Newsroom
The independence of judges and the judiciary under threat
The independence of the judiciary underpins the rule of law and is essential to the functioning of democracy and the observance of human rights. The fundamental right to a ‘fair trial’ by an ‘independent and impartial tribunal established by law’ is enshrined in the European Convention on Human...
Russia: lack of progress on criminalisation of corruption and transparency of party funding
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO published today its fourth assessment of the measures taken by the Russian authorities since the previous examination in June 2018 to implement the outstanding recommendations on incriminations and transparency of party funding. GRECO regrets...
German youth centre awarded with Council of Europe Quality Label
On 31 August the wannseeFORUM Foundation in Berlin, Germany received the Council of Europe’s Quality Label for Youth Centres for the period 2019-2021, becoming the 14th youth centre to be honoured. The award ceremony was held in the presence of Sigrid Klebba, State Secretary of the Berlin Senate...
Finland’s services for women victims of violence praised, but criminal offences review needed
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) welcomes Finland´s efforts to increase services to victims, including offering funding for more shelters, but points out in a report published today, that a review of the criminal...
Slovak Republic: Determined action needed to fight corruption in executive government and police
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) urges the Slovak Republic to strengthen the effectiveness of its legal framework and policies to prevent corruption amongst persons with top executive functions (ministers and other senior...
Statement by Thorbjørn Jagland on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
Following Resolution A/RES/73/296, proposed by Poland and adopted at the 73rd UN General Assembly on 28 May 2019, 22 August of this year will be the first annual International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. In support of this important initiative,...
Statement by the President of the Congress on the recent suspension of mayors in Turkey
Anders KNAPE, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, made the following statement: "I express my grave concern about the decision of the Turkish authorities to suspend the elected mayors of three metropolitan cities in the south-east of the country,...
Corruption : Germany’s deficient progress leads to “non-compliance procedure”
In its latest report on corruption prevention with respect to members of parliament, judges and prosecutors in Germany, the Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) concludes an “overall very low level of compliance” with recommendations dating from 2015. This “globally...
European Heritage Days 2019: “Arts and Entertainment”
The European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission since 1999, are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events shared by the inhabitants and visitors of Europe. The pan-European nature of this project contributes to bringing citizens...
Russian Federation: failure to respect human rights while policing peaceful protests
Today, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published a letter addressed to the Minister of Interior of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, regarding the action taken by law enforcement agencies to disperse the largely peaceful protests in Moscow on 27 July 2019, and...
Council of Europe honours Roma Holocaust victims
Seventy-five years ago, the remaining Roma of the so-called “Zigeunerlager” (Gypsy camp) – 2,897 men, women and children – were exterminated in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The liquidation of the camp on 2 August 1944 was a particularly dark chapter of the Roma Holocaust: an attempt by...
Moscow elections: Secretary General urges all sides to cooperate amid violence fears
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has held a phone conversation today with Ms Ella Pamfilova, Chairperson of the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Federation. Secretary General Jagland had previously expressed his concern over the organisation of the elections to the...
Statement by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, on the pre-electoral situation in Moscow
“I have been following recent events in the run up to elections in Moscow with concern. Opposition candidates have reportedly been not able to stand for election. I intend to raise this with the Head of the Russian Central Electoral Commission, Ella Pamfilova. All legitimate candidates should be...
Moldova: more efforts needed to combat corruption
The Council of Europe´s anti-corruption body GRECO today called on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to step up their efforts to implement measures aimed at preventing corruption in respect of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. In a follow up report evaluating the implementation...
Congress President takes part in UN sustainability forum
A delegation of 17 local and regional elected officials, including Congress President Anders Knape, actively participated in several thematic debates at the High Level Political Forum, at the United Nations in New York, as part of the PLATFORMA network, which brings together local and regional...
Very slow progress in Austria on measures to prevent corruption of MPs
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) today expressed disappointment by the very slow progress shown by Austria in implementing its recommendations on measures to prevent corruption in respect of parliamentarians and called on the Austrian parliament to intensify its efforts to...
Europe’s young people call for equal access to social rights
Over 300 young people and youth workers from all Council of Europe member states and beyond gathered this week in Strasbourg for the ENTER! Youth Week. In a joint message they called upon member states to guarantee the protection of their rights. “All young people must have equal access to their...
Azerbaijan needs more freedom of speech, more lawyers and more jobs for refugees
“Freedom of expression in Azerbaijan continues to be under threat” said Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of a four-day visit to Azerbaijan. Recalling the European Court of Human Rights’ judgments stressing a troubling pattern of arbitrary arrest and detention of...
Bulgaria: urgent steps needed to improve foreigners’ healthcare
The Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) in its new report published today praised certain improvements in the conditions and treatment of foreigners detained under aliens legislation in the establishments visited in December 2018, but called for urgent measures to improve the poor...
Tools for combatting malicious cyber interference with elections
The Cybercrime Convention Committee, representing the Parties to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, today adopted a Guidance Note to facilitate criminal justice action against election interference using computers. Interference with elections through malicious cyber activities against...
EU becomes observer to anti-corruption body GRECO
The Committee of Ministers representing the 47 member states of the Council of Europe today adopted a decision accepting a request by the European Union to become an observer with the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). Welcoming this decision, the Secretary General of the Council of...
Romania: lack of progress on anti-corruption measures
Romania has made very little progress to put in place measures to prevent corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors and to address the concerns raised by its controversial judicial reform, says the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) in two reports published today....
Congress examines local and regional democracy in Russia
During its meeting in Oslo, Norway, on 3 July 2019, the Monitoring Committee approved a draft report on the situation of local and regional democracy in the Russian Federation, following two monitoring visits in October 2018 and March 2019. Co-rapporteurs Jakob Wienen (Netherlands, EPP/CCE) and...
