Newsroom
Human rights in biomedicine post-COVID-19: action plan 2020-2025
The Bioethics Committee has launched its new action plan on human rights and biomedical technologies. Governance of technologies, equity in health care and physical and mental integrity are at the heart of this five-year strategy. “While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating,...
Good governance essential for authorities to successfully tackle COVID 19
COVID-19 is a test for democracies, and good governance is the key to success, Council of Europe experts have stressed. Over a hundred experts and observers from the European Committee on Democracy and Governance (CDDG) shared lessons learned during an online meeting. They included the importance...
Secretary General: “The constitutional crisis in Armenia can be solved with the Venice Commission’s guidance”
“The Opinion of the Venice Commission adopted on 19 June and made public today makes it possible to solve the problems that have been at the centre of the constitutional crisis between the Armenian National Assembly and the Constitutional Court", said Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of...
Rapporteurs regret Latvia missed opportunity to adopt territorial reform in full conformity with the Congress Charter
In reaction to the recent enactment of the administrative territorial reform by the Saeima, the Congress rapporteurs on Latvia, Xavier Cadoret, France (L, SOC/G/PD), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities, and Marc Cools, Belgium (L, ILDG), expressed disappointment and concern about the...
Pushbacks and border violence against refugees must end
“On 20 June, World Refugee Day will spotlight the hardship that refugees endure. I pay tribute to the resilience of refugees and reiterate the call to protect them and uphold their rights”, said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, ahead of World Refugee...
New guide to international protection for victims of trafficking
Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published a new guide on the entitlement of victims of trafficking, and people at risk of being trafficked, to international protection. The guide is intended to help national...
Alternatives to immigration detention: Council of Europe and UNHCR launch new course
Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the Council of Europe is launching a HELP/UNHCR free online course on Alternatives to Immigration Detention with the aim of supporting legal and other professionals working on migration. While the interest in managing migration without depriving people of...
Venice Commission adopts opinions on Armenia, Kosovo*, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, Russia and Turkey
The Venice Commission is adopting a number of opinions through a written procedure on 18-19 June, in a replacement of the meeting of 123rd plenary session in Venice, that will not take place due to the continued COVID-19 concerns. The following opinions are to be adopted by a written procedure: ...
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Congress President welcomes significant developments paving the way for Mostar local elections
Welcoming the signatures between party leaders Bakir Izetbegović (SDA) and Dragan Čović (HDZ) who, last night, signed two agreements aimed at reinstating free and democratic suffrage in Mostar, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Anders Knape,...
Sanctions and measures without deprivation of liberty increasingly used in Europe: new survey
European states are increasingly resorting to sanctions and measures which keep offenders in the community without deprivation of liberty, according to the 2019 SPACE II annual survey, carried out for the Council of Europe by the University of Lausanne. (Please see also the Key Findings) On 31...
Congress President: statement on local elections to be held on 21 June in Serbia
Taking note of the fact that the Republic Electoral Commission of Serbia had resumed preparations for local elections rescheduled for 21 June, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Anders Knape, expressed his confidence in the state authorities...
Justice in Lockdown: new methods based on human rights could be model for future
The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to transform traditional court functioning for the better, as long as high-quality justice and respect for individual rights are at the forefront of changes, says the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) Launching new guidelines the...
Cyprus needs effective legal aid and compensation for victims of human trafficking
There were 801 presumed victims of trafficking in human beings in Cyprus in 2015-2019, according to a new report from the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). Female victims of sexual and or labour exploitation, forced marriage, or illegal...
Slovakia should improve access to justice and provide effective remedies for victims of human trafficking
In a new report published today, the Council of Europe expert body on trafficking in human beings (GRETA) acknowledges the progress achieved by the Slovak Republic in taking measures to combat human trafficking, but points out a number of shortcomings, such as the need to improve access to...
Secretary General at Congress Bureau: "Local and regional authorities play a key role in responding to the COVID crisis and that of climate change".
"Faced with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in countries, cities and regions, authorities at all levels of government are doing their best to respond to the enormous challenges posed by the coronavirus," said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić during an...
Congress Bureau adopts declaration on impact of central government COVID-measures on local and regional authorities
The Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted the following Declaration during its meeting held by video conference on 9 June 2020 : “The Congress Bureau expresses its concern about the democratic self-governance and financial autonomy of local and...
