Newsroom
“Sex without consent is rape: European countries must change their laws to state that clearly”
Ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has called on all member states to change how rape is defined. In an opinion article published in today’s EU Observer, she says that “Too few of our members treat this crime as...
Czech Republic urged to step up anti-corruption efforts
The Council of Europe anti-corruption body GRECO has urged the Czech Republic to accelerate the pace of ongoing reforms aimed at preventing and combatting corruption among parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors. In a follow up report issued today evaluating the implementation of its...
President Knape reaffirms Congress support for Georgia’s decentralisation reforms
During his official visit to Georgia from 22 to 25 February 2020 the President of the Congress Anders Knape welcomed the continued commitment of Georgia to decentralisation, in line with the post-monitoring dialogue in 2014, the signature of the road map of the Congress in 2015 and the latest...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 3 to 5 March. Information on the cases to be examined in detail during the meeting is available here....
Governments must not stifle civil society: INGO seminar in Brussels
Be sure to watch live the Council of Europe’s Conference of INGOs celebration of World NGO Day, to highlight the importance of civil society as an essential democratic actor, but one which faces too many restrictions today. Held at the Council of Europe’s Brussel’s office, “From the Past to the...
Environment and Human Rights: Georgian Presidency calls for modern legal standards and tools
In a declaration made today in Strasbourg at a conference on environmental protection and human rights, the Georgian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers called to review the relevant Council of Europe legal arsenal and complement it by adopting a recommendation and a strategy in this field....
Migration and refugees: Council of Europe presents achievements and sets new objectives
In a report published today, the Council of Europe takes stock of achievements and sets out new objectives for protecting vulnerable migrants and refugees, including children. “The Council of Europe will continue to play a key role in the protection and promotion of human rights of the most...
Ultra-nationalism, anti-semitism, anti-Muslim hatred: Anti-racism commission raises alarm over situation in Europe
Increasing influence of ultra-nationalistic and xenophobic politics across Europe, hate speech setting the tone in social media, rampant anti-semitism and anti-Muslim hatred, as well as an increasingly hostile environment for NGOs working with vulnerable groups - these alarming trends and new...
Environment and human rights: towards a right to a healthy environment?
In response to the threats to climate and biodiversity, the Georgian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will organise a conference on Thursday 27 February in Strasbourg on the protection of the environment from a human rights perspective. The conference, which will...
Statement by David Zalkaliani, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia and President of the Committee of Ministers
“This year marks the 6th anniversary of the illegal annexation of the autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, and the beginning of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. In my capacity as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, I...
Secretary General tells UN Human Rights Council: “You can rely on our support”
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has assured the United Nations Human Rights Council that it can count on the Council of Europe’s support across a wide range of sectors. Speaking in Geneva at the UN body’s 43rd session, the Secretary General underlined the importance of close cooperation...
Osman Kavala ruling in Turkey: Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić's letter to Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić's letter to Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül, sharing her concerns about Osman Kavala’s re-arrest and the investigation against the Istanbul judges who delivered the verdict of acquittal in favour of Kavala.
Congress President Anders Knape on official visit to Georgia
The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Anders Knape, will pay an official visit to Georgia from 22 to 25 February 2020, organised in the framework of the Georgian chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Accompanied by Congress Secretary...
Secretary General expresses condolences after deadly shootings in Hanau
Statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić: I am shocked and deeply saddened by the terrible events in Hanau, Germany. I join my German friends and colleagues in their sorrow for the victims and their families. I wish the injured a swift recovery.
Turkish authorities must restore judicial independence and stop targeting and silencing human rights defenders
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, calls on the Turkish authorities to restore judicial independence and stop the practice of targeting human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists and silencing them by using administrative and...
Osman Kavala ruling in Turkey: Reaction from the Council of Europe Secretary General
In response to today’s ruling from a court in Istanbul relating to the Taksim Square protests in 2013, the Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, said: “We welcome today’s ruling from the court in Istanbul ordering Osman Kavala to be released, in line with...
Slovenia: GRECO considers whether parliamentary inquiry into judiciary interferes with separation of powers
In a new ad hoc report on Slovenia the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption group GRECO did not rule out that parliamentary inquiries, if directed towards the judiciary in ongoing individual cases, may potentially interfere with the separation of powers and respect for judicial independence....
Monaco: insufficient anti-corruption progress says expert report
In a new report on the prevention of corruption of parliamentarians, judges and prosecutors in Monaco the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO regrets the low level of implementation of its recommendations (two out of sixteen). As far as parliamentarians are concerned, GRECO notes that...
