Newsroom
CPT at 30: conference on safeguards during first hours of custody
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) is organising a conference in Strasbourg on 4 November to mark its 30th anniversary and to discuss the implementation of detention safeguards in the first hours of police custody, a time when the risk of ill-treatment is higher. The...
Aegean islands: Greece should urgently transfer asylum seekers and improve their living conditions
“The situation of migrants, including asylum seekers, in the Greek Aegean islands has dramatically worsened over the past 12 months. Urgent measures are needed to address the desperate conditions in which thousands of human beings are living,” said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for...
National minorities in Finland: rising intolerance needs tackling
Finland has a long tradition of support for minority languages and cultures, through a well-developed legal framework that is generous towards persons belonging to minorities and affords extensive linguistic rights. However, as in other European countries, levels of intolerance and nationalism...
Russian local elections: all candidates need equal access to electoral rights
In its report on the Russian Federation adopted today, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe noted with satisfaction the developments that have taken place since 2010: the principle of local self-government is now recognised both in the Constitution and in...
Turkey: Congress adopts report on the observation of local elections and the Istanbul repeat mayoral election
Meeting in session on 30 October 2019, the members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted a report on the local elections in Turkey (31 March 2019) and the Istanbul repeat mayoral election (23 June 2019), following observation missions led by the...
Liliane Maury Pasquier: "The Council of Europe needs the continuing commitment of the Assembly and the Congress"
"The Council of Europe has already strongly demonstrated its ability to adapt to the changing world. But the organisation needs our continued commitment and the Assembly and the Congress, as well as our national parliaments and local and regional authorities, have a fundamental role to play. It...
Council of Europe Secretary General addresses Congress members
“We can take pride in having created a common legal area for 47 member states in which common legal standards are adopted, promoted and upheld,” said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, in an address to Congress members at their session in Strasbourg, France,...
Anders Knape: "The Congress must have resources corresponding to its responsibilities within the Council of Europe"
Speaking at the opening of the 37th Session in Strasbourg on 29 October 2019, Congress President Anders Knape recalled the role of the Council of Europe in guaranteeing in its 47 member States democracy, human rights and the rule of law. He stressed that the Congress, which plays a key role in...
Language policies should protect minority rights, promote diversity and lower tensions
Languages are immensely enriching. They enable us to communicate with more people, to be better understood and to better understand other perspectives. Unfortunately, however, in many countries of the Council of Europe, languages are still sometimes used as tools to pit people against each other....
Tunisia: Secretary General confirms Council of Europe commitment to reinforced political dialogue
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met with Mr Mokhtar Hammami, Minister of Local Affairs and Environment of Tunisia today, underlining the increasing political dialogue between Tunisia and the Council of Europe. She welcomed cooperation on democratic reforms, notably...
37th Session of the Congress: Mayors safeguarding democracy
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will meet in Strasbourg, France, from 29 to 31 October 2019, for its 37th Session, under the theme “Mayors safeguarding democracy”. The Session’s debates will focus on smart cities and cybersecurity, the working conditions of...
12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance: conference on 28 October
An international conference on the Twelve Principles of Good Democratic Governance is taking place in Strasbourg on 28 October. The event has been organised by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, within the framework of the French presidency of the Council’s Committee...
Session of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations
The Conference of INGOs has chosen the theme of migration for its October session, taking place in Strasbourg from 28 to 31 October 2019. The theme will be dealt with at different times and in different ways during the week: The Human Rights Committee will hold a round table on hate speech on the...
Supreme Court of Slovenia wins Crystal Scales of Justice Prize
The Supreme Court of Slovenia has just been rewarded for an initiative entitled “Improving the quality of justice” (IQ Justice) [video – powerpoint presentation] The 2019 European Crystal Scales of Justice prize, organised by the Council of Europe and rewarding innovative judicial practices in...
“Act for Heritage!”: Conference in Cyprus on protecting Cultural Property
Cultural property, as an invaluable testimony of history and identity to be preserved in all circumstances, contributes to the creation of a more peaceful, just and cohesive society. However, with alarming frequency, cultural property is targeted in both peace and wartime, often leading to a...
European summit of Presidents of Parliament in Strasbourg
The Presidents of Parliament from the 47 Council of Europe member states and many partner, observer and neighbouring countries, along with the Presidents of other international assemblies, will be meeting in Strasbourg on 24 and 25 October 2019 for a European parliamentary summit. Some 60...
European states urged to strengthen and support families before resorting to out-of-home care
A declaration on ”Protecting children in out-of-home care from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” has been adopted in Nicosia, Cyprus on 18 October by the Lanzarote Committee, the Council of Europe body overseeing the implementation by states of the Convention on the Protection of Children...
European Anti-trafficking Day (18 October)
Victims must have justice, including compensation, says Council of Europe Secretary General
Deputy Secretary General at European Heritage Days annual assembly
European Heritage Days, a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Union, holds its annual Assembly of national co-ordinators of the 50 States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, in presence of the Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni. European Heritage Days...
Integrating migrants: survey finds language courses more beneficial than tests
Policies on language and knowledge of society for migrants in Council of Europe member states and the learning opportunities are the focus of the new survey that has been presented at the conference in the Council of Europe on 16 October. The survey was conducted by the Council of Europe in...
