Newsroom
New thematic factsheet on Hate Crime and Hate Speech
The Execution Department has published a new thematic factsheet on Hate Crime and Hate Speech. Hate crime is a criminal act motivated by bias or prejudice towards a person or group of persons while hate speech concerns various forms of expression directed against a person or group of persons on...
International Migrants Day: Council of Europe publishes guidance on how to better protect children against sexual exploitation and abuse
Children’s lives are disrupted and seriously affected when forced to leave their homes, whilst on the move, internally displaced or once they have reached the host country. These circumstances make children particularly vulnerable to violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, including trafficking...
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s sentence a direct attack on local democracy, says Congress President
The President of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Leendert Verbeek, has made the following statement concerning the prison sentence and political ban imposed on the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, by a Turkish court on 14 December: "I am extremely concerned...
Freedom of expression of judges: Consultative Council of European Judges adopts new Opinion
In a new Opinion, the Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) has issued a set of recommendations to judges across Europe on the way to exercise their right to freedom of expression both inside and outside the court, including in the media and social media. The Opinion...
Resilience, recovery and reconstruction: Council of Europe adopts new Action Plan for Ukraine
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has adopted a record €50 million Action Plan for Ukraine for 2023-2026. “The Action Plan “Resilience, Recover and Reconstruction” (2023-2026) has been developed in close consultation with the Ukrainian authorities. It is part of our Organisation’s...
Age assessment in the context of migration: new Committee of Ministers Recommendation
The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has adopted a new Recommendation to member States on human rights principles and guidelines on age assessment in the context of migration. Refugee and migrant children are among the most vulnerable and exposed persons on the move. Being unable to prove...
Ministers declare human rights centred approach to face drug addiction at Pompidou Group conference
Closing the 18th Ministerial Conference of the Council of Europe’s Pompidou Group, ministers and high-level participants from 41 Pompidou Group member states have called for a human rights centred approach to address drugs addictions and related disorders. In their “Lisbon Declaration”,...
Management of frozen or seized property: new report assesses compliance with Warsaw Convention
Most European states have put in place legislation or other measures to ensure the proper management of frozen or seized property, although improvements are still needed in certain countries, according to a report by the Conference of the Parties of Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and...
Monitoring violence against women: Key recommendations for nine member States published
Following a meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) on 5 and 6 December 2022, the Committee adopted key recommendations on implementing the treaty in nine state...
Secretary General urges the Russian Foreign Minister to implement ECHR judgments
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has written to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urging the Russian Federation to implement outstanding judgments from the European Court of Human Rights. At its latest quarterly meeting on the execution of ECHR judgments, the...
Implementing ECHR judgments: 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 6 to 8 December to supervise the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee adopted 46 decisions concerning 21...
Human Rights Day: Council of Europe leaders call for collective action to end impunity for crimes committed against Ukraine
Ahead of Human Rights Day (10 December), the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the Committee of Ministers Chair, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, have issued a joint statement calling for a collective response to...
Putting human rights at the heart of drug and addiction policies: Pompidou Group Ministerial Conference in Lisbon
The 18th Ministerial Conference of the Pompidou Group, Europe’s premier platform for drug policy (programme), will focus on promoting sustainable drug and addiction policies in conformity with human rights. The conference, taking place in Lisbon from 13-14 December, gathers Ministers, Government...
Anti-Corruption Day: GRECO president calls for transparency and appropriate consultation in law making processes
To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, commemorated every year on 9 December, the President of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), Marin Mrčela, issued the following statement: “Preventing corruption and promoting integrity in public life requires openness...
Secretary General participates in Washington International Anti-Corruption Conference
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić today intervened in the high-level segment of the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) alongside other political leaders from Council of Europe member states and beyond. The Secretary General highlighted the importance of ensuring public sector...
Joining forces in fighting digital violence against women
Applying Council of Europe legal instruments to the prevention of violence against women in the digital world, protection of victims and prosecution of perpetrators is the central theme of the conference held in Strasbourg today under the Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe. Marija...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers holds its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 6 to 8 December. Cases proposed for detailed examination concern Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,...
Anti-discrimination and inclusion: practical tools for reaping the benefits of migrant integration
Well-designed and well-managed intercultural integration strategies are essential to increase the resilience and cohesion of European societies, and to build a solid basis for the inclusion of everyone, including migrants arriving to Europe. The Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on...
Governing Board approves the CEB’s 2023-2027 Strategic Framework and an historic capital increase
The Governing Board of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) approved today the CEB’s new Strategic Framework 2023-2027 and an historic capital increase. “The historic decision of our Member States to strengthen the CEB’s capital base is a clear vote of confidence in its special role in...
Enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence: new countries join additional Protocol to Cybercrime Convention
The Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), aimed at enhancing co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence, has been signed by Croatia, the Republic of Moldova, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. With this, 30 states are now...
Europe needs more solidarity to help subnational governments face a 'perfect storm'
The Presidents of the European Committee of the Regions and of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe have warned that local and regional governments are struggling to cope with the series of crises that have rocked the continent since 2020. The statements came at...
Anti-torture committee highlights continuing overcrowding and staff shortages in Belgium’s prisons
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has highlighted a range of persistent problems, including long-standing overcrowding and staff shortages, in Belgian prisons. Its latest report on Belgium follows an ad-hoc visit to prisons...
InvestEU: Council of Europe Bank and European Commission sign agreement to mobilise €500 million in financing for social investments
The European Commission and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) have signed an InvestEU guarantee agreement worth up to €159 million. This makes the CEB an InvestEU implementing partner and will mobilise around €500 million in additional loans for social projects. It represents an...
Council of Europe at the 2022 Internet Governance Forum in Ethiopia
The Council of Europe is taking part in the 17th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) hosted by the government of Addis-Ababa (Ethiopia) from 28 November to 2 December. Held in a hybrid format under the theme “Resilient Internet for a Shared Sustainable and Common Future”, the IGF will...
Observatory on History Teaching in Europe: Annual Conference tackles the future of history teaching
The past year has shown how historical arguments can be used to nurture hate, but when taught in all its complexity, history can in fact help appease conflicts - as the 70 years’ experience of the Council of Europe in the field has shown. On December 1-2 the Council of Europe’s Observatory on...
Norway: evaluation report on violence against women
The Council of Europe Expert Group on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) has published its baseline evaluation report on Norway. It contains a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Norway. While acknowledging the steps taken...
“There’s no place for violence against women in democratic cities and regions” says Congress Spokesperson on Gender Equality
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women the Congress spokesperson for Gender Equality, Eirini Dourou (SOC, Greece), made the following statement: “Inclusive societies start with inclusivity at decision-making levels. However, women still remain...
Statement by Committee of Ministers Chair, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs
“On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, I reaffirm Iceland’s steadfast commitment to gender equality and the protection of the hard-earned progress concerning the human rights of women and girls. Together, we must combat all forms of violence against women and...
Secretary General condemns Russia's attacks on hospitals and infrastructure in Ukraine, with repercussions in Moldova
“I condemn yet again Russia’s brutal attacks against hospitals (including a maternity ward), civilian and energy infrastructures in Ukraine, and their repercussions in the Republic of Moldova. This senseless and inhuman violence must stop.”