Austria: New report praises efforts to curb human trafficking, but more must be done
In its third report on Austria, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) analyses trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies and examines progress in the implementation of previous GRETA recommendations. The report...
World Environment Day: Congress President calls for mobilisation of local and regional authorities
"Good governance at the local and regional level means protecting the environment and combating global warming," stated Congress President Anders Knape, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, 5 June 2020. "Municipalities and regions are key partners for national authorities in this regard...
Beyond COVID-19, human rights can help save the planet
Council of Europe statement ahead of World Environment Day
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. Due to the exceptional circumstances, the first part of the Committee’s latest regular human rights...
GRECO: new report urges public authorities to be exemplary and transparent
Governments and public-office holders should act in an exemplary way by respecting anti-corruption measures and transparency standards, said the Council of Europe anti-corruption body GRECO in its annual report. The report reviews the measures to prevent corruption taken in GRECO’s member states...
Denmark, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine: conclusions on implementation of ECRI's priority recommendations
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published a set of conclusions on the implementation of its priority recommendations made to Denmark, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine in 2017. Denmark received a recommendation to set up a comprehensive data collection system for...
Austria: praise for initiatives to promote integration and counter discrimination, but challenges remain
In its sixth report on Austria, the Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) lauds positive measures taken by the authorities on several fronts (see also the French and German versions of the report). Since its previous report, ECRI praises legislative measures to...
ECRI welcomes Albania’s significant progress, but some issues give rise for concern
In its sixth report on Albania, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) welcomes the significant progress made by the authorities, but calls for additional steps to address several issues that give rise for concern (see also the Albanian and French versions of the report)....
National minorities and COVID-19: inequality deepened, vulnerability exacerbated
On 28 May, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities made a statement welcoming the efforts made by the authorities in several Council of Europe member states during the COVID-19 pandemic to reach out to persons belonging to national minorities...
Congress Chamber President calls for suspension of territorial reform in Latvia to allow for proper consultation
Following the information received by the Latvian Association of local and regional governments regarding worrying developments of the current territorial reform, the President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Xavier Cadoret, expressed...
Cyprus: efforts to uphold national minority rights welcomed, but improvement needed
A “general climate of tolerance” prevails in Cyprus, in particular towards the three constitutionally recognised national minorities: the Armenian, Maronite and Latin (Roman Catholic) religious groups, according to a report published today by the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the...
CPT annual report 2019: 30 years preventing torture and ill-treatment
“Despite the progress achieved in the last three decades in the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in Europe, significant and complex challenges remain to ensure the protection of persons deprived of liberty in places of detention”, said Mykola Gnatovskyy, President of the Council of...
Continued suspensions of mayors in south-east Turkey: statement by Congress President Knape
In reaction to reports about further suspensions of mayors in the southeast of Turkey, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Anders Knape, expressed his concern regarding the ongoing undermining of local self-government in the country. “Even...
Violence against women and girls before, during and after COVID-19: the shadow pandemic that must be addressed
The Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) and the Council of Europe Academic Networks (CEAN) are holding a webinar on 20 May on the theme of “Violence against women and girls before, during and after COVID-19” in the framework...
Human rights and the environment: towards a new non-binding instrument
Declaration by the outgoing and incoming presidencies of the Committee of Ministers In a declaration adopted today the outgoing (Georgia) and incoming (Greece and Germany) presidencies of the Committee of Ministers called for the elaboration of a non-binding instrument on human rights and the...
Greece takes over the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
Greece today took over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Georgia during a video-conference meeting with representatives of the 47 member states of the Organisation. The Georgian Foreign Minister, David Zalkaliani, presented the stocktaking of his...
Young LGBTI persons must be protected against violence at home and in public, during this crisis and always
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić ahead of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) European states must do more to address the specific challenges faced by young LGBTI persons, especially in times of crisis, said Council of Europe Secretary...
Serbia: Council of Europe bank approves €200 million loan to combat COVID-19
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)* has approved a €200 million loan to Serbia to finance health expenditures for combatting COVID-19. The Serbian government has been swift to implement a range of measures, including the purchase of emergency equipment and supplies, to help contain the...
