Newsroom
Congress: 7 local authorities of Friuli Venezia Giulia join network of governance excellence
The seven local authorities of Pagnacco, Premariacco, Reana del Rojale, Ruda, Sagrado, San Lorenzo Isontino and Tavagnacco from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region join over 50 peer municipalities in Italy and nearly 300 across more than 20 member states awarded the European Label of Governance...
Freeing of Vladimir Kara-Murza and other political prisoners: 'Our collective resolve can make a difference'
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Theodoros Rousopoulos today made the following statement: “It is with great joy that I welcome, on behalf of the Assembly, the liberation of our friend Vladimir Kara-Murza as well as the other political prisoners who have reached safety today,...
Why teaching Roma history – and the Roma Holocaust – is more important than ever
Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, 2 August, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, made the following statement: “On the night of 2–3 August 1944, over 3,000 Roma women, men and children were exterminated in the gas chambers of the ‘Zigeunerlager’ at...
Groundbreaking Council of Europe treaty to protect women and girls entered into force 10 years ago
The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention after the city in which it opened for signature, marks 10 years since it entered into force on 1 August 2014. It is the most far-reaching international...
Increased risks of human trafficking require concerted action to reduce children’s vulnerability to trafficking
On the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) joins the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Human Beings (ICAT) in calling for concerted measures to reduce the...
European Committee of Social Rights: Insufficient protection of workers in cases of unfair dismissal in Spain breaches Social Charter
In a new decision on the merits of the collective complaint Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) v. Spain, Complaint No. 207/2022, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) concludes that Spanish legislation does not afford sufficient protection to workers in cases of termination of...
Poland: all laws and practices related to the situation on the Belarus border should comply with human rights standards
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty has published two letters sent on 17 July to the Prime Minister and the Marshal of the Senate of Poland concerning the human rights situation on the border with Belarus. In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Commissioner...
GRECO calls on Monaco to supplement and extend its mechanism for fighting corruption in the executive and the police
In a new report which evaluates the effectiveness of Monaco’s framework for preventing corruption among persons with top executive functions and members of law enforcement agencies, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Monaco to take resolute steps to...
MONEYVAL acknowledges Jersey’s progress in combatting money laundering and financing of terrorism
In a new report the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL commends the UK Crown Dependency of Jersey for taking steps to strengthen its legal and regulatory framework to combat money laundering (ML), financing of terrorism (FT) and financing of proliferation (FP). It also calls...
The European Pharmacopoeia: 60 years of leadership and collaboration for safe medicines
We often assume that the medicines we take are safe. Every year, billions of doses of painkillers, diabetes treatments, antibiotics, vaccines and drugs to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol or stomach acid are prescribed and taken. Yet how many people really know how these drugs are developed and...
Synergy for change: Civil society raising awareness on violence against women in a context of global challenges
On 11 and 12 July 2024, the Gender Equality Division hosted the conference “Synergy for Change” for representatives of civil society organisations active in combating violence against women...
Five Basque municipalities recognised for excellence in local governance
In a ceremony marking the conclusion of the 2024 edition of the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (Spain), the municipalities of...
Secretary General at European Political Community Meeting
“The Reykjavík Declaration reaffirmed member states’ commitment to democratic values and standards and agreed a set of 10 Principles of Democracy by which to measure and address the health of our democracies. These principles cover participatory democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of...
Anti-torture Committee highlights dire situation in Lithuanian prisons
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has reiterated concerns over inter-prisoner violence in Lithuania, following an ad hoc visit to the country in February 2024. The objective of the visit was to examine the implementation of the...
On-the-spot appraisal (OSA) in Anamur Mersin, Türkiye - Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
On 2 – 4 July 2024 an on-the-spot-appraisal (OSA) was convened in Anamur Mersin, Türkiye. Related to the case-file 2019/5: Habitat destruction in Mersin Anamur Beach, the appraisal included...
