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New reports on protection of regional and minority languages in Austria, Cyprus and Romania
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 4 April 2018 examined the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and provided recommendations to Austria, Cyprus and Romania, based on the country-specific reports of the Committee of Experts under the...
8 April, International Roma Day: Statement by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland
With the number of elected Roma and Traveller women 'close to zero', the Secretary General urges political parties to fast-track Roma women in politics
Child sexual abuse in sport: Council of Europe calls for action to break the silence
The Council of Europe today made a call on public authorities and the sports movement to take determined action to prevent sexual abuse of children. Under the theme “Start to talk”, it launched in Madrid an international awareness-raising initiative urging governments, sports clubs, associations...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Record number of cases closed in 2017, but challenges remain
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which oversees the implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments, closed a record number of 3,691 cases last year, leading to a 24% decrease in the total number of outstanding cases. There were 7,584 pending cases at the end of 2017,...
Council of Europe issues policy guidelines to protect children of imprisoned parents
The Council of Europe today issued policy guidelines to its 47 member states aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of children of imprisoned parents. Some 2.1 million children in Europe have one of their parents in prison, according to estimates based on the number of inmates in prisons....
Council of Europe adopts new recommendation on terrorists acting alone
As Europe is confronted with returning terrorist fighters and lone-wolf terror attacks, the Council of Europe has recommended a set of measures to combat these dangers. In a recommendation adopted today, the Council’s Committee of Ministers reviews measures for preventing radicalisation, better...
21st century slavery: European anti-trafficking experts raise the alarm over labour exploitation
Trafficking for labour exploitation is on the rise across Europe. In several countries, it has overtaken sexual exploitation as the main form of human trafficking. Official figures underestimate the true scale of the problem and there have been few successful prosecutions and convictions. These...
Dunja Mijatović takes up office as Commissioner for Human Rights
Today, Dunja Mijatović takes up the post of Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. National of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she has been elected last January by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. She is the first woman to hold this post, succeeding Nils Muižnieks...
What common challenges do smallest European states face?
Reports on local democracy and draft recommendations for Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco and San Marino were adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on the 28th of March at its 34th Session in Strasbourg. The discussions were followed by the debate on...
Poland: Judicial reforms violate anti-corruption standards, say Council of Europe experts
Amendments passed late last year to Poland’s judiciary, including laws on the National Council of the Judiciary (LNCJ), to the Supreme Court (LSC) and to the Law on Ordinary Courts, do not comply with Council of Europe anti-corruption standards, concludes a report published today by the Council...
Local and regional democracy in Latvia
An overall positive situation of local self-government in Latvia, together with the extensive autonomy of local authorities were welcomed in a report adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, during its 34th Session, on 27 March 2018 in Strasbourg,...
The Congress adopts a recommendation following the fact-finding mission in the Republic of Moldova
On 27 March 2018, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, holding its 34th Session in Strasbourg (France), adopted a recommendation on the fact-finding mission on the situation of local elected representatives in the Republic of Moldova that was carried out in...
Michele Nicoletti: “If democracy dies at the local level, it will also die at the national level”
“The success of democracy is not possible without the participation of our citizens in civic life,” stated. Michele Nicoletti, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe addressing the Congress members at the 34th Session, in Strasbourg, on 27 March 2018. He outlined the...
Gudrun Mosler-Törnström: “Given the current challenges, we must preserve the voice of local and regional authorities”
“Together, we are all entering a serious period in the life of our organisation and of our Congress,” said Congress President Gudrun Mosler-Törnström at the opening of the 34th session of the Congress in Strasbourg, France, on 27 March 2018. In her communication, the President gave an update on...
Finland encouraged to boost anticorruption policy in central governments and law enforcement agencies
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) called for Finland to strengthen its systems to prevent and detect corrupt behaviour in central governments (including the top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies. Finland...
Qatar signs co-operation agreement with Council of Europe in view of FIFA World Cup 2022
The State of Qatar signed today a bilateral agreement (2018-2020) of technical co-operation with the Council of Europe, in the framework of the European Convention on Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports events (CETS No. 218), known as "St Denis...
Terrorist attack in Trèbes (France): The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers expresses his sorrow and solidarity with the French authorities
Following the deadly terrorist attack in Trèbes (France) earlier today, Minister Anders Samuelsen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, conveys his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and his sympathy for those...
Le Secrétaire Général condamne les attaques de Carcassonne et Trèbes, en France
Le Secrétaire Général Thorbjørn Jagland a fait la déclaration suivante aujourd'hui : « Je condamne fermement les attaques perpétrées sur le sol de notre pays hôte, la France. Ces attaques ont lâchement ciblé des civils ainsi que des représentants des forces de l’ordre. Je salue l’action...
Preventing ill-treatment during police custody and pre-trial detention
The Danish Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is organising a seminar in Copenhagen on 22 and 23 March to discuss ways to strengthen the prevention of torture and ill-treatment during police custody and pre-trial detention, the time when persons are most at risk from...
34th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
The members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will meet in Strasbourg, France, from 27 to 28 March 2018 for their 34th Session placed under the theme “rights-based governance at local and regional level”. Congress members will discuss in particular the...