Enter! Youth Week: Our Rights, Our Lives
On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, the Council of Europe with the support of the City of Strasbourg, the French Ministry of National Education and Youth and the European Youth Forum is holding the "Enter! Youth Week: our rights, our lives” from 8 to 11 July 2019 in Strasbourg. Held under...
Turkey should protect human rights defenders and end judicial arbitrariness
“Turkey must take urgent and necessary measures to re-establish trust in its judiciary and repair the damage inflicted on the rule of law during the state of emergency and its aftermath”, said Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of a five-day visit to...
Anti-torture committee report on Czechia
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) today published the report on its October 2018 visit to Czechia. The report assesses the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons deprived of their liberty by the police, the...
More action needed to prevent human trafficking in Andorra
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) concludes that Andorra has made progress in its legislation and policies to prevent and combat human trafficking, but also requests that the authorities take further action...
Secretary General welcomes French law banning parental violence against children
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland welcomed today the adoption of a law in France banning the use of violence against their children by their parents. The law prohibiting educational violence, unanimously adopted yesterday by the Senate, bans cruel and degrading treatment, including all recourse...
“Sexting”: children themselves don’t produce “child pornography”
“Sexting” by children (generating, receiving and sharing sexually suggestive or explicit images/videos of themselves through mobile technology) does not amount to conduct related to “child pornography”, when it is intended solely for the children’s own private use. Children coerced into such...
20th anniversary Revised European Social Charter entry into force
“Increased inequality is a major challenge for Europe and social rights’ protection across the Continent should be a top priority. I call on our member states for more commitment to the Social Charter”, highlighted Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, on the 20th anniversary of the Revised Social...
Poland should do more to shield judges from pressure, protect women’s rights and promote gender equality
Today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published a report on the visit to Poland she carried out from 11 to 15 March 2019. The report focuses on the independence of the judiciary and the prosecution service, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, gender...
PACE calls for re-opening of Boris Nemtsov murder investigation
PACE has called on the Russian authorities to “re-open and continue” their investigation into the murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, listing a number of “serious concerns” over its independence and effectiveness. The Assembly, unanimously approving a report by Emanuelis Zingeris...
Combating violence in all its forms against migrant children
The Assembly today expressed its concern about the “serious threats” faced by migrant children on their way to Europe and important gaps in the policies and procedures, which limit the legal opportunities for migration in Europe. "Once in Europe, migrant children can also be subject to abuse in...
Local elections in Albania: Statement by the Spokesperson
We closely follow the situation ahead of the 30 June local elections in Albania, which should be conducted in line with all the relevant international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. In this context, we recall the Council of Europe’s...
North Macedonia needs more government transparency and a de-politicised police force
In its report on corruption prevention in respect of top executive functions and law enforcement agencies in North Macedonia, Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on the Government to increase transparency of its work and to de-politicise the country’s police force...
PACE demands public inquiry into death of Daphne Caruana Galizia
PACE has listed a series of “serious concerns” over the investigation into the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and demanded the setting up of an independent public inquiry into her death within three months. In a resolution based on a report by Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands,...
Marija Pejčinović Burić elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The Assembly today elected Marija Pejčinović Burić (Croatia) Secretary General of the Council of Europe for a five-year term beginning on 18 September 2019. In the first round of the election Marija Pejčinović Burić obtained 159 votes, an absolute majority, and Didier Reynders (Belgium) 105...
PACE ratifies Russian delegation’s credentials
PACE has voted to ratify the credentials of the Russian delegation after they were challenged on substantial grounds on the second day of its plenary session in Strasbourg, declaring that it remained “committed to dialogue as a means of reaching lasting solutions”. However, in return the Assembly...
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa: ‘The Council of Europe's pan-European heritage must be preserved’
“Portugal has owed the Council of Europe a permanent inspiration since 1976, on which our democratic consensus has largely been based, which requires a long-term commitment, a permanent requirement of institutions and citizens,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, speaking today...
It is time to end coercion in mental health
Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly’s debate on “Ending coercion in mental health: the need for a human rights-based approach”, the Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović delivered the following statement today: "It is a great pleasure to address the Parliamentary Assembly on a subject...
Istanbul Convention: Assembly welcomes positive impact and urges states to implement it
PACE today reaffirmed “its firm support” for the Istanbul Convention, “the most advanced and comprehensive international legal instrument on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence”. According to the Assembly, this Convention – entered into force on 1 August 2014,...
Public perceptions of low corruption levels may be misleading
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) today warned that public perceptions of low levels of corruption in certain countries may lead to underestimating the need for measures to combat corrupt practices. GRECO also expressed concern about the overall slow progress in implementing...
PACE affirms its members’ rights ‘to vote, to speak and to be represented in the Assembly and its bodies’
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has decided that its members’ “rights to vote, to speak and to be represented in the Assembly and its bodies shall not be suspended or withdrawn in the context of a challenge to or reconsideration of credentials”. In a resolution based on...
Montenegro: positive changes to religious property rights but more clarity needed
The Venice Commission in its opinion published today welcomes “genuine efforts” of the Montenegrin authorities to replace the 1977 Law on legal position of religious communities with a new modern Law on freedom of religion and beliefs. The Council of Europe legal experts welcome that the draft...
Amélie de Montchalin: ‘We must preserve the pan-European dimension of the Council of Europe’
“As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, we can measure the progress made since 1949 and the fact that this organisation is more essential than ever to promote our common values and foster economic and social progress on our continent,” said Amélie de Montchalin, French...
'We must shoulder our responsibilities to defend the common interests of all Europeans'
“The part-session which we are starting today is taking place in extraordinary circumstances. Our Organisation is going through a crisis which has serious implications for the European human rights protection system and for the stability and sustainability of our own institutions,” the PACE...
Istanbul mayoral vote: well-organised and transparent under tense circumstances
A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, led by Andrew Dawson (United Kingdom, CRE), Rapporteur and Head of the delegation, observed the re-run of the mayoral election in Istanbul on 23 June 2019. At the invitation of the Turkish authorities, 14...