Council of Europe evaluates access to official documents held by public authorities in 11 states
The Council of Europe’s Access Info Group (AIG), an independent group of experts created to monitor the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents by its parties, published today its first baseline evaluation reports on 11 states: Bosnia and Herzegovina,...
Slovak Republic: urgent need to address human rights of Roma and adopt an intergenerational approach
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, calls for emergency interventions to address the dreadful housing conditions of thousands of Roma, following his visit to the Slovak Republic from 8 to 12 July. The Commissioner engaged extensively with Roma communities to...
PACE committee, setting out new ways to tackle migrant smuggling, proposes a Council of Europe instrument
In line with the priorities set in the Reykjavík Declaration calling for reinforced action against the smuggling of migrants and as the European Committee on Crime Problems is exploring avenues towards reinforced co-operation between member States, a PACE committee has urged a dual approach to...
Anti-torture Committee again calls on Greece to reform its immigration detention system and stop pushbacks
In a report on its ad hoc visit to Greece, which took place from 21 November to 1 December 2023, published together with the response of the Greek authorities, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) once again urges...
Facing challenges to human rights posed by climate change
A panel discussion during the UN 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development has assessed how best to build a resilient, multi-stakeholder coalition to face climate challenges and how they relate to human rights. Organised by the Council of Europe and Lithuania, the event –...
Albania and the Republic of Moldova mark 29 years of Council of Europe membership
On the same day in July 1995, Albania and the Republic of Moldova respectively became the 35th and 36th members of the Council of Europe. Representing Albania on July 13 was the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alfred Serreqi, while the Republic of Moldova was represented by its Minister of...
11 July: International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
Statement by the Secretary General
Srebrenica Genocide: Remember, honour and act - Commissioner for Human Rights
This year is the first time that 11 July is marked as International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, following the adoption by the United...
Two more weeks to enter the Council of Europe´s photo and video competition for young Europeans!
The Council of Europe has extended the deadline for the photo and video competition Human Rights, Camera, Action! aimed at young people, inviting them to use their smartphones or digital cameras to convey a creative vision of human rights in Europe through a photograph or short video. Prize...
Commissioner O’Flaherty condemns deadly missile attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine
“Russia's deadly missile attacks on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities yesterday are yet another glaring example of the brutality of Russian forces and their...
Summer school in Liverpool examines Council of Europe law
The second Liverpool Summer School is underway at the University of Liverpool. The twelve day event, titled “Council of Europe at 75: Protecting Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law in a Rapidly Changing World” has been organised by the university’s School of Law and Social Justice in...
Georgia: anti-corruption body calls for stronger oversight and accountability in top executive functions and the police
In a new report the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has called for determined measures to prevent corruption in Georgia in respect of persons with top executive functions and law enforcement officials. (see French and Georgian version of the report). GRECO...
Hungary highlights Council of Europe's role in national minority youths’ political participation
On 17-18 June 2024, in Budapest, Hungary, the 2024 edition of Council of Europe Days event brought together young people belonging to national minorities from several Council of Europe member states to highlight the Council of Europe’s crucial role in setting standards for their political rights....
Secretary General on official visit to Mexico
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena, Senate President Ana Lilia Rivera and other key personalities during an official visit to Mexico, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the country’s observer status with the Council of Europe. ...
Landmark political declaration reaffirms importance of European Social Charter
The high-level conference on the European Social Charter in Vilnius, Lithuania, has adopted a landmark political declaration, reinforcing the commitment of Council of Europe member states to social justice and the protection of social rights. The event, held under the auspices of the Presidency...
Social Rights are Human Rights!
Introductory speech at the opening session of the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter, organised in Vilnius, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency of the...
Andorra: GRECO report on preventing corruption in top executive functions and the police
In a new report, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has called on Andorra to pursue its efforts to prevent corruption in respect of persons with top executive functions, such as members of the government, high-level officials, special relationship personnel and...
Council of Europe and Ukraine sign joint declaration on the way forward in post-war period
After the two-day session of the High Level Dialogue on good democratic governance in Ukraine and the way forward in the post-war period, Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and First Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko signed the following...
