Newsroom
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Council of Europe
President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed France’s support for the Council of Europe and its institutions during a visit to the organisation’s headquarters in Strasbourg, where he met the Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland before making a speech at the European Court of Human Rights. During a...
Tackling disinformation in the global media environment – new Council of Europe report
A report published today by the Council of Europe examines the way in which dis-information campaigns have become widespread and, heavily relying on social media, contribute to a global media environment of information disorder. Whilst acknowledging that the direct and indirect impacts of...
World Forum for Democracy: ‟Is Populism a Problem?”
At this time when democracy is being undermined by people’s lack of trust in politicians and elites in general, the World Forum for Democracy 2017, being held from 8 to 10 November, will focus on the role of political parties and the media in the context of rising populism. One year after Donald...
2017 Crystal Scales of Justice Prize goes to Norwegian Court Administration
The Council of Europe has rewarded the Norwegian Court Administration the 2017 Crystal Scales of Justice prize for its initiative “Witness Service in Norwegian courts”. The Prize, which rewards innovative judicial practices in the European judicial institutions, was given on the occasion of the...
The situation of German minority in Denmark rather satisfactory, but media presence and general awareness need to be improved
The German language is in a rather satisfactory position in Denmark with regards to education and cultural life. However, German is hardly ever used before the courts; there is a lack of radio and television programmes in German, and of public awareness of the German minority in general. These...
Ending restrictions on family reunification: good for refugees, good for host societies
“Many refugees have to leave family members behind when they flee their homes. This adds more hardship to the trauma of exile”, says Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today. “Once they have found safety in Europe, being...
Ilgar Mammadov case: Council of Europe notifies Azerbaijan of intention to launch a special procedure for the execution of the judgment
The Committee of Ministers of the 47-nation Council of Europe has formally notified Azerbaijan of its intention to launch legal action related to the implementation of the Ilgar Mammadov v. Azerbaijan judgment from the European Court of Human Rights. The court ruled in May 2014 that the arrest...
Ending sexual exploitation and abuse of children: towards a world of trust
Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention celebrates its 10th anniversary
Italian Justice Minister Orlando signs “Blood Antiquities” Convention
The Minister of Justice of Italy, Andrea Orlando, signed today with Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni the new Council of Europe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property (CETS No.221), known as the “Blood Antiquities” Convention. The Convention on Offences relating to...
Council of Europe launches Twitter campaign against illegal bird killing
The Council of Europe’s Bern Convention is launching a social media campaign to raise awareness on illegal bird killing. The launch coincides with a report by the BirdLife Partnership which underlines the extent of this environmental crisis. An estimated 36 million birds are illegally killed...
Secretary General appalled by attack against Russian journalist
Secretary General Jagland is appalled by the violent attack against Tatiana Felgenhauer, Deputy Editor of Ekho Moskvy, which took place on the premises of the well-known Russian radio station. The Secretary General wishes to express his support to Ms Fegenhauer, who is now hospitalised, and to...
Social rights committee condemns local authority housing in Ireland
The European Committee of Social Rights has partially upheld a complaint from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) against Ireland concerning local authority housing. The committee found Ireland to be in violation of the European Social Charter on the grounds that the government...
GRECO issues recommendations to prevent corruption to INGOs Conference
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published today an assessment of the framework to prevent corruption and address conflicts of interest of the Council of Europe's Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs). GRECO recommends a number of measures, including...
Testimonies and debate on reception of unaccompanied migrant children in European towns
On 18 October 2017, during its 33rd session, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe held a debate on the reception of unaccompanied migrant children in European towns. Yoomi Renström (Sweden, SOC) commented that although, in this year’s statistics, the number of...
Belgium: Congress adopts report on local democracy in a context of linguistic diversity in the municipalities with language facilities
On 19 October 2017, in Strasbourg, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe examined a report on the functioning of the organs of local democracy in a context of linguistic diversity in the “communes with facilities” in the Flemish region around Brussels (Belgium)....
Petr Mlsna: “Supporting local and regional democracy is a top priority of the Czech Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers”
Deputy Minister for Legislation and Archiving, Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Petr Mlsna, presented the key priorities of the Czech Chairmanship during the 33rd Congress Session in Strasbourg, on 18 October 2017. Among them, Mr Mlsna pointed out the importance of supporting...
Report: The situation of migrants and refugees in Serbia and transit zones in Hungary
“Thousands of migrants and refugees who travelled along the Western Balkans’ migration route in 2015 and 2016 are now stranded in Serbia in a precarious legal situation” says the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees Ambassador Tomáš Boček in a report published...
Telephone conversation of Secretary General Jagland with Turkish Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today had a phone conversation with the Turkish Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül. They discussed the latest developments regarding human rights defenders, including the Director and Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Idil Eser and Taner...
Thorbjørn Jagland: “Member states have a duty to ensure Council of Europe principles are respected”
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, today addressed Congress members during their 33rd Session in Strasbourg, France. “Our Organisation, which covers the European continent from the Atlantic to Vladivostok, promotes fundamental standards, particularly those of the...
First evaluation of Greece’s compliance with the Council of Europe’s Anti-trafficking Convention: progress made, but gaps remain
In its first report on Greece, the Council of Europe’s expert group against human trafficking (GRETA) praises positive steps taken by Greek authorities to combat human trafficking, but also highlights a number of shortcomings. GRETA welcomes the adoption of anti-trafficking legislation, the...