Parliamentary Assembly Summer Session
A debate on the decision-making process of the Assembly concerning credentials and voting will be a highlight of the Summer session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 24 to 28 June. During the session, which marks the 70th anniversary of...
Strengthening academic cooperation with Turkey
The Council of Europe has addressed with the Turkish partners the prospects for enhanced academic cooperation on the Council of Europe's conventions. Professor Michele Nicoletti, former President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly and coordinator of the feasibility study for...
Better police training to deter anti-Roma hate crimes
A Council of Europe conference in Odessa (Ukraine) from 24-25 June brings together representatives from police forces of Moldova, Slovakia and Ukraine to discuss hate crimes against Roma people in the three countries and how to better prevent such crimes. The two-day meeting will be held in the...
Moldova: dissolution of parliament did not meet required conditions
In an opinion adopted today, the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts, the Venice Commission, found that the conditions for the dissolution of parliament clearly did not exist in the Republic of Moldova on 7 or 8 June 2019. The Venice Commission considers that the Constitutional Court...
Lithuania: more needs to be done to combat human trafficking
Lithuania has made progress in tackling human trafficking in recent years, but improvements are needed to prevent trafficking for labour exploitation, protect children from trafficking and provide victims with assistance, accommodation, health care and access to compensation. These are among the...
New reports on minority and regional languages in Czechia and Hungary
The Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of the Council of Europe has published reports on the situation with regional and minority languages in Hungary and Czechia. In the report on Czechia, the Committee notes that progress has been made, but draws...
Combating human trafficking in Germany
In a new report published today, the Council of Europe expert body on trafficking in human beings (GRETA) praises Germany for having significantly evolved its national legal framework against human trafficking since the first evaluation of the implementation of the Convention on Action against...
Re-run of mayoral election in Istanbul: Congress sends international observers
Following the decision taken on 6 May by the Turkish Supreme Election Council to cancel the 31 March election of the Mayor of Istanbul, a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will observe the re-run of the mayoral election on 23 June 2019, at the...
Ireland : concerns over Roma and Travellers
Irish society has demonstrated increasing levels of tolerance in recent years, but national strategies or actions plans on key issues – such as the integration of Travellers and Roma communities – suffer from a lack of clear and concrete implementation plans. Furthermore, Traveller communities in...
Refugees and diverse societies, which policies for the intercultural city?
The Intercultural Cities (ICC) programme has launched a series of didactic and awareness videos addressing local governments wishing to evolve as intercultural municipalities. The videos give insights on how to adapt cities’ institutions and services to the needs of a diverse population by...
Death penalty in Belarus : execution condemned
The Committee of Ministers deeply deplores the execution of Mr Alyaksandr Zhylnikau, announced on 13 June 2019. It calls on the Belarussian authorities not to carry out the execution of Mr Vyachaslau Sukharko, condemned for the same crime as Mr Alyakasandr Zhylnikau. The Committee of Ministers...
Protecting victims of terrorism
A workshop on the protection of victims of terrorist acts will be organised on Thursday 20 June in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights. Its aim is to raise awareness of the Council of Europe Guidelines (2017) on the protection of victims of terrorism and to...
Member states must assume more responsibility for rescuing migrants at sea and protecting their rights
“European states’ approach to migration in the Mediterranean Sea has become much too focused on preventing refugees and migrants from reaching European shores, and too little on the humanitarian and human rights aspects. This approach is having tragic consequences”, said Dunja Mijatović, Council...
European Dialogue on Internet Governance in The Hague
A Council of Europe delegation will contribute to the debates of 2019 edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) to be held in The Hague on 19 and 20 June. Organised under the theme “Co-operating in the digital age”, the event will bring together representatives of...
Commission for Efficiency of Justice adopts new tools on cyberjustice and mediation
At its 32nd meeting (Strasbourg, 13-14 June 2019), the CEPEJ adopted a Toolkit for the implementation of the Guidelines on Cyberjustice, a European Handbook for Development of National Legislation on Mediation as well as Guidelines on designing and monitoring mediators training schemes. These...
GRECO: looking ahead after 20 years fighting corruption
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is organising an international conference in Strasbourg on 17 June to mark its 20th anniversary. Held under the auspices of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the event will discuss GRECO’s achievements in assisting states to...
Strengthening data protection globally with “Convention 108+”
An international conference in Strasbourg on 12 June will discuss the role of the Council of Europe’s modernised data protection convention, “Convention 108+”, in fostering a common legal regime for data protection at global level and the need for states to accede swiftly to this treaty. Opened...
Italy ratifies Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions
Italy has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, during a ceremony today at the Palais de l’Europe, with Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni and Ambassador Michele Giacomelli, Permanent Representative of Italy to the Council of...
Anti-racism commission publishes its annual report
Hate speech and xenophobic populism remained major concerns in Europe in 2018
Statement of the Secretary General on the situation in the Republic of Moldova and the Venice Commission
I am extremely concerned by the latest developments in the Republic of Moldova. I call on the democratically elected Parliament, the legitimate Government and all political forces to act with restraint and responsibility. Recent decisions of the Constitutional Court are difficult to understand...
Statement concerning Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has made the following statement with regard to the situation of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov in Russia: “I am very much concerned and saddened by reports coming from Moscow alleging that investigative journalist Ivan...
Várpalota conference: Smart, democratic and inclusive cities
Faced with rapid urbanisation, climate change and increasing pressure on city services, including transport and healthcare, European cities must adapt by developing smart-city technologies. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has organised a conference on this topic, entitled "Smart...
Screening of persons working with refugee children insufficient to protect them from sexual abuse
European states have only partially implemented recommendations of 2017 to protect children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, concluded an evaluation report adopted by the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Committee at its latest meeting and published today....
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The committee adopted 32 decisions concerning 16 member states at the end of its quarterly human rights...
