Newsroom
How well are young people prepared to understand pandemics and natural disasters?
Pandemics have always had a considerable impact on human history. Each time, they remind humans of their fragility and how limited their knowledge is. Despite their impact, these events receive little attention in the teaching of history. With the Covid-19 pandemic, and more recently the...
Secretary General meets the President of the European Commission
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met today the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in the Berlaymont building. The meeting focused on the upcoming Council of Europe Fourth Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik (16th – 17th May). Marija Pejčinović...
Austria must improve its strategy to prevent risks of corruption in government and in law enforcement
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against corruption (GRECO) has published its fifth-round evaluation report on Austria dealing with corruption prevention in central government (top executive functions) and law enforcement authorities. (German version of the report) GRECO considers that,...
Secretary General meets EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles. The meeting, which took place in Brussels on 28 February, focused on the need to ensure...
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: 25th anniversary of entry into force
1st March 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which was created to protect languages that form an inseparable part of Europe’s rich cultural and intangible heritage. The 25 Council of Europe member states that have...
Secretary General and EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement launch two major co-operation programmes
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić and European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi have today launched two major co-operation programmes between the European Union and the Council of Europe. The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”...
Secretary General on official visit to Brussels
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić is paying an official visit to Brussels from Monday 27 February to Wednesday 1 March. During the visit, the Secretary General will take part in high-level meetings with: The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; The High...
Finland to launch a Council of Europe Human Rights Day
To be held for the first time in Turku, Finland, on 4 May 2023, the Council of Europe Human Rights Day will bring together leading expert speakers to discuss the Council of Europe’s impact on human rights in Finland. The event will be organised as part of the project Council of Europe Days –...
Secretary General meets Committee of Ministers President
The President of the Committee of Ministers, Iceland’s Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have met in Strasbourg to mark one year since the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Their discussions...
Committee of Ministers stresses urgent need to establish accountability and compensation mechanisms in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine
In a decision adopted today at an extraordinary meeting, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers reaffirmed the need for a strong and unequivocal international legal response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. It welcomed ongoing international efforts to ensure accountability for the...
Council of Europe ceremony marks one year of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
Representatives of Ukraine, Iceland and the Council of Europe have taken part in a ceremony at the organisation’s Strasbourg headquarters to mark the passing of one year since the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In her address the Foreign Minister of Iceland and President of the...
Environment showcases the role of the Council of Europe for young generations
A consultative meeting “Climate crisis and young people” was held in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg on 22-23 February 2023, in preparation for the work of the Joint Council on Youth to draft a new recommendation for the 46 member states of the Council of Europe focusing on climate...
Brutal aggression against Ukraine: One Year On
Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, President of the Parliamentary Assembly Tiny Kox, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović as well as President of the Congress...
Anti-torture Committee Lithuania report: persistent violence in prisons, need to modernise prison estate
In a new report on Lithuania the Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) again raises concerns over the numerous allegations of serious inter-prisoner violence and the ineffectiveness of measures taken to address...
European Committee of Social Rights publishes 2022 Findings
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its Findings 2022 adopted at its 331st session (5-9 December 2022) in respect of seven states (Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden) which have accepted the collective complaints procedure. The...
New HELP online course on Prohibition of Ill-treatment, including in times of conflict
An updated version of the Council of Europe Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) online course on Prohibition of Ill-treatment is now available on the HELP e-learning platform. Over 10,000 applications pending before the European Court of Human Rights concern conflicts between...
One year since the war against Ukraine started: Council of Europe ceremony in support of the Ukrainian people
On 24 February the Council of Europe will hold a ceremony to mark one year of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, followed by an extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Ministers (to be broadcast live). At 9h00, the Foreign Minister of Iceland and Chair of the Committee of Ministers,...
New Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia launched in Yerevan
The Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026 has been officially launched in Yerevan by Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan. “This joint Action Plan we are launching today, is another step in the positive...
Cybercrime Convention: Argentina signs the protocol on disclosure of electronic evidence
Argentina has become the 35th state to sign the Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, which aims to enhance international co-operation and the disclosure of electronic evidence. The Minister of Security of Argentina, Aníbal Fernández, signed the treaty in Strasbourg in the...
Secretary General welcomes UK Attorney General Victoria Prentis
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić today met the Attorney General of the United Kingdom, the Rt Hon Victoria Prentis MP. The Council of Europe’s support for Ukraine was a central feature of their discussion. Both the Attorney General and the Secretary General agreed on...
Human Rights Commissioner calls on all member states to end so-called “conversion” therapies for LGBTI people
In her latest Comment article, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović urges all Council of Europe member states to adopt a human rights-based approach to eliminating so-called “conversion therapies”, which are aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual...
Ireland: Anti-corruption group calls for further steps to prevent corruption in central government and the police
The Irish authorities should adopt further measures to help prevent corruption among people with top executive functions in central government and also in the police, according to the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). GRECO’s fifth evaluation report on Ireland notes...
Free to Create: Report on Artistic Freedom in Europe
A new report entitled Free to Create: Artistic Freedom in Europe examines the challenges European artists and cultural workers face in the practice of their right to freedom of artistic expression. These range from laws that curtail creative freedom, attacks from non-governmental groups and...
Council of Europe Days shows lives transformed
The Council of Europe is today launching a visibility project to “tell the Council of Europe story”. The Council of Europe Days, supported by an online resource for its member states, highlights how the Organisation has helped to improve the lives of millions of Europeans by protecting their...
Secretary General meets Latvian President Egils Levits
At a challenging time both for the continent and the Council of Europe, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with Egils Levits, the President of Latvia, for an exchange on the upcoming Latvian Presidency. She welcomed Latvia’s determination to reinforce democracy, human rights and...
Repeat elections in Berlin: Congress delegation welcomes orderly election, but calls for more clarity on distribution of responsibilities
A delegation from the Congress of the Council of Europe observed local and regional elections to the Berlin House of Representatives as well as Berlin District Councils in Germany on 12 February 2023. These elections represented a re-run of the elections of 26 September 2021, which were declared...
Protection of national minorities: new opinions published on Armenia and Italy
The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, has published two new opinions. Society in Armenia is characterised by a climate of tolerance and mutual understanding, and there is good provision of public TV and radio programming in minority...
Congress to observe repeat regional and district council elections in Berlin
A 10-member delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will carry out an election observation mission from 11 to 13 February to observe the repeat elections of the House of Representatives and District Councils in Berlin (Germany). These will be held on 12 February 2023, as...
Secretary General signs the book of condolences for Türkiye
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has signed in the Palais de l’Europe the book of condolences following the earthquake in Türkiye. Marija Pejčinović Burić, shocked by this tragedy, has underlined how her thoughts are with the victims and their families. Following a decision by the...
Council of Europe adopts new counter-terrorism strategy for 2023-2027
Responding to the evolving nature of terrorism threats in Europe, the Council of Europe today adopted a counter-terrorism strategy for 2023-2027 which offers new tools and concrete responses to continuous and emerging challenges faced by state authorities. The strategy aims at strengthening...
