minister of Justice of Latvia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Justice of Latvia Inese Lībiņa-Egnere. During the meeting, they discussed the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as the “Riga Principles” adopted at the informal conference of Ministers...
PACE recommends that Kosovo* becomes a member of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recommended that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe – while deciding to monitor its fulfilment of an extensive list of commitments and obligations as from its accession. Under the Council of Europe’s...
PACE calls for frozen Russian State assets to be used to support the reconstruction of Ukraine
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today recommended “the seizure of Russian state assets and their use” in support of the reconstruction of Ukraine. This course of action would “strengthen Ukraine, ensure the accountability of...
Secretary General’s Question Time at the Parliamentary Assembly
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has responded to parliamentarians’ questions at the PACE Spring plenary session. During a lively Q & A session, the Secretary General reiterated the fundamental importance of the European Union accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, as an...
Secretary General meets Chair of the Parliament of Ukraine
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Chair of Verkhovna Rada (the Parliament) of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk. Accountability and the Register of Damage for Ukraine, as an integral part of the future compensation mechanism, were at the centre of the meeting, with the opening of the...
'Ukraine needs right now the vital munitions which will allow it to continue to defend itself' says PACE President
“Ukraine needs our support and not just words – it needs right now the vital munitions which will allow it to continue to defend itself, to defend us all and to defend the most fundamental right of all laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights – the right of people to life,” PACE...
Deputy Prime Minister Popsoi stresses the Republic of Moldova’s commitment to reform in its path to European integration
Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe during its spring session, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Popșoi, expressed his country´s commitment to “continue deep reforms and transformation of the Moldovan society, overcome...
Secretary General meets Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, Mihai Popșoi. The meeting focused on the follow-up to the Reykjavik Summit, including the Register of Damage, and the organisation’s forthcoming 75th...
Spring session of Conference of INGOs: results
An exchange with the new Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Michael O’Flaherty (link to speech) pledging to prioritise the defence of civil society, as well as the end of mandate activity report presented by the President were the highlights of the first part of the Spring session of the...
Armenia: Council of Europe launches package of measures in response to refugee influx
The Council of Europe has launched a €2.8 million comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia. It includes four new initiatives and incorporated additional components into two ongoing projects. “The response package aims at protecting the human rights of refugees, resilience...
Annual report on the implementation of ECHR rulings: Significant progress, but important challenges remain
The latest annual report from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers highlights significant progress on implementing rulings from the European Court of Human Rights in 2023, whilst underlining that several important challenges remain. According to the report, the Committee of Ministers...
Strengthening a youth perspective within the Council of Europe: Congress Secretary General meets youth representatives
“Many young people are still not able to contribute meaningfully to political debates or can only do so under agendas that they have not shaped themselves”, stressed Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori, praising in this regard the important work done by the Joint Council on Youth to overcome...
Parliamentary Assembly spring session
A debate on the application by Kosovo* for membership of the Council of Europe, and vote on a draft opinion, will be one of the highlights of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), taking place in Strasbourg from 15-19 April. There will also be a joint...
Preventing corruption in France: progress report on central government and law enforcement agencies
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) has just published a report evaluating the measures taken by the French authorities to implement the recommendations from 2019 on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central government (top executive functions) and law enforcement...
Three climate change rulings from the European Court of Human Rights
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has today issued three separate rulings on cases related to climate change. In the case of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, the Court found violations of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) and...
Deputy Secretary General visits Republic of Moldova
During his two-day visit to the Republic of Moldova, Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has expressed his support for the authorities’ efforts to strengthen healthcare for prisoners, and promote gender equality and action to combat violence against women. He also held a series of meetings with...
Launch of “Journalists Matter” campaign in Ukraine
The Ukrainian national chapter of the Council of Europe “Journalists Matter” Campaign for the Safety of Journalists is being launched in Kyiv on 9 April during the roundtable “Safety of journalists and other media actors in Ukraine in the context of martial law”. The event is organised by the...
Secretary General makes official visit to Armenia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan, and President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan during an official visit to Armenia. During her meetings, the Secretary General discussed the follow-up to the...