Protecting human rights in biomedicine, 2020-2025
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today supported a new five-year strategic action plan, presented by the Committee on Bioethics, on human rights and technologies in biomedicine. Designed to protect human dignity, human rights and individual freedoms with regard to the...
Towards a recommendation to ban the trade in goods used for torture and the death penalty
The Committee of Ministers has given its green light to the preparation of a recommendation concerning the trade in goods used for torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the death penalty. The Committee of Ministers draws on a feasibility study, prepared by the...
Human Trafficking: Monaco should raise awareness, train professionals, with focus on victims’ rights
A new report welcomes anti-trafficking moves taken by authorities in Monaco, but also calls on them to adopt legal and practical measures aimed at respecting the human rights of the victims. Although no victims of trafficking have been identified to date in Monaco, the Council of Europe’s Group...
Czechia should improve identification and compensation of victims of trafficking
Czechia has taken important steps to combat trafficking in human beings, but improvements are needed through legislative, policy and practical measures, notably in respect of the identification, protection and compensation of victims, as well as the effectiveness of investigations and...
Safer Internet Day: we’ve joined the campaign for a safer, better Internet
Imagine you find yourself in a world of infinite possibilities, a world with new friends to be found, new games to play and new ideas to explore. But how can you be sure you’re safe, how can you trust people you can't see, how do you know what you're learning is true? How can the Internet be...
Secretary General: countries and international organisations must work together to tackle today’s challenges
On her first working visit to the European Union institutions as Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić has underlined the importance of countries and international organisations working together to tackle modern-day challenges. Speaking to the EU’s Political and...
Council of Europe strengthens cooperation with internet sector
Five new companies and business associations today joined the Council of Europe Partnership with the IT sector aimed at promoting respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law on the internet: the artificial intelligence software provider Element AI, the International Communications...
Serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations
Committee of Ministers adopts a new complementary procedure
Secretary General reacts to Turkey avalanches
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has expressed her sadness and dismay at the avalanches in eastern Turkey that are reported to have claimed many lives. “Our thoughts are with the people of Turkey as we hear the terrible news unfolding of avalanches that...
Secretary General in Brussels to discuss cooperation with the EU
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić is carrying out a working visit to the European Union institutions in Brussels from 5 to 7 February, focussing on cooperation between the Council of Europe and the EU. During the visit, the Secretary General will take part in meetings...
Committee of Ministers agrees checklist to stop “worrying trend” of election winners abusing power
The Committee of Ministers has today agreed a checklist aimed at ensuring that election winners uphold democratic practices. The checklist – compiled by the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s constitutional expert group – gives governments guidelines on how to maintain the checks and...
Spain: Anti-torture Committee issues report on police detention and prisons in Catalonia
In a report published today on a visit to the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain in 2018, the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) expresses concern about some allegations of ill-treatment received from persons apprehended by Mossos d´Esquadra and from inmates held in special...
Combating human trafficking and disappearances of refugee children
The Council of Europe should “do more to combat human trafficking and to ensure that its legal standards are adequate and implemented by all member States”, the Parliamentary Assembly declared today during a joint debate. In an adopted resolution, based on the report prepared by Vernon Coaker...
Azerbaijan has a political prisoners 'problem', says PACE, urging review of reported cases and wider reform
“There can no longer be any doubt that Azerbaijan has a problem of political prisoners, and that this problem is due to structural and systemic causes,” PACE has declared, urging the authorities to ensure alleged cases are reviewed by an impartial body, and to undertake “fundamental reforms” to...
For a complementary joint procedure CM-PACE in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations
The Parliamentary Assembly welcomed the intensification of dialogue and contacts with the Committee of Ministers with a view to setting up a complementary joint procedure between the two statutory organs of the Council of Europe in response to a serious violation by a member State of its...
Council of Europe equipped to meet challenges of future, Secretary General tells PACE
The Council of Europe must take a leading role in overcoming new challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has told the organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly. Populism, hate speech, discrimination against minorities, attacks on the media,...
Igor Dodon: “the Common House remains a project that inspires and mobilises”
“Despite the uncertainties, the European project of the Common House remains a project that inspires and mobilises”, today said Igor Dodon, President of the Republic of Moldova, addressing the Parliamentary Assembly. “We must be aware that, whatever the national specificity and the languages...
70th anniversary of European Convention on Human Rights: a convention for the people
The leaders of the 47-nation Council of Europe have issued the following statement to launch the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights in 2020: The European Convention on Human Rights came into being against the dreadful background of the devastation of the Second World War,...
