Newsroom
Launch of Bosnia and Herzegovina Action Plan 2015-2017
Today in Sarajevo, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and Igor Crnadak, Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, launched the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2015-2017. “This plan which we have put together is filled with...
Local democracy in Ukraine
Signing of a roadmap for implementation of the Congress recommendations
Transfer of Chairmanship
The 125th session of the Committee of Ministers brought together, on 19 May 2015 in Brussels, Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the 47 member states of the organisation. At the close of the session, Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken over from Belgium the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers...
European ministers adopt new legal standards for tackling foreign terrorist fighters
Foreign ministers from across Europe have adopted the first set of legally-binding international standards to help tackle so-called "foreign terrorist fighters". The measures take the form of an additional protocol to the Council of Europe's convention on the prevention of terrorism, which has so...
Human Rights report on Norway
Norway: people with disabilities and Roma need more attention
Minority languages in Montenegro: new evaluation report released
In its latest meeting this week, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted recommendations and issued a new evaluation report on the application of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in Montenegro. The report was drawn up by a committee of independent...
LGBT people in Europe
All efforts must be made to eradicate hate and violence against LGBT people in Europe, says Secretary General
Council of Europe parliamentarians to meet in Sarajevo
The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is to meet in Sarajevo on 22 May, ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina's six-month chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. Following welcome addresses from the Speakers of the House of...
Committee of Ministers: annual session - Brussels, 19 May
Meeting in Strasbourg on 12-13 May, the Ministers' Deputies finalised the preparation of the annual session of the Committee of Ministers, which will be held in Brussels on 19 May, under the Belgian Chairmanship. Besides the preparation of the ministerial session, Deputies also adopted several...
GRECO report on Bulgaria
Bulgaria to adopt a more cohesive and systematic approach to corruption prevention among MPs, judges and prosecutors
18 November to be marked as European Day against Sexual Abuse of Children
The Committee of Ministers of the 47-member Council of Europe took a decision today to establish a new European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse that from now on will be marked on the 18th of November in member States of the Council of Europe. Sexual...
Austerity Bites: Children’s Voices
Austerity burden must fall on those with the broadest shoulders, not on children, says Secretary General opening new video exhibition
Europe disregards intersex people’s right to self-determination and physical integrity
“Europeans remain largely unaware of the painful personal histories of intersex people and the human rights violations they face. Stereotypes and norms grounded on the binary female-male classification have led to unnecessary medical and surgical interventions on intersex infants and a climate of...
Germany should advance protection of asylum seekers and improve response to racism and extremism
“Germany has done a lot in the field of asylum in recent years, including launching three humanitarian admission programmes for Syrian refugees (concerning 20 000 individuals) and registering more than 200 000 asylum applications in 2014. However, with an estimate of 400 000 asylum applications...
IDAHO Forum 2015
No cultural, traditional, religious values can justify hate crime and violence against LGBT people – Council of Europe participates in IDAHO Forum in Montenegro
On 9 May, Council of Europe's leaders pay tribute to victims, urge recommitment to values
Working to overcome differences in today’s Europe, upholding the rights of all people, recommitting to principles of democracy and the rule of law is the best tribute that can be paid to those who lost their lives in the Second World War, stressed the leaders of the Council of Europe today at the...
Council of Europe to commemorate end of Second World War in Europe on 9 May
On Saturday 9 May at 11.00 a.m., a ceremony to mark Europe Day and to commemorate the end of the Second World War and liberation of Europe will be held at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland, the President of the Parliamentary...
New group to monitor violence against women
An important step was taken to deter violence against women yesterday, when the Council of Europe named 10 members to a new monitoring group that will enforce the organisation’s unique convention to end violence against women. The first 15 countries that ratified the convention have just elected...
Inclusive education vital for social cohesion in diverse societies
“Public debates on the need to ensure more inclusive education for children and young adults who face social exclusion in diverse societies have recently rekindled in Europe. Evidence shows that in many European states the dropout rate of children coming from migrant families or minority groups,...
Emerging Technologies and Human Rights: what are the challenges?
Emerging technologies (such as nanotechnology, information technology and cognitive technologies) and their convergence have opened new perspectives for progress in particular for human health. But what are the human rights challenges? The question will be discussed at a conference organised by...
Combating racial discrimination and intolerance in Finland
The Council of Europe’s anti-racism commission to hold an event in Helsinki
World Press Freedom Day, 3 May
Secretary General calls on European states to protect journalists
Investigation of the Odesa tragedy
International Advisory Panel updates on its review work
Decision on Abolition of the Death Penalty
Committee of Ministers reaffirms unequivocal opposition to the death penalty
Democracy and Human Rights in Europe
Secretary General cites judicial weaknesses and media freedom as top human rights concerns
GRECO report on Cyprus
Council of Europe anti-corruption group regrets slow progress in Cyprus over transparency of party financing and incriminations
Ukraine Anti-torture Report
Authorities take action to combat ill-treatment and intimidation in colonies
Secretary General condemns executions in Indonesia
The head of Europe's 47-nation human rights organisation has condemned eight executions in Indonesia. "The death penalty is a terrible injustice which can never be put right," said Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland. Through the European Convention on Human Rights, the Council...