Roma and Travellers’ history in school curricula: working towards a recommendation on their inclusion
Meeting in Toulouse
New anti-racism commission reports on Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Slovenia
This week the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published new reports on Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Slovenia, as well as conclusions on seven other countries. In its report on the Netherlands, (ECRI) welcomes the process to include further discrimination...
GRETA publishes second report on Finland
Anti-trafficking expert group urges Finland to improve the identification of child victims of human trafficking
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 4 to 6 June. Information on the cases to be examined during the meeting is available here. Decisions taken...
Committee on Bioethics organises seminar on public debate
The Committee on Bioethics (DHBIO) organises, under the auspices of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, a High-level seminar on public debate as a tool for the governance of new technologies. The objective of the event will be to explore why public debate on biomedicine and human...
Congress to observe Istanbul mayoral repeat election on 23 June
Following the decision taken on 6 May by the Turkish Supreme Election Council to cancel the 31 March election of the Mayor of Istanbul and at the invitation of the Turkish authorities, a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will observe the...
Fight against corruption in Latvia: Anti-corruption group regrets lack of progress
In a report published today on corruption prevention in Latvia in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption group (GRECO) regrets the lack of measures concerning regulation on lobbying, parliamentary ethics and conflicts of interest. Despite...
Anti-corruption group calls for better rules to manage revolving doors in U.S. Congress
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) today published a report that takes aim at the persisting revolving door problem in the U.S. Congress. At a time when polls indicate all-time lows in government trust, the report stresses the need for passage of congressional...
Human trafficking: Experts underline the need to help victims
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has stressed the need for states across Europe to provide a wide range of assistance to victims of human trafficking. In its latest annual report, published today, GRETA sets out a series of legal...
Award-winning films supported by Eurimages in Cannes
The 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which came to a close on Saturday evening, saw a total of 7 co-productions supported by the Eurimages Fund with 9 prizes. In official competition, the GRAND PRIX was awarded to Atlantique by Mati Diop (FR, SN, BE) and the prize for BEST DIRECTOR to...
Council of Europe-UNHCR seminar on protecting refugee and migrant children in Portugal
Key stakeholders from the Council of Europe, UNHCR (the United Nation’s refugee agency) and national experts from Portugal gathered in Lisbon this morning for the start of a seminar to discuss the “Effective Protection of Refugee and Migrant Children in Portugal”. The two-day event, organised...
Making women’s rights a reality: conference unifies efforts for global application of Istanbul Convention
French State Secretary Schiappa denounces backlash against women’s rights
Improving cooperation to end violence against women
From domestic violence to rape, to trafficking of migrant girls and female genital mutilation, violence against women takes many forms – and it requires concerted action to stop it. A Council of Europe conference in Strasbourg on Friday 24 May – open to media, in Room G03 of the AGORA building –...
Council of Europe to send experts to Yerevan
Telephone conversation between Secretary General Jagland and Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan
Council of Europe publishes Annual Statistics on Probation
Over 1.8 million people under the supervision of probation agencies in Europe, according to survey
Commissioner for human rights publishes report on Hungary
Hungary should address interconnected human rights issues in refugee protection, civil society space, independence of the judiciary and gender equality
Using technology in managing offenders in prison and probation: conference in Ayia Napa
La conférence annuelle du Conseil de l’Europe des directeurs des services pénitentiaires et de probation, qui se tiendra les 21 et 22 mai à Ayia Napa (Chypre), portera sur les avantages et les risques liés à l’utilisation des nouvelles technologies dans la gestion des suspects et des auteurs...
France takes over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers
The Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe passed today from Finland to France, after a meeting attended by 30 foreign affairs ministers from the Organisation’s member countries. Addressing the Committee of Ministers, the outgoing Chairman, Timo Soini, Minister for...
Foreign Ministers : rights, obligations and action priorities of Member States
As the Council of Europe is celebrating its 70th anniversary, over 30 Foreign Affairs Ministers from the 47 member states reaffirmed the importance of the Organisation as a unique platform for dialogue and co-operation. Meeting in Helsinki for their annual session, the Ministers declared that:...
Treaty ceremony on the margins of the Committee of Ministers’ meeting in Finland
On the occasion of the meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states on 16 and 17 May 2019 in Helsinki (Finland), a celebratory treaty event has allowed governments to sign and/or ratify a number of Conventions, as follows: Protocol amending the...
Ground-breaking international treaty on match-fixing to enter into force in September
The Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, also known as the Macolin Convention, will enter into force on 1 September. Switzerland today became the fifth Council of Europe member state to ratify the convention – following Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova...
Online child sexual exploitation and abuse addressed at a regional conference at the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe organised a regional conference on tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse on 16 and 17 May in Strasbourg. It is the first major event of the Council of Europe’s project to end online child sexual exploitation and abuse @ Europe (EndOCSEA@Europe). While the exact...
Ministers for Foreign Affairs to discuss role of Council of Europe as the Organisation turns 70
The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member States will hold their annual meeting on 16 and 17 May 2019 in Helsinki (Finland). On this occasion, the Ministers will be invited to take key decisions for the future of the Organisation which is currently facing a number of...
Tackling information pollution – high-level conference in San Marino
How do we begin to address the challenge information pollution? Since the results of the ‘Brexit’ vote in the UK, Donald Trump’s victory in the US and Kenya’s recent decision to nullify its national election result, there has been much discussion of how information disorder is influencing...
All lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex persons must be protected from discrimination in law and practice
Ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia marked on the 17th of May, Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland urged for justice and full protection against discrimination for all persons, irrespective of their sexual orientation, gender identity and...
Unboxing artificial intelligence: 10 steps to protect human rights
Ensuring that human rights are strengthened and not undermined by artificial intelligence is one of the key factors that will define the world we live in”, says Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, in a Recommendation published today. This Recommendation – entitled...
Statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, on the use of sign languages in Europe
“I welcome the support expressed today by the Committee of Ministers to the promotion and protection of sign languages in Europe”, stated Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland on 14 May. In a reply to the Parliamentary...