Denmark: ensures protection of German minority but needs to address rising intolerance
Denmark has consistently supported members of the German national minority in South Jutland, the country’s only recognised national minority. However, the authorities should take further local measures to promote intercultural understanding and dialogue with the German minority, including...
Call on member States to remedy quickly and effectively any threats to media freedom
Threats to media freedom and the safety of journalists have become so numerous, repeated and serious that they are jeopardising not only citizens’ right to be properly informed but also “the stability and smooth functioning of our democratic societies”, the Council of Europe Parliamentary...
Parliamentary Assembly opens monitoring of Poland over rule of law
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has voted to open a monitoring procedure for Poland over the functioning of its democratic institutions and the rule of law, declaring in a resolution that recent reforms “severely damage the independence of the judiciary and the rule of...
Salome Zurabichvili: ‘Georgia has consolidated its democratic institutions’
“Georgia's accession to the Council of Europe 21 years ago has marked the start of a path towards the transformation of our society, the liberation of the individual, the democratisation of the political system, the consolidation of democratic institutions, and a state based on the rule of law,”...
Council of Europe Holocaust Remembrance ceremony
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has led tributes to victims of the Holocaust at a special ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Around six million Jews were brutally murdered during the Second World War, but many Roma and LGBTI...
David Zalkaliani: ‘We must keep the same determination to defend human rights as the authors of the Convention’
In his address to the Assembly today, the Georgian Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, David Zalkaliani, highlighted the fundamental role of the European Convention on Human Rights, which enabled the setting-up of a unique human...
Rik Daems elected PACE President
Rik Daems (Belgium, ALDE) has been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Succeeding Liliane Maury Pasquier (Switzerland, SOC), he becomes PACE’s 33rd President and the third Belgian representative since 1949 after the Assembly’s founding father,...
Data Protection Day
Today, 28 January, Data Protection Day is celebrated around the world to mark the opening for signature in 1981 of the first international treaty aimed at protecting personal data: the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, also known as...
Iceland: Good detention conditions, but lack of systematic health checks for newly-arrived inmates
In a report published today, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), found that no ill-treatment was reported in the prisons, police or psychiatric establishments visited, and that the material conditions were good or even very good. But the Committee is concerned that little or no...
Protection of national minorities: Portugal makes progress combatting anti-Roma discrimination
Portugal has adopted measures to improve the living conditions and to counter the discrimination of the Roma population, but should ensure that they have an effective and long-term impact throughout the country, says the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of...
Council of Europe represented at 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni will participate today to the event commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, together with Heads of State Delegations from 54 countries and representatives of several International...
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić expresses condolences to Turkey after deadly earthquake
Statement by the Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić: I am deeply saddened by the news of so many people killed and injured in the severe earthquake in Eastern Turkey last night. My thoughts are also with all those helping in the rescue operation. On behalf of the Council of Europe I...
MONEYVAL: new follow-up reports assess measures against money laundering and terrorist financing in six countries
The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body MONEYVAL has published this week follow-up reports assessing progress by Albania, Andorra, Hungary, Latvia, Serbia and Slovenia in measures to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing. All these states –...
Parliamentary Assembly Winter Session
Adopting its final agenda at the opening of the 2020 Winter Session, the Assembly decided to hold an urgent debate on the theme “International obligations concerning the repatriation of children from war zones”, as well as a current affairs debate on “Recent developments in Libya and in the...
Belgium must strengthen rules on integrity of government members and outside activities by police officers
The Council of Europe’s Group of States against corruption (GRECO) today published its 5th round evaluation report on Belgium. This cycle focuses on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement authorities. (See the Dutch...
The right to affordable housing: Europe’s neglected duty
“Increasingly making the headlines, the scarcity of affordable housing in Europe is a serious and growing problem that pushes an ever-larger number of people into housing insecurity and homelessness.”, says Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in her Human Rights...
Poland: improvements in Roma integration, but increased intolerance against national minorities
A new report on the protection of national minorities in Poland published today, praises improvements in the integration of Roma in education, but points to a persistent climate of intolerance, racism and xenophobia in the country (see also the Polish version of the report). Among the positive...
New youth sector strategy 2030: strengthening democracy through youth engagement
Today the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the new Youth sector strategy 2030 which will provide policy guidance to the 50 States Parties to the European Cultural Convention for the ten years to come. Young people’s creativity, dynamism, social commitment and competences...
Committee of Ministers adopts new action plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion
The Committee of Ministers today adopted the Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion 2020-2025 to combat anti-Gypsyism and discrimination and to support equality. The plan will also foster democratic participation, promote public trust and accountability and support access to...