New factsheet highlights decades of constitutional reforms following ECtHR judgments
The Council of Europe’s Department for the Execution of Judgments has published a new thematic factsheet highlighting the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on constitutional matters across Europe over more than 50 years. The factsheet summarises 117 relevant cases or groups of...
Justice systems must help children overcome fear and trauma, not make them worse
Every year, thousands of children across Council of Europe member states are involved in judicial proceedings. Whether a victim of crime or in conflict with the law, they are often vulnerable and in need of protection: in other words, they need justice systems to be “child-friendly”. Promoting...
End of WWII: Statement by David Zalkaliani
David Zalkaliani, President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, made the following statement to mark 75 years since the end of the Second World War: “Today we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe - the most devastating war in...
Venice Commission 30th anniversary
Statement by Venice Commission President Gianni Buquicchio "On 10 May 1990, eighteen ambassadors of Council of Europe member states took the decision to establish the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission. What looked at the time like the creation of...
May 6: Online international Conference on Civil participation in Decision Making
The City of Tbilisi and the Council of Europe under the aegis of the Georgian Presidency of its Committee of Ministers are organising an online international conference on "Civil Participation in Decision Making". The opening session will include contributions by Irakli Giviashvili, the Georgian...
Kristiansand conference to mark the 70th anniversary of the ECHR
The Norwegian city of Kristiansand is hosting an online conference on Tuesday 5 May to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The conference will include an anniversary address from the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Linos-Alexandre...
Europe Day 5th May: Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
“This Europe Day, we are all thinking about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout our continent and around the world. Every individual has been touched by this crisis, but our greatest sympathies are with those who have lost friends or loved ones. At an institutional level, we are...
New initiative to help Roma families face COVID-19
A joint Council of Europe/European Union initiative has helped vulnerable Roma communities in Europe to face challenges posed by the COVID-19 virus. By the end of April this year, approximately €60,000 has been allocated in 34 municipalities reaching some 1,900 families. This action includes...
Secretary General: Governments must protect essential role of journalists in democracy, especially in times of crisis
New report lists 142 serious attacks on journalists in 2019 In a statement issued ahead of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić calls on governments to avoid unduly restricting media freedom during the COVID-19 crisis. “Governments are...
UK prison system in deep crisis says anti-Torture Committee
The United Kingdom’s prison system is in deep crisis, according to a report published by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) following a targeted visit to the country in May 2019. (see executive summary). The CPT delegation found that the three male prisons...
Council of Europe NGO platform calls on Hungarian parliament to drop legal provisions on gender
The Standing Committee of the Conference of international NGOs, which is part of the Council of Europe, has addressed the Hungarian authorities calling on the Hungarian Parliament to drop Article 33 of the draft omnibus Bill T/9934, because it would make it impossible for transgender and...
COVID-19 tracing apps: side effects on personal data protection should be avoided
In a joint statement the Chair of the Council of Europe’s data protection “Convention 108” committee, Alessandra Pierucci, and the Council of Europe’s Data Protection Commissioner, Jean-Philippe Walter, have warned of the possible side effects of digital contact tracing applications used to help...
COVID-19 crisis: Council of Europe Bank supports Comunidad de Madrid health sector with €200 million loan
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and Comunidad de Madrid have signed an agreement for a 200 million euros loan to support the latter’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and reinforce the level of medical services provided to its citizens. Spain has been particularly hard hit by the...
Robert Spano elected President of the European Court of Human Rights
Icelandic judge Robert Spano has been elected President of the European Court of Human Rights. Judge Spano, who is currently a Vice-President of the Court, has been the judge in respect of Iceland since November 2013. He studied law in Iceland and the United Kingdom and has worked in a range of...
Secretary General: acquittal of Ilgar Mammadov and Rasul Jafarov is to be welcomed
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić: "The acquittal today of Ilgar Mammadov and Rasul Jafarov by the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan is to be welcomed. As the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers has repeatedly emphasised, the execution of the European Court...
PACE President on COVID-19: 'Let’s not normalise the abnormal'
Rik Daems, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, spells out the red lines no democracy should cross, even in a crisis – and warns that the COVID-19 emergency measures fast-tracked by governments around Europe should not become “the new normal”: There’s an old proverb...