Georgia: anti-torture committee commends authorities for combatting ill-treatment, urges to address informal prisoner hierarchy and lack of out-of-cell activities, improve mental health care
In the report on Georgia published today, the Council of Europe anti-torture Committee welcomed the absence of allegations of ill-treatment in the institutions visited, commended the efforts to address overcrowding, improve access to healthcare and living conditions. However, the committee urged...
Ethnic profiling: a persisting practice in Europe
“Racial or ethnic profiling in policing has been defined as “the use by the police, with no objective and reasonable justification, of grounds such as race, colour, languages, religion, nationality or national or ethnic origin in control, surveillance or investigation activities”. Though by no...
Germany: anti-torture committee calls on authorities to ensure better treatment of foreign nationals being removed by air
The monitoring of a return flight of Afghan nationals from Munich to Kabul (Afghanistan) on 14 August 2018 is the subject of a new report published today by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) (see the executive...
Cultural Routes: Carlos V European Award ceremony
The European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation delivered today, on the occasion of Europe Day, the "Carlos V European Award" to the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme. His Majesty the King of Spain presented the prize to the Council of Europe´s Secretary General...
The European Union and the Council of Europe to strengthen their support for good governance in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood
The European Union and Council of Europe are extending the Partnership for Good Governance programme to help strengthen human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The second phase of the programme (worth €17.5 million...
Secretary General Jagland: statement on Turkish Supreme Election Council’s decision on re-run of local elections in Istanbul
“With regard to the Turkish Supreme Election Council’s decision on a re-run of the local elections in Istanbul, I refer to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the only international body who had been invited to observe the local elections on 31 March. We...
Secretary General Jagland meets President Emmanuel Macron
Secretary General Jagland today met with President Emmanuel Macron for an exchange on the current challenges facing the organisation ahead of the French presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which begins on 17 May. Addressing the press alongside President Macron,...
70th Anniversary of the Council of Europe
Joint statement by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly Liliane Maury Pasquier and the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Timo Soini
Sweden needs to raise awareness in the government and in the police about conflicts of interest and “friendship corruption”
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) called for further measures to prevent corruption in Sweden in respect of persons entrusted with top executive functions, including ministers, state secretaries and senior political...
2019 Theme: Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation
World Press Freedom Day – 3 May 2019
Statement by Timo Soini, Chair of the Committee of Ministers
Genuine political commitment needed to protect press freedom
“The state of journalists’ freedom and safety in Europe has reached an alarming point. The killing of journalist Lyra McKee and the violence and intimidations against journalists covering demonstrations in several European countries are the most recent examples which show that press freedom in...
Freedom of expression: report assesses the situation in 2018
A report, published today on the eve of World Press Freedom Day by the Council of Europe´s Information Society Department, maps out the major threats to freedom of expression in Europe in 2018 and the actions that governments should carry out to counter them as a matter of priority. The report...
Anders Knape meets President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko
Congress President Anders Knape met President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on 29 April 2019, in Minsk. Welcoming the interest of the Belarusian authorities to improve local self-government, President Knape underlined the Congress readiness to support the current process in this...
Police should improve interviewing practices to prevent ill-treatment, says anti-torture committee
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) today stressed the need for police forces in Europe to improve the way suspects are interviewed when carrying out criminal investigations. In its annual report, the CPT indicates that in...
Two Western Balkan countries still struggle with migration flows but face different challenges
Commending Bosnia and Herzegovina in its effort to provide shelter and basic services to the high number of arrivals of migrants and refugees, the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees Tomáš Boček, stressed in a report published today, that access to asylum...
Young refugees should receive additional temporary support after the age of 18, recommends the Committee of Ministers
Recommendation of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to member states
Open day 5 May 2019: visit the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe and the 60th anniversary of the European Court of Human Rights, come and visit two distinctive buildings on an open day to be held on Sunday 5 May from 10 am to 6 pm. This open day will be an opportunity to learn about how the rights and...
Responses to prison overcrowding in Europe
High-Level Conference in Strasbourg
European human rights moot court competition
Students from University of Oxford (United Kingdom) were declared winners of the seventh edition of the European Moot Court Competition in English on the European Convention on Human Rights, after beating a team from the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridshi" (Bulgaria) in the final round. The...
Secretary General Jagland’s meeting with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Secretary General Jagland today met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. They discussed the increasing cooperation between the Council of Europe...
Secretary General: Decision by Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) to bar elected candidates from taking office raises questions of rule of law
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has written to the President of the Supreme Electoral Board of Turkey, Mr Sadi Güven Letter
Georgia: Venice Commission publishes urgent opinion on the nomination of Supreme Court judges
The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has just issued an “urgent opinion” for Georgia on the selection and appointment of Supreme Court judges, as requested last month by the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia. Text of the Urgent Opinion
Anti-torture Committee publishes a report on Andorra
The Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published a report on its 2018 visit to Andorra, together with the response of the Andorran authorities (a summary of the report is also available). During the...
Integration policies should not pursue migration-control goals
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on migration and refugees Tomáš Boček has published an Issue Paper on human rights aspects of immigrant and refugee integration policies based on a comparative assessment of 11 Council of Europe member states. The Issue Paper focuses on specific...
Congress calls on Turkey to respect the voters decision in the 31 March local elections
Reacting to reports from Turkey about elected representatives in the south-east of the country not having been appointed mayors despite their victory in the 31 March local elections, Anders Knape, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, stressed the...
PACE urges international action against money-laundering "laundromats"
PACE has expressed its deep concern at the extent of money laundering in Council of Europe member States, notably the recent examples known as the “Global Laundromat”, the “Azerbaijani Laundromat” and the “Troika Laundromat”, and has urged improved national mechanisms and international...
Nikol Pashinyan: "Armenia is today unequivocally a democratic country"
“Armenia is today unequivocally a democratic country with absolute freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and our government is continuing to enhance respect for human rights,” said Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, addressing the Assembly today. “We have managed to root out...