How standing up for social rights can help counter Russia's war on human rights in Ukraine
Opening remarks at the side event “Protecting social rights in times of war in Ukraine” on the occasion of the High-Level Conference on the European Social Charter, organised in...
2024 Youth Peace Camp: fostering dialogue and peacebuilding
From 2-9 July the 2024 Youth Peace Camp hosted by the Council of Europe is taking place at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg. This transformative event brings together 80 young participants from regions deeply affected by conflicts, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Kosovo*,...
Anti-torture Committee (CPT) issues public statement on Azerbaijan
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has issued a public statement on Azerbaijan. This Statement, which is made in application of Article 10 (2) of the Convention establishing the Committee (*), addresses the...
HELP Programme celebrates 20th anniversary at 2024 Annual Network Conference
A two-day Annual Network Conference of HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) starting on 4 July will be an occasion to review what has been achieved and explore avenues for the future. During its twenty years of existence HELP developed 54 courses on various human rights issues,...
News - Council of Europe Office in Yerevan
Armenian and Georgian municipalities forge new partnerships across the border Leaders and officials from neighbouring Armenian and Georgian municipalities met in Dilijan, Armenia, on 26-27 June 2024 to exchange ideas for a cross-border cooperation project involving the creation of youth centres,...
Trafficking of Ukrainian children including for sexual and labour exploitation: risks in spotlight
Millions of Ukrainian children have fled their homeland as a result of Russia’s war of aggression, with many of them being hosted in Council of Europe member states. Armed conflicts create particular vulnerabilities for children leading to increased risks of abuse at many levels, including...
Commissioner O’Flaherty raises alarm on LGBTI rights, pledges to partner with Roma
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, travelled to Thessaloniki, Greece, on 28 and 29 June to participate in the EuroPride 2024 Human Rights Conference and engage with local Roma communities who live on the outskirts of the city...
High-level dialogue on good democratic governance in Ukraine and way forward in post-war period
On 2-3 July 2024, Council of Europe and key national stakeholders from Ukraine gather in Strasbourg to discuss perspectives for good democratic governance reforms in Ukraine and further actions to improve the legal framework on multilevel governance and post-war elections in line with European...
Congress: Statement by Monitoring Committee on situation in Georgia
The Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 2 July 2024, adopted the following statement: “The Monitoring Committee reaffirms its full support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia...
Secretary General on official visit to Cyprus
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met with President Nikos Christodoulides, Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos, Speaker of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou and other key personalities during an official visit to Cyprus. A lecture at the Diplomatic Academy was...
Secretary General at Dubrovnik Forum 2024
“Democracy can never be taken for granted anywhere. It is hard won, but easily lost. The Council of Europe has been warning for years now about an increase in democratic backsliding. Was the war inevitable? No, it was a choice made in Moscow and that is where responsibility lies. We must continue...
PACE : Georgia’s foreign influence transparency law should be repealed without delay
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today expressed its deep concern at recent developments in Georgia that “raise serious doubts" about the country’s commitment to international democratic norms and Euro-Atlantic integration, and about its willingness to honour its...
Germany: Report on implementation of recommendations for immediate action for regional and minority language use
In an evaluation adopted on 20 June this year and published today, the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages acknowledges legal and policy measures that have been taken by the German federal authorities and by the Länder to protect and...
Europride2024: Proud and concerned
Speech delivered at the closing session of the Thessaloniki EuroPride 2024 Human Rights Conference (check against delivery) Dear friends, It's a great pleasure to be here. I want to...
ECRI: new reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino, Malta and Serbia
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published new reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malta, San Marino and Serbia. In its report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, while also highlighting progress made in some areas since the adoption of its previous report in 2016, ECRI...