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić on judicial reform in the Republic of Moldova
In December 2019, I met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Ion Chicu. We agreed that Council of Europe experts would visit Chisinau with a view to offering our assistance towards reforms needed to create an independent, accountable, efficient and professional judiciary for the...
Serbia: government’s efforts to fight violence against women are commendable, but more is needed
In its first report on the implementation by Serbia of the Istanbul Convention, the expert body GREVIO welcomes the policy commitment of the authorities to eliminate gender-based violence and the significant progress made in law and in practice. However, there are still problems requiring an...
Deputy Secretary General at Ministerial Conference ‘International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni participated in a Ministerial Conference convened by the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn, presently Chairing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Ministers for Foreign Affairs of several...
CPT assesses isolation measures and cases of violence in Italian prisons
In a new report on Italy, the anti-torture Committee (CPT) has recommended ending the court-imposed measure of solitary confinement (“isolamento diurno”) for prisoners serving life sentences. The CPT also calls on the authorities to provide inmates with a minimum range of purposeful activities as...
Violence against women and domestic violence in the Netherlands: a stronger gender perspective is needed
In its first report on implementation by the Netherlands of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (widely known as the “Istanbul Convention”), the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts (GREVIO) stresses the country’s long history of addressing...
Venice Commission: New reform in Poland further undermines judicial independence
In an urgent Opinion issued today, the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, together with the organisation’s Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, concludes that the amendments to laws on the judiciary passed by the lower house of the Polish parliament (Sejm) on 20 December 2019...
Syrian doctor who ran underground children’s hospital receives Wallenberg prize
Dr. Amani Ballour, a paediatrician from Syria who ran an underground hospital in Eastern Ghouta in 2012-2018 and is now a refugee in Turkey, has been awarded the Council of Europe’s Raoul Wallenberg Prize for her personal courage, bravery and commitment in saving hundreds of lives during the...
Psycho-neurological institutions in Ukraine: CPT report recommends more care in the community
The Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) has made a series of recommendations after visiting three psycho-neurological centres (“internats”) in two regions of Ukraine in April 2019. The committee calls on the Ukrainian authorities to accelerate the closing of such large-capacity...
Secretary General meets Croatian PM Plenković
Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met today in Strasbourg. They agreed to maximise synergies between the European Union and the Council of Europe and to boost cooperation between the two organisations, in the interest of Europe's citizens.
Kazakhstan becomes GRECO´s 50th member state
Le 1er janvier 2020, le Kazakhstan est devenu le 50e État membre du GRECO. De ce fait, le GRECO s'étend désormais sur trois continents, l’Europe, l’Amérique et l’Asie - et couvre une population de près de 1,2 milliard de personnes. En conséquence, une délégation du Kazakhstan participera au...
Italy: more measures needed to protect women from violence
A new report from GREVIO, the Council of Europe’s expert group on violence against women, has urged the Italian authorities to enact more measures to protect women from violence. While welcoming some innovative new laws, notably regarding stalking, providing paid leave for victims of violence and...
Fight against corruption: France must do better
In a report published today, GRECO, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, calls on France to improve the effectiveness and practical application of measures to prevent corruption within the executive (President of the Republic, ministers, private office members and senior civil servants)...
Armenia joins the Council of Europe’s drug policy expert body, Pompidou Group
Armenia has become the 40th member of the Council of Europe’s Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group). The Government’s decision takes effect from 1 January 2020. Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe,...
Marija Pejčinović Burić meets the Holy See’s Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met with Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Holy See’s observer status at the Council of Europe. She welcomed the Holy See’s long standing commitment to the...
Denmark needs to improve conditions in migration detention centres
A report from the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has called on Denmark to improve conditions in two centres where migrants are detained. It also recommended improvements in two prisons, as well as better procedures for prolonged restraint of psychiatric patients, and more access to...
Azerbaijan ratifies Convention to protect children against sexual violence
Azerbaijan has become the 46th state to have ratified the Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (“Lanzarote Convention”). Today, the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Fakhraddin Ismayilov, has deposited the...
Greece: Criminal justice system inadequate to counter corruption
Following heavy criticism against Greece from the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for having downgraded and softened its anti-corruption legislation, GRECO published a report today concluding that...
Drahoslav Štefánek: new Special Representative for Migration and Refugees
Today, on the occasion of International Migrants Day, the Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić announced the appointment of Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek as her new Special Representative on migration and refugees. The Council of Europe has followed the situation of refugees and migrants...
