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Congress President welcomes liberation of prisoners of conscience in Russia and in Belarus
The President of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Marc Cools, has made the following statement: “On behalf of the Congress, I unreservedly welcome the liberation of municipal councillors from Tomsk Ksenia Fadeeva and from the Moscow Krasnoselsky District Ilya...
Rabbit reprieve: European pharmacopoeia shares positive news for animal welfare
The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) has announced the suppression of a widely-used test in rabbits from the quality standards of the European Pharmacopoeia. Since 1971, manufacturers of injectable medicines in Europe have used the test on rabbits to check if...
Congress: 7 local authorities of Friuli Venezia Giulia join network of governance excellence
The seven local authorities of Pagnacco, Premariacco, Reana del Rojale, Ruda, Sagrado, San Lorenzo Isontino and Tavagnacco from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region join over 50 peer municipalities in Italy and nearly 300 across more than 20 member states awarded the European Label of Governance...
Freeing of Vladimir Kara-Murza and other political prisoners: 'Our collective resolve can make a difference'
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Theodoros Rousopoulos today made the following statement: “It is with great joy that I welcome, on behalf of the Assembly, the liberation of our friend Vladimir Kara-Murza as well as the other political prisoners who have reached safety today,...
OSCE/ODIHR observation mission will not give interim assessment of Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan
The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission for the early elections to the Milli Majlis on September 1 announced the start of its activities. As its head, the representative of Albania, Ditmir Bushati, said at a press conference that the mission includes 11 experts in the field of elections, law, media,...
Why teaching Roma history – and the Roma Holocaust – is more important than ever
Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, 2 August, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, made the following statement: “On the night of 2–3 August 1944, over 3,000 Roma women, men and children were exterminated in the gas chambers of the ‘Zigeunerlager’ at...
Groundbreaking Council of Europe treaty to protect women and girls entered into force 10 years ago
The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention after the city in which it opened for signature, marks 10 years since it entered into force on 1 August 2014. It is the most far-reaching international...
Increased risks of human trafficking require concerted action to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking
On the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) joins the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Human Beings (ICAT) in calling for concerted measures to reduce the...
European Committee of Social Rights: Insufficient protection of workers in cases of unfair dismissal in Spain breaches Social Charter
In a new decision on the merits of the collective complaint Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) v. Spain, Complaint No. 207/2022, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) concludes that Spanish legislation does not afford sufficient protection to workers in cases of termination of...
Poland: all laws and practices related to the situation on the Belarus border should comply with human rights standards
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty has published two letters sent on 17 July to the Prime Minister and the Marshal of the Senate of Poland concerning the human rights situation on the border with Belarus. In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Commissioner...
