Newsroom
Council of Europe adopts international convention on protecting lawyers
The Council of Europe has adopted the first-ever international treaty aiming to protect the profession of lawyer. This is to respond to increasing reports of attacks on the practice of the profession, whether in the form of harassment, threats or attacks, or interference with the exercise of...
Anti-torture Committee deplores overcrowding and violence in prisons in Guadeloupe and French Guiana
In a new report the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has expressed concern about overcrowding and violence in prisons, and about the material conditions of detention in law enforcement establishments in Guadeloupe and French Guiana (France). It also regrets the...
Crimea: Russia must release Ukrainian political prisoners and respect human rights, says Committee of Ministers
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has urged the Russian authorities to immediately restore application of the Ukrainian law in Crimea, to cease all administrative practices found by the ECHR to be in breach of the European Human Rights Convention and to release all Ukrainian...
Tromsø Convention: new reports on Albania and Armenia evaluate their legislation on access to official documents
The Council of Europe’s Access Info Group (AIG), an independent group of experts that monitors the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents by its parties, has published its first baseline evaluation reports on Albania and Armenia. The reports contain...
European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism
Today, on the 21st European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism, the Council of Europe honours and remembers the lives tragically lost and the survivors who continue to bear the scars of these heinous acts. As Europe continues to face terrorist attacks, this day stands as a solemn reminder...
GRETA publishes its fourth report on Austria
the latest report on Austria from the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), which is responsible for monitoring implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, praises positive developments in...
Modification of wolf protection under the Bern Convention enters into force
From 7 March 2025, the modification of wolf protection under the Bern Convention enters into force. On 6 December 2024, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention adopted a proposal submitted by the European Union to modify the protection status of the wolf (Canis lupus) from "strictly...
EPAS spotlights women’s health and sport
International Women’s Day
Implementing ECHR rulings: Latest decisions from the Committee of Ministers
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has published the case-by-case decisions taken during the Committee’s meeting from 4 to 6 March to supervise the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee of Ministers adopted 38 decisions...
Portugal: Restrictions on military associations’ right to trade union prerogatives breach European Social Charter
The European Committee of Social Rights, in a decision on the merits of a collective complaint filed by the European Organisation of Military Associations and Trade Unions (EUROMIL) against Portugal (Complaint No. 199/2021), finds that the restrictions imposed by Portuguese legislation on...
Women as equal partners in the AI revolution: a call for gender equality in the digital age
“The AI and digital revolution must also be a revolution for gender equality,” says Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset ahead of International Women’s Day. “Together, we can break down barriers to build a future where women and girls lead, innovate, and drive the digital world...
Protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse: new online training course
The Council of Europe has launched a new online training course on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. It was unveiled during the 44th plenary meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against...
Press freedom report warns of risks of reporting Ukraine war and persistent threats to media freedom across Europe
The risks that journalists faced covering the war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine remained the most pressing concern related to the safety of journalists in Europe in 2024, according to the annual report of the partner organisations to the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the...
Cypriot Maronite Arabic “in danger of extinction” among other findings in new report on Cyprus
In an new evaluation the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages notes “structured and comprehensive” financial support for two languages concerned: Cypriot Maronite Arabic and Armenian. Government support includes language learning,...
Montenegro joins the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe (OHTE)
Following a year of successful co-operation with OHTE as an observer state, Montenegro has joined the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe as a fully-fledged member state on 1 March 2025. The importance of enlarging the Observatory’s membership was highlighted on numerous occasions during...
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 4 to 6 March. Cases proposed for detailed examination concern Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,...
An Academy Award for Eurimages, the Council of Europe’s Fund for film co-production
On 2 March 2025, animated feature film “Flow”, directed by Gints Zilbalodis, won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. A co-production between Latvia, France and Belgium, supported by Eurimages, “Flow” is a poetic and immersive cinematic journey that showcases the power...
Georgia: Amendments to Code of administrative offences and Law on assemblies and demonstrations need to be reviewed in a proper law-making process, says Venice Commission
The Venice Commission has issued an urgent opinion on the amendments adopted by the Georgian Parliament on 13 December 2024 and 6 February 2025 to the Code of administrative offences and the Law on assemblies and demonstrations of Georgia. The urgent opinion was requested by Theodoros...
The Book of Europe: leaders share their vision for the continent’s future
Would you like to know what the Foreign Minister of Iceland thinks about the future of Europe, the perspectives of the Prime Ministers of Portugal and Spain as well as the President of Switzerland? What are the thoughts of the UK and Germany, and why do they differ? What is the perspective of...
Dublin conference on role of the Council of Europe in the pursuit of peace, justice and accountability in Ukraine
Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, Bjørn Berge, attended today in Dublin a conference to mark the 3rd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, organised by the Dublin City University in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. He joined an impressive...