PACE proposes new "joint reaction procedure" when a state violates its statutory obligations
PACE has proposed a “joint reaction procedure” involving both of the Council of Europe’s statutory bodies, and the Secretary General, in cases where a member State violates its statutory obligations or does not respect fundamental principles and values. In a resolution and recommendation based on...
Prime Minister Bakhtadze hails Georgia’s progress as a "country on the rise"
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, addressing the Assembly today in Strasbourg, hailed the progress Georgia has made in the 20 years since it joined the Council of Europe, citing constitutional reform, a more independent judiciary, and greater oversight of human rights. He thanked the...
PACE calls to stop sexism and sexual harassment in parliaments
The Assembly today called for a series of measures aimed at stopping sexism and sexual harassment in politics, including in parliaments. These recommendations are addressed to national parliaments, but also to political parties and governments. They focus on raising awareness of this phenomenon...
Secretary General Jagland: Council of Europe ordinary budget should come from member states, not the EU
In his last appearance before the Parliamentary Assembly prior to the election of his successor in June, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland faced several questions concerning the organisation’s budgetary crisis, caused by the Russian Federation’s non-payment of contributions for nearly two...
Addressing the Council of Europe crisis requires constructiveness from all parties, says Timo Soini
“Finding a solution to the current political and institutional crisis would require close co-operation with all member States and both statutory bodies – the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers. It is time to start consolidating the different views into one,” said Timo Soini,...
Commissioner Mijatović highlights main human rights challenges in Europe
Today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, presented her first annual activity report in a debate before the Parliamentary Assembly of the organisation. While the report covers a variety of the most pressing human rights issues in the Council of Europe member...
Europe’s "common home" must be maintained and continue to wield influence, says PACE President
In her opening speech at the PACE Spring Session, the President today reiterated the importance of preserving “the common home which provides a place to live for 830 million people and is governed by a common legal framework that protects the individual against arbitrary decisions and...
Strengthening civil society participation in protecting children against sexual exploitation and abuse
Further strengthening co-operation between the Council of Europe and civil society actors to prevent and protect children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, online and offline, is the goal of the international conference taking place from 8 to 9 April 2019 at the European Youth Centre of...
International Roma Day (8 April 2019)
Statement by Timo Soini, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Assembly President calls on for increased cooperation with the Congress
"Each institution has its own role and its own prerogatives but we are each and every one of us working towards the same objective: to continue the construction of a common area for the protection of democracy, the rule of law and human rights", said the President of the Parliamentary Assembly,...
Serbia: minority language education should be strengthened
Today, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe published a new report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) in the Republic of Serbia and the recommendations to the Serbian authorities. The Charter applies to Albanian, Bosnian,...
Ready for future challenges: Thorbjørn Jagland urges member states to reinforce the Council of Europe
In his last annual report after ten years as Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland has urged the Council of Europe’s 47 member states to reinforce the organisation, to make sure that it is properly financed and to develop new legal standards on emerging challenges to human rights and democracy....
Alternatives to the detention of migrants: how we can make it work
A variety of concrete examples and practices of alternatives to the detention of migrants from different corners of Europe were presented to some 200 participants at an International conference on Effective Alternatives to the Detention of Migrants, organised jointly by the Council of Europe, the...
Implementing ECHR judgments: 10-year reform process brings clear results
Reforms to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights have clearly improved the implementation of judgments from the European court in Strasbourg, according to the latest annual report from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The report states that...
European states must demonstrate resolve for lasting and concrete change for Roma people
“On 8 April, we will celebrate International Roma Day. This is a day to celebrate Roma culture and Roma contributions to European societies, and the cultural diversity of Europe. The 8th of April, which commemorates the first World Romani Congress held in London in April 1971, should also be a...
Norway: a role model for preventing corruption in parliament and among judges and prosecutors
The Council of Europe anti-corruption body (GRECO) published today its Fourth Evaluation Round Report on Norway concerning corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. GRECO concludes that Norway has implemented satisfactorily, or dealt with in a satisfactory...
Corruption in the Maltese government and police: more robust and effective action needed
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) assesses the effectiveness of the framework in place in Malta to prevent corruption amongst persons with top executive functions (ministers and other senior government officials) and the...
Poland: relatively alarming developments for local and regional democracy
The situation of local and regional democracy in Poland has changed significantly over the past years: formerly one of the “top ten” countries in the EU, in terms of the level of local autonomy, Poland now shows “alarming trends”. These are among the key findings of the report and recommendation...
Future of the Council of Europe – restoring confidence in democratic institutions from the local level up
In our response to the current democratic crisis, local institutions have a strategic role in restoring the links between citizens and the institutions which represent them. This is the Congress members’ message to the foreign ministers of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, who are to...
Council of Europe and European Commission strengthen their co-operation to support reforms in the Member States
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council and Maarten Verwey, Director-General of the European Commission's Structural Reform Support Service announced today a new co-operation framework to provide support to a number of EU and Council of Europe member states under the...
Fighting nepotism through clear and transparent recruitment procedures
Against a background of diminished public trust in public authorities, fighting nepotism and ensuring impartial recruitment procedures are fundamental requirements. The report adopted on this subject by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on 2 April 2019 is...
Morocco – first “Partner for local democracy”
In a resolution adopted today by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Kingdom of Morocco was granted the status of “Partner for local democracy” with this assembly of local and regional elected representatives from the Organisation’s 47 member states. This...
Europe’s rate of imprisonment falls, according to Council of Europe survey
The overall imprisonment rate in Europe fell by 6.6% between 2016 and 2018 - from 109.7 to 102.5 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants- according to the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics for 2018 (SPACE), published today (see also the key findings). This decrease continues a trend that started...