PACE sets out plans to try Russian leaders, strengthen sanctions and stop the ‘erasure’ of Ukrainian identity
In a trio of resolutions, adopted today after a joint debate in Strasbourg, PACE has set out plans to try Vladimir Putin and his generals for aggression against Ukraine, strengthen sanctions against Russia and counter its attempts to “erase” Ukrainian cultural identity. Approving a resolution and...
Secretary General meets Public Defender of Georgia
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Public Defender of Georgia Levan Ioseliani. The Secretary General recalled her statement on the law “on transparency of foreign influence” and reiterated the importance of the Venice Commission Urgent Opinion in this context. The Secretary...
Protection of national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia
The Council of Europe has published two new opinions by the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), on Bosnia and Herzegovina and on Georgia. In its opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina the Committee urges Bosnia and...
The Olympic Torch is welcomed at the Council of Europe on its way to Paris
The Olympic Torch was greeted today by leading officials, parliamentarians and staff of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg during an unprecedented stop on its journey to the host city of Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A torch-bearer passed through crowds of well-wishers in...
The Olympic torch arrives at the Council of Europe
One month before the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the Council of Europe today welcomed the Olympic Torch Relay. For the first time ever, the torch entered the premises of a parliament, and did so during the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the organisation’s 46 member...
Alternative sanctions and measures to prison: European annual statistics for 2023
The overall number of persons subject to sanctions and measures which keep offenders in the community remained stable in Europe from January 2022 to January 2023, although some probation administrations experienced significant increases or decreases, according to the Council of Europe Annual...
European Committee of Social Rights Publishes annual report
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its Annual Activity Report for 2023. The report provides an account of many aspects of the ECSR’s work throughout the year, in particular the monitoring of the compliance of states with the Charter, but also a wide range of other...
Secretary General meets Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets. The meeting focused on the situation of children of Ukraine who were unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation. The state of play of the Register...
5 priorities to stand up for the human rights of the people of Ukraine
Speech delivered at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) joint debate on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine President, thank...
Alain Berset elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Alain Berset (Switzerland) as Secretary General of the Council of Europe for a five-year term beginning on 18 September 2024. In the second round of the election, Mr Berset obtained 114 votes, a majority of the votes cast....
Civil society in Europe needs to be protected!
Civil society plays an essential role in encouraging respect for human rights, as well as strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Europe. The Council of Europe Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) organised a conference in Helsinki, Finland, on protecting and promoting the space for...
CM President Landsbergis: Council of Europe must remain the driver of real action against Russia’s aggression
“Your strong and timely political recommendation to the Committee of Ministers to expel Russia was groundbreaking and – for many of us – brought back faith in our common institutions,” said Gabrielius Landsbergis, President of the Committee of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of...
Secretary General meets UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The excellent institutional co-operation between the Council of Europe and United Nations has been underlined during the exchange of views. Marija Pejčinović Burić...
Secretary General meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers Gabrielius Landsbergis. The meeting focused on the Priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency. The opening for signature of the Framework Convention on Artificial...
Georgia: Venice Commission publishes two new opinions
The Venice Commission has published two new opinions on Georgia adopted at the latest plenary session: the Opinion on amendments to the Election Code abolishing gender quotas and the Follow-up opinion to the December 2023 joint opinion by the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on the draft...
Council of Europe Congress visits Bulgaria to discuss the execution of Court judgements at local level
Congress Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD) will carry out a visit to Bulgaria on 25 June 2024 to hold a political dialogue with local authorities...
Secretary General highlights Council of Europe 75th anniversary at Assembly Summer plenary session
“As we continue to celebrate the Council of Europe’s 75th anniversary, I believe that the importance of its future success is understood by our member states and that despite all the complications there is an opportunity to build on this Organisation’s extraordinary legacy with a new layer of...
First Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment awarded to Irida Women’s Center in Greece
The first Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment has been awarded to the Irida Women’s Center in Greece, a grassroots NGO which works for positive change in the lives of women experiencing poverty, social exclusion and gender-based violence. The 60,000-euro annual prize, awarded jointly by PACE and...
