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Local and regional democracy in France
On 22 March 2016 the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation on local and regional democracy in France following a monitoring visit in May 2015 to Paris, Reims, Ay-Champagne and Châlons-en-Champagne. This is the first monitoring report since...
Jagland: Brussels terrorist attacks targeted European values
At a news conference today, following a meeting with Bujar Nishani, President of the Republic of Albania who is paying an official visit to the Council of Europe, Secretary General Jagland expressed his sympathy and condolences to the people of Belgium after explosions in Brussels claimed several...
Terrorist attacks in Brussels
Statement by Daniel Mitov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Jean-Claude Frécon: "Local authorities are able to rise to the challenges facing our societies"
At the opening of the 30th Session of the Congress, the President of the Congress, Jean-Claude Frécon denounced the barbaric attacks committed in recent weeks in several cities and today in Brussels. (more...) Statement by Jean-Claude Frécon Webcast of the debate File - 30th Session of the Congress
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
States should sanction the use of hate speech, while safeguarding freedom of expression, says Council of Europe anti-racism commission
148 prisoners released in Azerbaijan: PACE President applauds decision
“I have received the good news that 148 persons have been released today in Azerbaijan, including Anar Mammadli, winner of the Vaclav Havel Prize, along with political activists, journalists and human rights defenders,” said Pedro Agramunt, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council...
Missing persons: Nine ways for European governments to establish the truth and support victims
“The protracted inability of European countries to shed light on the fate and whereabouts of tens of thousands of persons who are missing or disappeared following conflicts or dictatorships across the continent is an open wound for their relatives and constitutes a serious human rights violation....
EU-Turkey migration agreement: Secretary General welcomes European Commission's clarifications
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, has welcomed the clarifications by the European Commission for further developing cooperation between the European Union and Turkey in tackling the migration crisis. “It is extremely important that every application for asylum...
Turkey: lack of openness in parliamentary process and independence of judiciary are sources of concern
In a report published today, the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Turkey to pursue reforms to prevent and curb corruption. The report focuses on corruption prevention in respect of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. It includes a large number of recommendations to...
Anti-torture Committee report on “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
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 “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” in October 2014 together with the response of the national authorities. The report examines...
Commissioner Muižnieks intervenes on Estemirova case at European Court of Human Rights
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, publishes today his written observations submitted to the European Court of Human Rights on a case concerning the killing of prominent Russian human rights defender Natalia Estemirova. Observing that the murder of Natalia...
Refugee crisis: GRETA report
Urgent need to protect children from human trafficking, say Council of Europe experts
La Commission de Venise publie un nouvel avis sur la France
Commission de Venise : mieux encadrer la réforme constitutionnelle en France afin de respecter pleinement les normes européennes
European Social Charter: “Turin Forum” on Social Rights in Europe
Which role for social rights in a European “crisis exit” environment? An Inter-parliamentary Conference and an international Forum (Turin, 17-18 March) organised by the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the City of Turin and the Council of Europe, will focus on the main challenges for social rights in...
Committee of Ministers: Decisions on execution of European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Committee of Ministers today published the decisions and resolutions adopted at its 1250th special “human rights” meeting (8-10 March 2016) during which it has examined the state of implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The list of the cases which were subjected...
Russian law on Constitutional Court incompatible with international obligations, must be amended, says Venice Commission
An opinion adopted today by the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts (the Venice Commission) determines that empowering the Russian Constitutional Court to declare international decisions, including judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, as “unenforceable” is incompatible with...
Statement on the risk of a new humanitarian disaster on another Balkan border - Tabanovce
Statement by Tomáš Boček, Special Representative of the Secretary General for migration and refugees
Poland constitutional crisis : Respect Constitutional Tribunal judgments - Venice Commission
An opinion adopted today by the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts, the Venice Commission, on recent amendments to the law on Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal concluded that crippling the Tribunal’s effectiveness would undermine democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The opinion...
Declaration by Daniel Mitov, Chair of the Committee of Ministers
The case of Ms Nadiya Savchenko has been raised on a number of occasions within the Committee of Ministers. The Committee has already expressed its concern about Ms Savchenko’s health condition and called on the Russian authorities to release her without delay on humanitarian grounds. In my...