Local elections in Turkey
Congress observer delegation calls on Turkey to seize the opportunity to continue normalisation and enhance local democracy
36th Congress session: "Mayors safeguarding democracy"
The members of the Congress of local and regional authorities will meet from 2 to 4 April 2019 in Strasbourg, at their 36th session, with "Mayors safeguarding democracy" as this year's theme. A debate will be held on this topic, with the participants including Ignacio Sanchez Amor, Spanish...
Protection of health-related data: new guidelines
The Council of Europe has issued a set of guidelines to its 47 member states urging them to ensure, in law and practice, that the processing of health-related data is done in full respect of human rights, notably the right to privacy and data protection. With the development of new technological...
Council of Europe adopts first-ever international legal instrument to stop sexism
States should step up their fight against sexism in all walks of life, according to a Recommendation just adopted by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. In response to the #MeToo and other recent movements that have heightened awareness of persistent sexism in society, the Council of...
Cultural Routes programme receives the Carlos V European Award
The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme is the 2019 recipient of the "Carlos V European Award" , which honours people, organisations, projects or initiatives that contribute “to the enhancement of Europe’s cultural and historical values”. For the first time the Carlos V European...
Election of the Secretary General: the Committee of Ministers submits candidatures to the Parliamentary Assembly
The Committee of Ministers today decided to submit to the Parliamentary Assembly, for appointment to the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, with effect from 1 October 2019, the following candidatures in alphabetic order: - Marija Pejčinović Burić (Croatia) (Curriculum vitae) -...
Bulgarian legislation on family allowances for children violates certain provisions of European Social Charter
In a decision published today, the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights found that certain provisions of the Family Allowances for Children Act in Bulgaria violate the right to appropriate social, legal and economic protection for the family, and are discriminatory against...
“Tackling Gender Stereotypes and Sexism”: international conference in Helsinki
Gender stereotypes and sexism represent a serious limit to the achievement of substantive gender equality: equal rights for women and men in all spheres of public and private life. Gender stereotypes and sexism contribute to different forms of hate speech (on line and off-line) and discrimination...
Labour rights under pressure across Europe
Latest annual conclusions from the European Committee of Social Rights
“Be visible, be strong” : International Roma Women’s Conference in Helsinki
In its seventh annual Roma Women's Conference, this year held in Finland, the Council of Europe stresses the importance of "mainstreaming" Roma and Traveller gender equality issues as part of its "Strategy for Gender Equality 2018-2023". The three-day conference, which brings together NGOs,...
Intercultural integration academy in Iceland
An Intercultural Integration Academy will be held in Iceland on 25-28 March organised by the Council of Europe (Intercultural cities programme), the Ministry of Social Affairs and UNHCR. The Academy will focus on intercultural competence for social workers, municipal officials, police officers...
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – Launch of the ICC Manual on community policing
The Intercultural Cities (ICC) programme launches a Manual on community policing to mark 21 March, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
5th anniversary of annexation of Crimea
Statement by Timo Soini, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Renewed efforts needed to eliminate racial discrimination, especially in the workplace, say Heads of Europe’s human rights organisations
Too many people with an ethnic or migrant background are still being held back in the job market. This is despite laws against racial discrimination and for equal opportunities in employment that have been in place for decades, the heads of three European human rights institutions said in a joint...
Enhancing media pluralism: Strasbourg conference
The Council of Europe and Reporters Without Borders are organising a conference in Strasbourg on 20 March to discuss public policies aimed at strengthening media pluralism. Held under the theme “Media Pluralism how can we deliver?”, the conference will explore how existing media legislation and...
25 “Venice Principles” - Democratic ABCs for ombudsman institutions
Today the Venice Commission published a set of guidelines to protect ombudsman institutions, following threats to these institutions in recent years. Ombudsman are important for democracy, their services are free, and are thus accessible to individuals who cannot afford to pursue their complaints...
GRECO publicly declares Belarus non-compliant with the CoE anti-corruption standards
Today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, in an unprecedented move, has publicly declared Belarus non-compliant with GRECO’s anti-corruption standards. Since 2012, when GRECO addressed 24 recommendations to Belarus and invited the authorities to authorise the publication...
Romania: anti-torture committee concerned about abuse of prisoners by staff, inter-prisoner violence and allegations of police ill-treatment
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has expressed concern about several persistent problems in Romanian prisons - including the abuse of prisoners by staff and inter-prisoner violence - as well as about numerous...
Albania needs to strengthen protection of national minority rights
In its fourth opinion on Albania, the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) urges Tirana to make operational the county’s law on the protection of national minorities through the adoption of further legislation....
States should enable NGOs to access foreign funding, say Venice Commission experts
In the wake of recent challenges to the independent functioning of associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Council of Europe's constitutional legal experts today adopted a report on standards with respect to foreign funding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Council...
Hungary: Laws on administrative courts lack effective checks and balances in government, according to the Venice Commission
An opinion adopted today by the Council of Europe’s constitutional experts of the Venice Commission raises questions over two December 2018 laws establishing a separate system of administrative courts, with its own high court (the future Supreme Administrative Court, or SAC) and its own judicial...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The committee adopted 30 decisions concerning 16 member states at the end of its quarterly human rights...
Human trafficking in Iceland: Some progress, but improvements are needed in key areas
Iceland has made some progress in tackling human trafficking in recent years, but the problem requires more political attention and better co-ordination in order to help detect victims of trafficking, carry out successful investigations and prosecute offenders. These are among the main findings...
Poland should restore necessary guarantees for independence of judges and prosecutors, prevent regression on women’s rights and combat gender stereotypes
“Modern European democracies cannot function without truly independent judiciaries. Poland’s authorities should take further steps to restore full independence of the judiciary and act to resolve discord and deadlock that continue to affect the functioning and the credibility of some of the...
Secretary General Jagland condemns the deadly mosques attack in New Zealand
On behalf of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has made the following statement: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, that has left so many people dead and seriously wounded. Our deepest...
European Social Charter: decision in CGT v. France complaint concerning Labour Law
In a decision published today, the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights, which is responsible for monitoring the application of the European Social Charter, found that there has been no violation of Article 4§2 of the Charter with regard to the right of workers to be informed...
