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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...
Ireland should improve the situation of Traveller and Roma communities
Council of Europe experts on national minorities have urged the Irish authorities to improve the situation of Traveller and Roma communities in the country, whilst also welcoming progress on a number of issues. The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National...
Council of Europe adopts new guidelines on prosecution of violent extremism
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted new guidelines aimed at enhancing the prosecution of violent extremism conducive to terrorism. These guidelines, developed by the Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT), provide strategies for prosecuting violent far-right, far-left,...
New recommendation to protect mental health of prisoners and probationers
The Council of Europe has addressed a Recommendation to its 46 member states aimed at promoting and protecting the mental health of prisoners and probationers and at ensuring the management of their possible mental disorders, in full respect of their human dignity. While highlighting the crucial...
Secretary General calls for the universal abolition of the death penalty at the Human Rights Council in Geneva
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has concluded his official visit to Geneva, which took place from 24 to 26 February 2025. The visit was marked by several speeches and ministerial meetings at the Human Rights Council, reiterating the Council of Europe’s commitment to human rights,...
Power outages in Madrid shantytown: European Committee of Social Rights concludes that energy poverty breaches Social Charter
In a decision on the merits of a collective complaint filed by a number of non-governmental organisations focused on the impacts of power outages in two sectors of the Cañada Real Galiana shantytown in Madrid, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) concludes that Spain has breached...
European Court of Human Rights: Knowledge Sharing event
The European Court of Human Rights is holding a high-level conference on Thursday 27 February to mark the launch of Romanian, Turkish and Ukrainian language versions of its Knowledge Sharing platform. The morning session will include contributions from, among others: Elisabeth Margue, Minister of...