Secretary General Jagland in Sarajevo
Thorbjørn Jagland is visiting Sarajevo for meetings with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Zvizdić. Secretary General Jagland will also meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak, Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Semiha Borovac and other government...
Victims and survivors of Holocaust honored at concentration camp in France
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland joined European leaders at a commemoration ceremony on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the only Nazi concentration camp that was located in France. Located in the Vosges Mountains close to the Alsatian village of Natzwiller, the Struthof camp operated...
6th Conference of Ministers Responsible for Cultural Heritage
Cultural Heritage in the 21st century for living better together: a common strategy for Europe
FIFA should hold new vote on 2022 World Cup bid, says PACE
The decision to assign the 2022 World Cup to Qatar was so “radically flawed” by illegal payments that FIFA should hold a new vote under cleaned-up procedures, according to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “Large sums of money” paid to over 30 senior African football...
Nils Muižnieks: 2014 was a bad year for human rights in Europe
“Last year thousands of people died who should not have died, primarily in the Mediterranean Sea and in eastern Ukraine. They should not have died in a Europe that prides itself on being a space where the rule of law and democracy prevails, on a continent that claims to have drawn lessons from...
Migratory flows in the Mediterranean: the EU should “carry out an urgent and concerted action”
The Assembly today called on the member States of the EU to adopt a comprehensive approach to deal with mixed migratory flows across the Mediterranean, with a view “to carrying out an urgent and concerted action”. At the end of an urgent debate based on a report by Thierry Mariani (France, SOC),...
Didier Reynders: The cradle of our civilisation must not become the grave of those aspiring to be part of it
“It is totally contrary to our vision and our values that the cradle of our civilisation should become the grave of those aspiring to be part of it”, said Didier Reynders, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, today in his statement to the Parliamentary Assembly,...
Procedures 'based on self-determination' for changing gender on ID documents
Transgender people should be able to change their name and gender on birth certificates and identity documents, and European governments should “develop quick, transparent and accessible procedures” for this, “based on self-determination”. In a resolution adopted today, the Parliamentary Assembly...
Putting the child’s best interest first in any placement decision
The Assembly has expressed concern at its plenary session in Strasbourg over the violation of children's rights in some countries, when social services take children into care too rashly. This is all the more tragic when decisions are irreversible, such as in cases of adoption without parental...
Europe must bring a halt to the humanitarian disasters
Jean-Claude Frécon: "Europe must bring a halt to the diabolical sequence of humanitarian disasters in the Mediterranean"
Dresden in Germany and Vara in Sweden are the winners of the 2015 Europe Prize
The 2015 Europe Prize – the highest level of the Prize which is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to the town most active in promoting the European ideal – has been awarded jointly to the towns of Dresden in Germany and Vara in Sweden. The capital of...
Mass surveillance is counter-productive and "endangers human rights"
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has said that the mass surveillance practices disclosed by US whistleblower Edward Snowden “endanger fundamental human rights” and divert resources that might prevent terrorist attacks. Approving a draft resolution based on a report by...
The King of the Belgians: "let us build and preserve a decent society"
In his speech to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, the King of the Belgians called for the establishment and preservation of a decent society, expressing his regret at “too many situations in which men and women are not treated with...
Anne Brasseur: the situation in Ukraine and the migration tragedy are our two main challenges
"Human rights are universal. Refugees must be able to live in dignity and in decent conditions! As a guardian of human rights and fundamental freedoms, our Assembly is duty bound to ring the alarm bell and launch a discussion about how we can better address the migration issue from a human rights...
Decentralisation in Ukraine: Council of Europe and Ukrainian Government to set up network of regional hubs to promote reform
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, and the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Henadii Zubko, today laid the foundations for further decentralisation across Ukraine by agreeing a major new network of regional offices to support the reforms. This is a joint initiative...
Situation in Ukraine discussed at the Committee of Ministers
During the meeting of the Committee of Ministers on the 15th of April, Sir Nicolas Bratza, Chair of the International Advisory Panel on Ukraine (IAP), presented to the Ministers' Deputies the report of the IAP reviewing the investigations conducted into the violent events in Maidan. The Deputies...
Human trafficking: Many European states not doing enough for child victims
Governments across Europe need to step up their efforts to identify child victims of human trafficking and provide them with the support they are legally entitled to, according to a new report from the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA)....
Secretary General Jagland at Global Conference on Cyberspace
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is addressing the opening session of the Global Conference on Cyberspace on 16 April in The Hague. The conference aims at discussing the most important developments in cyberspace, and issues ranging from Internet governance and...
Bosnia and Herzegovina referred to FATF International Cooperation Review Group
Council of Europe refers Bosnia and Herzegovina to FATF´s International Cooperation Review Group for insufficient progress on amendments to anti-money laundering legislation
Secretary General at International Forum for Sports Integrity
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland is addressing the 1st International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI) : an initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that aims to strengthen and co-ordinate all activities to protect clean athletes from match fixing, manipulation of competitions...
A common legal space for both sides of the Mediterranean
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland welcomes representatives from participating countries