San Marino urged to raise public awareness of human trafficking and provide training to relevant professionals
San Marino has taken additional measures to combat trafficking in human beings, according to a new report published today by the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), but a number of issues continue to give rise to concern. The report assesses...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 12 to 14 March. Decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers will be published on the Council of Europe...
Anti-torture Committee urges effective investigations into allegations of torture in North Caucasus
The Council of Europe’s anti-torture Committee (the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture - CPT) has today issued a public statement on the Russian Federation urging the Russian authorities to take decisive action to eradicate the phenomenon of ill-treatment by law enforcement...
Ireland ratifies treaty to end violence against women
On UN International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Council of Europe welcomes the 34th ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (also known as the Istanbul Convention) to stop all forms of violence against women. “We...
International Women’s Day (8 March)
Statement by Timo Soini, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Parliamentary Assembly President calls for action to end violence against women
Speaking on the eve of International Women's Day (8 March), the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Liliane Maury Pasquier urged strong action against sexism and violence against women, driven by ongoing inequality between women and men. “What the #MeToo...
We need to stand up for women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2019, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović issued the following statement today: “Women’s rights are human rights and gender equality is a fundamental value of our societies, enshrined in human rights treaties. Nevertheless, progress...
International Women’s Day - Statement by Secretary General
More progress needed to end violence against women
Anti-racism commission: new reports on Latvia and Russia
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published today two country reports on Latvia and the Russian Federation, analysing recent developments and making recommendations to the authorities. The respective governments’ comments were also published. In the report on...
The role of education in supporting refugees’ integration - joint event in Strasbourg
The role of education in supporting the integration of refugees in their host societies was the topic of a roundtable organised by the Council of Europe, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the City of Strasbourg on 1 March at the Strasbourg City Hall (Hôtel de Ville)....
Hungary: Insufficient progress and lack of transparency hamper fight against corruption
Following a high level visit today in Budapest, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Hungary to make reports public and to implement fully its recommendations. Carried out as part of GRECO’s on-going non-compliance procedure in respect of Hungary, the visit...
Romania: improving implementation of laws and ensuring funding to protect women from violence and rights of disabled people
“There are systemic obstacles which seriously hinder the effective protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in Romania”, said today Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, publishing the report on her visit to the country in November 2018. The report focuses...
Artificial Intelligence: Helsinki conference conclusions
AI should be developed in a human-centric manner to produce benefits for individuals and for societies
Polish Sport Minister Bańka is European candidate for WADA President
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe approved today the nomination of Witold Bańka, Minister for Sport and Tourism of Poland, as single European candidate to the post of President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). This decision follows the recommendation formulated by the Ad...
Helsinki Conference on Artificial Intelligence
A two-day High-Level Conference “Governing the Game Changer – Impacts of artificial intelligence development on human rights, democracy and the rule of law” opened in Helsinki today. ”New technology, the collection of massive amounts of data, and the use of information, has already changed the...
Death penalty: Filling Europe’s black hole
The 47-nation Council of Europe is co-organising a round table on capital punishment in Belarus on Thursday 28 February as part of the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Brussels. Belarus is the only country in Europe to still use the death penalty. Executions are usually carried out in...
Maintaining public order and freedom of assembly in the context of the “yellow vest” movement: recommendations by the Commissioner for Human Rights
In a memorandum containing her observations on the events linked to the so-called yellow vest movement, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, invites the French authorities to show more respect for human rights during operations aimed at maintaining public order...
Two awards won at the Césars French film festival for “Les Chatouilles”, a story of child sexual abuse
The film “Les Chatouilles” (co-directed by Andréa Bescon and Eric Métayer) won César awards at the ceremony held on 22 February 2019 in two categories: best supporting actress for Karin Viard, and best adaptation of a theatre play for the two co-directors. This autobiographical film highlights...
Criminal Justice in Cyberspace Conference in Bucharest
In today’s ultra-connected world, criminal justice is a crucial response to cybercrime. While cybercriminals are increasingly using cyberspace to conduct their offences against the law, criminal justice authorities are faced with complex challenges worldwide. Since cyber threats are touching upon...
Five nominations for the child sexual abuse film “Les Chatouilles” in the Césars French film award
The film “Les Chatouilles” (co-directed by Andréa Bescon and Eric Métayer) has been nominated for 5 categories of the French Césars Award contest: best first film, best actress and best actor in a supporting role, best adaptation and best editing. The winners will be announced at the award...
The Netherlands needs to enhance measures to preserve integrity in the government and in the police
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) called for measures to prevent corruption in the Netherlands in respect of persons entrusted with top executive functions, including ministers, state secretaries, political advisors; and in...
Council of Europe Secretary General, Finnish Foreign Minister and French Justice Minister to open Helsinki AI Conference
Council of Europe's Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Timo Soini and the Minister of Justice of France Nicole Belloubet will open the High-Level Conference: “Governing the Game Changer – Impacts of artificial intelligence development on human...
Secretary General calls on Albanian opposition to remain in parliament, warns against violence
Expressing concern about the decision of the opposition to withdraw from Parliament, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland said: “In a democracy the legislature is the first instance where political issues affecting the whole country should be debated and solutions...
Allowing IDPs to vote in local elections in Ukraine
Congress conference in Kyiv
Statement by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland on the anti-Semitic acts committed last night in Alsace
I unreservedly condemn the anti-Semitic, barbaric and disgusting acts of desecration of the Jewish cemetery in the Alsatian town of Quatzenheim, not far from Strasbourg, where the Council of Europe has its headquarters. I express my complete solidarity with the Jewish community, which has once...
Greece: Anti-torture committee criticises poor treatment of detained foreign nationals
The Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) acknowledges significant on-going challenges that the Greek authorities face to deal with the high number of foreign nationals arriving in the country, but based on a...