International Roma Day: Congress supports Roma rights
As the world marks International Roma Day on 8 April 2024, Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, R, SOC/G/PD), Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights for the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, reaffirms the Congress’ commitment to protecting the rights of Roma...
Award for Innovative School Projects in History Education
The HISTOLAB Award for Innovative School Projects in History Education goes to eight schools from France, Ireland, Serbia, Spain and Türkiye and one transnational project. The Award was presented to students and teachers from the winning schools during the HISTOLAB European Innovation Days in...
New Recommendation on equality for Roma and Traveller* women and girls
Ahead of International Roma Day, the Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation to the 46 Council of Europe member states to ensure equality for Roma and Traveller women and girls and address the specific vulnerabilities they face. International Roma Day is a moment for us to celebrate...
We cannot truly support Roma and Traveller communities without empowering women and girls
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
SLAPPS: abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing journalists must be stopped
Alarmed by the chilling effect that abusive lawsuits have on freedom of expression and public participation, the Committee of Ministers has issued a Recommendation to its 46 member states aimed at countering the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), often used against...
Draft legislation on “transparency of foreign influence” in the Parliament of Georgia
Statement by the Secretary General
New Toolkit to debunk fake news in history classes
The Council of Europe and the European Union have developed a new tool to prepare young people to evaluate content online and in the media, to identify historical distortions, and to think critically about the content they encounter. The “Toolkit for History Classes: Debunking Fake News and...
Secretary General delivers keynote speech at the Conference of Participants of the Register of Damage for Ukraine in The Hague
“The world has just marked two years since the liberation of Irpin and Bucha, where terrible crimes were committed against civilians. This tragic milestone is a further reminder of what is at stake and how important it is that we do everything we can to support Ukraine and its people as the...
Council of Europe Congress: Local elections in Türkiye overall well organised and respecting the will of the voters
Despite certain deficiencies observed in the electoral campaign, local elections in Türkiye were overall well organised and respected the will of the people – these were the preliminary findings of the election observation mission of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional...
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya asks the Congress to support democracy in her country
The goal of the Belarusian democratic forces was to decentralise governance and foster greater empowerment and autonomy within local communities, stressed Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressing the Congress session on 27 March 2024. Convinced that the...
Fight the upsurge in antisemitism and anti-muslim hatred: a major challenge for European cities and regions
The events in the Middle East have led to an unprecedented upsurge in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents in Europe. During the thematic debate on 26 March, Congress members shared both recent information regarding their local authorities and also best practices for preventing violence and...
Natural disasters and climate hazards: Congress calls on its members to be better prepared
Council of Europe member states are increasingly confronted with natural disasters and climate hazards, and local and regional authorities are in the first line to respond. To do this in the most effective, yet democratic manner, it will be crucial for local and regional authorities to develop a...
Congress President: Local and regional authorities can usefully contribute to the execution of Court judgments
“Local and regional authorities can make a valuable contribution to the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on involuntary detention and treatment for mental health reasons”, stressed Congress President Marc Cools, speaking on 27 March 2024 at the Conference on "Of...
Local self-government: France must pursue decentralisation and clarify division of powers, says Congress
The Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has called on France to pursue decentralisation, clarify the division of powers between the state and subnational authorities and provide better protection for mayors. Adopting its recommendation based on a report by Bryony Rudkin...
PACE committee recommends that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe
The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recommended that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe. Approving a draft Opinion during a meeting held today in Paris, based on a report by Dora Bakoyannis...
Support for Ukraine, need to halt democratic backsliding top US visit agenda
Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has concluded a three-day working visit to the United States (25-27 March), where he found widespread support for Ukraine, concern about democratic backsliding around the world, and a hunger for working together to find solutions. Starting in Washington DC,...
Two years of war: Council of Europe Congress calls for greater support to Ukraine
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted on 26 March 2024 a Declaration on the second anniversary of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, presented by Martine Dieschburg-Nickels (Luxembourg, L, ILDG) and Gunn-Marit Helgesen (Norway, R, EPP/CCE). The...
Secretary General meets Minister of Justice of Moldova
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru. The meeting focused on the close co-operation under the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024, especially in the...
