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Secretary General statement following the 5th Meeting of the Conference of Participants of the Register of Damage for Ukraine
The Register of Damage is central to the Council of Europe’s work to ensure accountability for the crimes committed by the Russian Federation in its war of aggression against Ukraine. It was established quickly and efficiently and has already achieved a great deal in a very short time, with more...
Venice Commission holding plenary session
The Council of Europe's Venice Commission holds its third plenary session of the year in Venice on 11 and 12 October. Agenda highlights include two rule of law opinions on Poland concerning draft amendments to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office and European standards regulating the status...
Strategic priorities, gender equality and youth among highlights of international NGOs General Assembly
The Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (CINGO) will hold its autumn General Assembly in hybrid format from 14 to 16 October. Meetings will be held in parallel by some of CINGO’s thematic committees and the newly created task force on civic space watch. The discussion and...
Tune in to EDQM On Air to get your dose of information on European public health
We are excited to announce the launch of EDQM On Air, the first podcast from the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) of the Council of Europe! Tune in for expert insights, engaging discussions and inspiring stories and discover how the EDQM, together with its...
Congress supports Ukrainian municipalities and regions in using the Register of Damage - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
“We strongly believe in the role of local and regional authorities in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, and they should also play a key role in making the Register of Damage for...
Czechia urged to step up efforts to prevent human trafficking for labour exploitation
The Czech authorities should strengthen their efforts to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, in particular as regards labour exploitation, improve the identification of victims, and take further action to prevent child trafficking, according to a new report by the Council of Europe’s...
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: Urgent action needed to increase local and regional risk-preparedness
On the occasion of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (13 October), the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Marc Cools, has made the following statement: “In the current times of climate change, local and regional politicians must look into any disaster risks...
The Artist as Defender of Human Rights
Keynote address The Artist as Defender of Human Rights, by the Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, delivered at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, Ireland, at the Special Evening Lecture organised...
Judges and prosecutors trained on investigating and examining illegal financing of political parties and electoral campaigns - Council of Europe Office in Chisinau
About 25 judges and prosecutors participated in a specialised training workshop on investigating and examining illegal funding of political parties and electoral campaigns. The one-day training session, held at the National Institute of Justice, covered critical topics such as the legal framework...
Protection of national minorities in Bulgaria and Montenegro: expert committee publishes new opinions
The Advisory Committee on the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has published new opinions assessing the developments of the situation with national minorities in Bulgaria and Montenegro and providing recommendations to the authorities of the two...
Support Ukrainian Municipalities: A Call for Action
Out of Ukraine’s 1 469 communities, 356 have already concluded international partnerships. These partnerships are lifelines, offering access to European programmes, funding mechanisms, youth and cultural exchanges, capacity-building opportunities, and – most importantly – solidarity and trust in...
The CEPEJ Network of national correspondents will meet on the occasion of the publication of the 2024 CEPEJ Evaluation Report
The CEPEJ is organising the 18th meeting of its network of national correspondents on 16 October in Strasbourg. This Network is responsible for collecting the data needed to prepare the...
47th meeting of the CEPEJ Working Group on evaluation of judicial systems
The CEPEJ Working Group on evaluation of judicial systems (CEPEJ-GT-EVAL) will hold its 47th meeting in Strasbourg on 17 and 18 October 2024. During this meeting, the Working Group will review...
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2024
Joint statement by the High Representative of the European Union and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2024
Committee of Ministers calls on member states to remain firm in their commitment to oppose the death penalty
Congress session: Protecting Ukraine’s cultural heritage, ageing communities, common challenges to grassroots democracy in Europe and 10 years of direct youth engagement
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will hold its 47th session from 15 to 17 October in Strasbourg, France. On this occasion, the Congress will hold a special debate on Wednesday 16 October to mark the 10th anniversary of its ‘Rejuvenating Politics’ pioneering initiative aimed at...
‘Death penalty does not make societies safer,’ says General Rapporteur
On the eve of the 22nd World Day against the Death Penalty (10 October), PACE General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty, Gala Veldhoen (Netherlands, SOC), made the following statement: “This year’s theme, ‘The death penalty protects no one,’ is a timely reminder of the persistent...
AI in prisons and probation: new Council of Europe recommendation aims to ensure respect for human rights and dignity
The Council of Europe has issued recommendations to its 46 member states aimed at ensuring that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and related digital technologies by prison and probation services respects the human rights and dignity of detainees, probationers, as well as staff. In a new...
Sports Ministers gather in Porto to discuss the role of sport in society
More than 220 participants from over 40 countries gathered in Porto, Portugal from 8-10 October 2024 for the 18th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport. The Ministers' focus was on collaborative governing and good governance in sport. Organised by the Enlarged Partial...
High-level officials of North Macedonia discussed necessary interventions following latest report of the Committee against Torture
In a high-level meeting, senior officials working on prison reform discussed the way forward to address the key challenges stemming from the main findings of the European Committee against Torture (CPT) 2023 report on North Macedonia. The event was attended by the State Secretary of the Ministry...