Register of Damage for Ukraine and the Congress launch awareness campaign for Ukrainian Local and Regional Authorities
The Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) and the Council of Europe’s Congress held an event in Kyiv to kick off preparations for an awareness campaign aimed at involving representatives of Ukrainian cities and regions in promoting RD4U's mandate and the process of submitting claims to the...
A Commissioner’s call to action for civil society
Speech delivered by Michael O’Flaherty at the 100th session of the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH), Conference on the Protection and the Promotion of Civil Society Space in...
Secretary General meets President of Iceland
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson. The meeting focused on the Reykjavik agenda follow-up, notably in the areas of non-discrimination, gender equality, the environment, and artificial intelligence. The 75th anniversary initiatives and the...
Sofia conference tackles challenges in prison and probation services
Directors of European prison and probation services from the 46 Council of Europe’s member states are meeting in Sofia on 24 and 25 June to discuss ways to improve the autonomy and resocialisation of prisoners and combat organised crime groups in the prison and probation contexts, among other...
Venice Commission adopts or endorses 17 opinions
The Venice Commission plenary session on 21 and 22 June adopted or endorsed 17 opinions concerning eight countries (Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, and Poland). The documents adopted by the plenary session are being published this...
The Olympic torch comes to the Council of Europe on 26 June
On Wednesday 26 June, the Council of Europe, in the presence of its Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, will have the honour of welcoming the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch to its Assembly Chamber. For the first time ever, the torch will enter the premises of a parliament, and will be doing so...
Paris 2024: Commissioner O’Flaherty engages with the host city and civil society actors about the human rights impact of the Olympic Games
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, visited Paris today to meet with the City of Paris, the French National Consultative Human...
Venice Commission holds its plenary session
The Venice Commission is holding its second plenary session of the year, with an agenda that includes 17 opinions concerning eight countries (Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, and Poland). The session is closed to the public, but the...
PACE summer session: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, challenges to democracy in Georgia, Vigdís Prize
A joint debate on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, on the role of sanctions and on the erasure of cultural identity are among the highlights of the summer plenary session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, taking place from 24 to 28 June...
GRECO: 25 years helping states to combat corruption
The Council of Europe´s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024. Since 1999, when it was established, GRECO has been a driving force in countering corruption in its member states, which today include the 46 Council of Europe member states, the United...
Budapest Convention reaches 75 Parties
Benin, Fiji and Kiribati have acceded to the Convention on Cybercrime. With these new accessions, made in Strasbourg on 20 June in the presence of Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge, 75 States are now Parties, two have signed it and 18 have been invited to accede to the Convention....
Ukraine becomes member state of Observatory on History Teaching in Europe
After one year of membership as an observer state, Ukraine has joined the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe as a fully-fledged member state. “Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reconfirmed the need to change approaches and practices in history teaching, the importance of implementing...
Switzerland should improve identification of human trafficking victims and their access to justice and assistance
A new report by the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) calls on Switzerland to take more measures against trafficking, particularly by improving victim identification and access to compensation, combating trafficking for the purpose of...
World Refugee Day: Upholding refugee rights shows shared values and humanity
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has marked World Refugee Day by paying tribute to the support given by Council of Europe member states to millions of refugees. “Our continued commitment to upholding the rights of refugees is a testament to our shared values. Over the last decade, Europe...
Key challenges of 2023 and beyond: dire situation of people displaced by war, the rise of antisemitism and anti-Muslim racism
Addressing the situation of people displaced by war and other emergencies, countering the rise of antisemitism in Europe as a result of the current conflict in the Middle East, taking resolute action against anti-Muslim racism and discrimination across the continent – these were the key trends in...
Junior Crystal Scales of Justice Prize awarded at the CEPEJ plenary meeting
The award ceremony for the Junior Crystal Scales of Justice Prize took place during the 42nd plenary meeting of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), held in Strasbourg on June 18 and 19, 2024. The winning team of students from the Faculty of Law at Leiden University...