Secretary General marks Council of Europe 75th anniversary at Congress session
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has marked the importance of the Council of Europe 75th anniversary in her speech at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities session, coinciding with its 30th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of its youth initiative. “I am very pleased with the...
Young Ukrainian musicians play at the opening of the 46th Congress session
The 46th session of the Congress opened in Strasbourg today to the sound of the European and Ukrainian anthems played young musicians from Ukraine. The 3-day session’s agenda features debates on two years of the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, with the adoption of a declaration, and on...
Congress members committed to protecting the rights of the children of Ukraine
The situation of the children of Ukraine was at the heart of the debate of Congress members on Tuesday 26 March. Daria Herasymchuk, Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights and Child...
Secretary General election: Committee of Ministers submits candidatures to Parliamentary Assembly
The Committee of Ministers has decided to submit to the Parliamentary Assembly, for appointment to the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, with effect from 18 September 2024, the following candidatures: Alain BERSET (Switzerland) (Curriculum vitae) Indrek SAAR (Estonia)...
Azerbaijan should end the intimidation and harassment of journalists and civil society activists
“The increasing repression faced by journalists and civil society members in Azerbaijan is reason for deep concern”, says the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, referring to the arrests, detentions and judicial harassment that are stifling freedom of expression in...
President of the Committee of Ministers and Secretary General visited Ukraine
President of the Committee of Ministers Dominique Hasler and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have inaugurated the Kyiv office of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, during a working visit to the country. "The Liechtenstein...
Survey finds “widespread and concerning pattern” of NGO stigmatisation
A survey prepared by the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe indicates serious stigmatisation of NGOs across Europe, based on 55 responses to a questionnaire by NGOs operating in 31 Council of Europe member states[1] plus Russia, as well as from two...
GRETA triggers positive changes in the fight against human trafficking: celebrates 15 years of its monitoring work
The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has taken stock of its 15 years of monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention, on the occasion of its 50th plenary meeting. Its latest publication on “The practical impact of GRETA’s...
Congress 46th session agenda: Russia’s war against Ukraine, rising antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, support to Belarus democratic forces and Congress 30th anniversary
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold its 46th Session from 26 to 28 March 2024 in Strasbourg, France. On this occasion, the Congress will hold a special ceremony on Wednesday 27 March to mark its 30th anniversary. The session’s agenda features debates...
PACE President: ‘Russian and Belarusian athletes should not compete in the Paris Olympic Games’
Following yesterday's decision by the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and responding to a call by Ukraine’s Olympic Champions* urging PACE’s continued support for a total ban on...
European Committee of Social Rights publishes 2023 Findings and Conclusions on Children, Family and Migrants
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its Conclusions 2023 in respect of the articles of the European Social Charter relating to Children, Family and Migrants. In the framework of the reporting procedure, the ECSR adopted 799 conclusions: 415 conclusions of conformity with...
Making justice for and with children in Europe: the goal of a new EU-Council of Europe joint project
The new European Union-Council of Europe joint project on Child-friendly Justice has been launched in Strasbourg. Co-funded by the EU and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe's Children's Rights Division in close co-operation with Belgium, Poland and Slovenia as focus...
Germany: Follow through with human rights commitments and improve access to social rights
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report following her visit to Germany from 27 November to 1 December 2023, with recommendations regarding the available structures and legal frameworks to protect human rights, and on access to social rights, in...
Hungary: Venice Commission assesses law on national sovereignty protection
In an opinion on Hungary’s Act LXXXVIII on the Protection of National Sovereignty, the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has examined the main elements of the Act, particularly the prohibition of foreign funding in electoral campaigns and the establishment and activities of the Sovereignty...
Congress to observe local elections in Türkiye
A twenty-member delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will carry out a mission from 29 March until 1 April to observe local elections in various regions of Türkiye to be held on 31 March 2024. The delegation will be accompanied by an expert and...
Promoting measures for reducing drug supply and demand worldwide: Pompidou Group Italian Presidency
In an address to the 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna (14-22 March 2024), the Italian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s drug policy cooperation platform stressed that for drug supply reduction, worldwide efforts must be aimed at the control of drug...
