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Council of Europe bank issues a new social inclusion bond to bolster its response to Ukraine refugee crisis
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) issued a new € 1 billion seven-year Social Inclusion Bond (SIB) to bolster its response to the social crisis unfolding due to the war in Ukraine and help its member states assist millions of refugees seeking safety. The proceeds of the new bond could...
Children’s rights in crisis and emergency situations: a new Council of Europe priority for 2022-2027
With climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, securing and protecting children’s rights in crisis and emergency situations has been designated a new priority in the Council of Europe’s Strategy for the Rights of the Child for 2022-2027...
Justice needed for residents of Bucha and all other victims of the war in Ukraine
Statement by Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović
Congress President condemns the crimes against Ukrainian citizens and elected local leaders
On the occasion of his exchange of views with the Deputies in the Committee of Ministers on 6 April, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek made the following statement: “The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase of atrocities....
Assembly delegation condemns atrocities and pledges help after first Ukraine visit
Parliamentary Assembly President Tiny Kox has condemned atrocities by the Russian army and promised all possible assistance in investigating war crimes following the first official visit to Ukraine since hostilities began. “I strongly condemn the atrocities against innocent civilians, including...
Tackling the risks for democracy of digital political campaigning: Council of Europe issues guidelines
The Council of Europe has issued a set of guidelines to its 46 member states to address the challenges to the fairness and legitimacy of electoral processes created by new digital political communication techniques. These challenges include the possible abusive use of microtargeting, personal...
Children’s rights : a new strategy to be launched in Rome
The new Strategy to guide the 46 member States of the Council of Europe in protecting and promoting the rights of the child in 2022-2027 will be officially launched on 7-8 April at a high-level conference in Rome. Benedetto Della Vedova, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and...
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić on the atrocities in Bucha
"I am appalled at the horrific images of atrocities emerging from the Ukrainian town of Bucha and other towns near Kyiv following the withdrawal of Russian forces. “I call for an urgent, full and independent investigation into these horrendous crimes. The perpetrators must be brought to justice....
Council of Europe’s annual penal statistics: Covid-19 pandemic helped reduce Europe’s prison population
The Covid-19 pandemic contributed to reducing the prison population in Europe between January 2020 and January 2021, consolidating a ten-year-long trend in most European states, according to the Council of Europe’s Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations for 2021, (see also Key findings)....
Council of Europe bodies observe national and local elections in Serbia
On 3 April 2022, presidential and early parliamentary elections were held in Serbia, observed by international observers, among them the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. On the same day, local elections in Belgrade and 12 other municipalities were held; they were observed by the...
PACE President reacts to reports of civilian killings by Russian forces around Kyiv
PACE President Tiny Kox has expressed shock and horror at reports of civilian killings by Russian forces withdrawing from Bucha and other towns around Kyiv. “These horrible crimes need to be thoroughly investigated, and the perpetrators of any war crimes in this terrible war brought to justice,”...
Links between Artificial Intelligence and human rights at the heart of high-level event in Rome
The impact of Artificial Intelligence on human rights, democracy and the Rule of Law in building a person-friendly future is the theme of a high-level event at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome. Co-organised by the Italian Presidency of the Committee of...
Ministers of Culture conference: “Creating our future: creativity and cultural heritage as strategic resources for a diverse and democratic Europe”
In the framework of the Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Europe and the Italian Ministry of Culture has organised a Conference of Ministers of Culture in a hybrid format (in Strasbourg and online), on April 1st. The Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini...
Protecting witnesses and collaborators of justice: Committee of Ministers recommendation
The Council of Europe´s Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation providing guidance to its 46 member states on the protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice and aiming to strengthen international cooperation in this field. The text, which updates a recommendation on the same...
Progress and challenges seen in implementing human rights judgments, says annual report
Human rights have improved in a number of countries thanks to moves by governments to implement judgments from the European Court of Human Rights, but serious challenges remain, according to the latest annual report from the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. The report underlines...
Foreign terrorist fighters: new recommendation on the use of information collected in conflict zones as evidence in criminal proceedings
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation on the use of information collected in conflict zones as evidence in criminal proceedings related to terrorist offences. Prepared by the Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT), the Recommendation provides guidance to member States on the...
Congress President strongly condemns abductions of Ukrainian mayors and elected representatives
Following up on his statement of 15 March 2022 concerning the abduction of mayors from the Melitopol and Dniprorudne, Zaporizhya oblast, and the Congress Declaration adopted on 24 March 2022, the Congress President Leendert Verbeek has made the following statement regarding the war in Ukraine: “I...
New online platform matches cities in Ukraine with European cities that can provide help
A new online platform, Cities4Cities, has been developed to help Ukrainian cities. Launched at the initiative of Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Mayor of the city of Sindelfingen, with the...
United Kingdom local authorities limited by over-regulation and funding issues, says Council of Europe Congress
Local authorities in the UK are hampered from effective action by government over-regulation and lack of freedom to raise and spend money, a key report from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has concluded. Monitoring how the UK respects the European Charter of Local Self Government,...
Implementing ECHR judgments: New factsheet on domestic violence cases
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 domestic violence. The factsheet summarises measures reported by 12 member states to help prevent domestic violence, protect victims...