“Death is not justice”: Strasbourg workshop on the abolition of the death penalty
In collaboration with civil society partners Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) and the German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP), the Council of Europe is holding the second edition of a workshop, “Death is not justice – advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty”, in...
Secretary General marks 75th anniversary in Vilnius and opens EuroDig conference
“Lithuania has embarked on a positive and ambitious agenda for its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. One that respects the legacy and ongoing aims of our Organisation. But also addresses some of the more recent and defining challenges of our times. This really is the story of the Council...
Exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers
Speech by Michael O’Flaherty at the Exchange of view with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe President, distinguished Ambassadors, Thank you for the invitation to...
Journalism Excellence Awards honour media professionals for ethical reporting in combating racism and antigypsyism
Five media professionals have earned Journalism Excellence Awards for the programme “Ethical Media Reporting on Roma and Combating Racism and Antigypsyism through the Media.” Organised under the EU-CoE Joint Programme EQUIROM (Equality and Freedom from Discrimination for Roma), as part of the...
Denmark protects German minority to a high level, but should improve protection of other communities
Denmark has a high level of social welfare, protection of citizen rights and a strong focus on gender equality, which benefits also persons belonging to minorities, be it the recognised German minority or other non-recognised communities. However, in an opinion on Denmark’s implementation...
Journalism Excellence Awards 2024: the media is a key ally in defending the human rights of Roma
Speech by Michael O’Flaherty on the occasion of the Journalism Excellence Awards Ceremony - “Ethical media reporting on Roma and combating racism and antigypsyism through the media”...
First ‘No Hate Speech Week’ started at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg
The first ever No Hate Speech Week organised by the Council of Europe has kicked off in Strasbourg today, on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. The three-day conference offers a platform to discuss recent legal and policy developments, to share innovative practices, and to...
New report on role of Roma in Ukrainian war efforts and on post-war reconstruction
Roma people living in Ukraine are fighting on the front lines and in high numbers, many as volunteers, to defend the country against Russian aggression. This is the finding of a new report, Fighting for a Fairer Future: The Impact of the War in Ukraine on Roma and Lessons for Post-War...
Finland should reject the draft law on instrumentalisation of migration, protect access to asylum and prevent summary expulsions
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland and several Committee chairpersons, published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael...
European Dialogue on Internet Governance
The Council of Europe is taking part in the 2024 edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), which brings together representatives of governments, international organisations, business, civil society, academia and the technical community to discuss in internet-related...
Secretary General at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine
“Since the outset of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Council of Europe has been clear about its determination to do whatever we can to support the Ukrainian Government and people. President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula is equally clear about the way out of this brutal,...
PACE President attends Ukraine Recovery Conference, holds high-level meetings
PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos participated in the Ukraine Recovery 2024 Conference, organised under the theme “United for Defense. United for recovery. Stronger together.” The conference followed an annual series of high-level political events dedicated to the rapid recovery and long-term...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from Committee of Ministers
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has published the case-by-case decisions taken during the Committee’s meeting from 11 to 13 June to supervise the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee of Ministers adopted 42 decisions...
Congress Vice-President attends Ukraine Recovery Conference
Congress Vice-President Bernd Vöhringer welcomed the local dimension put forward at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2024) in Berlin on 11-12 June 2024. Organised by the governments of Germany and Ukraine, the Conference brought together heads of state and governments, international...
PACE summer session: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, challenges to democracy in Georgia, Vigdís Prize
A joint debate on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, on the role of sanctions and on the erasure of cultural identity, as well as an address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (to be confirmed), are among the highlights of the summer plenary session...
Deputy Secretary General meets Italian Justice Minister
Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has met Carlo Nordio, the Minister of Justice of Italy. The meeting focused on the accountability for the Russian aggression against Ukraine, notably regarding the Register of Damage for Ukraine. They also discussed other ongoing initiatives in this context,...
Congress launches revision of the Youth Participation Charter
The Congress’ Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity has launched a survey among key partners as part of the revision of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in...
