Newsroom
Spokesperson of the Secretary General: Statement by the Spokesperson on reported executions in Belarus
“Reports about two more executions in Belarus this month are alarming. “The Council of Europe calls on Belarus to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step to its final abolition. Capital punishment has no place in Europe.”
Council of Europe and UEFA sign a Memorandum of Understanding
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin will tomorrow sign a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen co-operation and implement common strategies in the field of human rights, integrity and good governance in sport. The two Organisations also...
Europe’s duty to internally displaced persons
“People are forced to leave their homes for different reasons, ranging from war and violence to natural disasters and climate change. However, this does not always entail the crossing of an internationally recognised border. Even if they do not leave their country, people who flee their homes are...
Albania should step up protection of children and inclusion of persons with disabilities
Today the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, concluded her five-day visit to Albania which focused on children’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, and access to free legal aid. Concerning children’s rights, the Commissioner welcomes the authorities’...
Legal guide on how to apply new data protection rules
The European Union and the Council of Europe have reviewed their legal frameworks for the protection of personal data to keep pace with changes in this fast-moving area. Building on the popular practical handbook on European data protection law, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights...
Towards a Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime: Invitation to participate in consultations
Consultations on the ongoing preparation of a 2nd Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention will be held within the framework of the Octopus Conference on Cybercrime from 11 to 13 July 2018, and specifically on Thursday, 12 July. They are to permit an exchange of views between...
Five additional members joining GREVIO
Today, in Strasbourg, in accordance with Resolution CM/Res(2014)43 on rules on the election procedure of the members of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 19 November 2014,...
Albania: Anti-torture committee concludes that the treatment of persons detained by the police has improved, but conditions of forensic psychiatric patients remain unacceptable
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) published today the report on its visit to Albania in February 2017, together with the response of the Albanian authorities. The vast majority of detained persons interviewed by...
Anti-racism Commission launches updated standards for European equality bodies
Today, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe has launched revised standards (General Policy Recommendation No.2) for the establishment and functioning of European equality bodies. These bodies should be established by constitutional or...
Dubrovnik conference on cross-border cooperation in Europe
A conference organised in the context of the Croatian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers will discuss and promote legal frameworks, capacity-building tools and data collection in cross-border cooperation in Europe. The one-day event is taking place on 25 May in Dubrovnik, Croatia, which...
Council of Europe co-operation with Internet sector: two new partners
The Council of Europe's Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, today signed collaboration agreements - in the form of an exchange of letters – with the European Internet Service Providers Association (EuroISPA) and the IT security and performance firm Cloudflare to promote respect for human...
Ten years of anti-human trafficking convention – special conference in Strasbourg
Over 150 experts from across Europe are taking part today in a conference to mark ten years since the Council of Europe convention against trafficking in human beings entered into force. Among representatives of various international organisations, national authorities and NGOs, participants will...
21 May 2018: World Day for Cultural Diversity
Article by the Deputy Secretary General on Intercultural Cities: "Diversity as an advantage"
Croatia takes over chairmanship of Committee of Ministers from Denmark
The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from Denmark to Croatia, at a meeting in Elsinore, Denmark, attended by representatives of its 47 member States. The outgoing Chair, Anders Samuelsen, Minister of Foreign affairs of Denmark, handed over to the...
Danish Chairmanship concludes overwhelming support to start Council of Europe “Elsinore Reform Process“
Responding to the need to resolve current political and financial challenges, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen presented his conclusions of discussions at the Committee of Ministers meeting in Elsinore on 17 and 18 May. Speech
Enhancing data protection globally: Council of Europe updates its landmark convention
Aiming to strengthen personal data protection at global scale, the Council of Europe today adopted an amending Protocol which updates its data protection convention, known as “Convention 108”. The modernisation of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic...
Democratic security and data protection on the agenda as Committee of Ministers meets in Denmark
The Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states are meeting in Elsinore (Denmark) on 18 May to discuss the challenges facing the Organisation. The Committee of Ministers should also adopt an amending protocol aimed at modernising the Convention for the Protection of...
The UK should proactively tackle corruption in central government, says anti-corruption body GRECO
The United Kingdom has a wide range of standards and procedures to help tackle corruption in central government and law enforcement agencies, according to the Council of Europe’s 49-member Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), but a number of shortcomings remain. In a report published...
17 May 2018: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
Statement by Eva Kjer Hansen, Minister for Equal Opportunities of Denmark, on behalf of the Chair of the Committee of Ministers
20th anniversary of Russia's accession to the European Convention on Human Rights
The Council of Europe is co-organising with the Russian authorities a high-level discussion entitled "Russia and the European Convention on Human Rights: 20 years together". The event is taking place on 16 May 2018 at the VIII Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum . On 5 May 1998 the...