Serbia: Roma situation still alarming
Serbia’s legal framework for protecting national minorities is solid, Serbian authorities are making commendable efforts to improve the situation of Roma-communities and to regulate the status of stateless persons, to develop cultural initiatives and minority media. However, the contrast between...
Poland: "globally unsatisfactory" anti-corruption compliance
Poland has been ranked as “globally unsatisfactory” with respect to a follow up assessment published today on corruption concerning members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. The report comes from the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), which determines that Poland...
Committee of Ministers adopts recommendation on guardianship for unaccompanied children in migration situations
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation to member States on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration. Migration puts children, especially unaccompanied or separated from their parents, in a very vulnerable position. Children are...
Child Poverty: Committee of Ministers statement
The Committee of Ministers expressed concern about the very high rates of child poverty in Europe and the growing inequalities that particularly affect them. Children have been more severely affected by the austerity measures put in place in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. They incur a...
Commissioner Mijatović urges Azerbaijani authorities to respect freedom of expression, improve access to lawyers and uphold rights of internally displaced persons
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published today the report on her visit to Azerbaijan, with recommendations on how to ensure freedom of expression, increase the number of lawyers and the quality of legal assistance in the country, and empower internally...
Secretary General: more states should join North-South Centre to better combat global challenges
Speaking at an event in Strasbourg to mark the 30th anniversary of Lisbon´s North-South Centre, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić called on states from Europe and its neighbouring regions to join the Council of Europe’s North-South Centre to better tackle global...
What role of prosecutors in the fight against corruption?
At its plenary meeting in Paris on 21-22 November 2019, the CCPE adopted its Opinion No. 14 on the role of prosecutors in fighting corruption and related economic and financial crime which takes into account existing standards and instruments of the Council of Europe and other international...
Human Rights Day, 10 December 2019
Statement by David Zalkaliani, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
Venice Commission: Gianni Buquicchio re-elected president
Gianni Buquicchio (Italy) has been re-elected President of the Council of Europe's European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), over which he has presided since 2009. A widely recognized public law expert, Mr. Buquicchio helped to ensure the Commission’s founding in 1990....
Human Rights Day: Council of Europe leaders highlight 70 years of the European Convention on Human Rights
To mark Human Rights Day (10 December), the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the President of the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly, Liliane Maury Pasquier, have issued a joint statement looking forward to the 70th anniversary of the European Convention...
Implementing ECHR judgments: latest decisions from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The Committee adopted 33 decisions concerning 18 member states at the end of its quarterly human rights...
Shrinking space for freedom of peaceful assembly
Over the last year, protests have multiplied across the planet, from Chile to Hong-Kong. Europe is not left out of this wave of demonstrations. Protests are taking different forms, from large and repeated demonstrations to the occupation of public places and spontaneous assemblies. The use of...
Turkey: Protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law – even when fighting terrorism
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has underlined the importance of protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law – including when fighting terrorism – in Turkey as in all other Council of Europe member states. Speaking at a conference on Turkey’s...
GRECO president: “Politicians should lead by example, without ifs or buts”
To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, held every year on 9 December, Marin Mrčela, president of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), said: “In too many countries we are witnessing corruption or unethical behaviours by the very persons who are in charge of...
Venice Commission: Ukraine, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, non-recognised territories
Constitutional experts of the Venice Commission have concluded that while there exists a clear obligation under international law for all States and international organisations not to recognise an annexation, explicitly or implicitly, this does not necessarily oblige the Parliamentary Assembly of...
Bosnia and Herzegovina must immediately close the Vučjak camp and take concrete measures to improve the treatment of migrants in the country
“The living conditions of hundreds of human beings in the improvised Vučjak camp are shameful. That camp should have never been opened in the first place. It is now urgent to relocate these people and provide them with decent accommodations. I was assured by the State Minister of Security that...
Speaking European - our languages, ourselves
From a baby's first words to the greatest literature, our ability to connect and express ourselves through language is an essential part of our humanity. Without words, how can we express our feelings, care for our families and loved ones, build prosperous and fair societies, or fight for our...
Statement of Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić following the desecration of the Jewish cemetery in Westhoffen
"I strongly condemn the desecration of the Jewish cemetery in Westhoffen, eastern France. We must take all measures to fight increasing anti-Semitism on our continent. This is imperative for the Council of Europe and its member states. Jewish life and heritage are part of our European identity...
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 3 to 5 December. Information on the cases to be examined in detail during the meeting is available here....
A call for Bulgaria to speak out for human rights
“The government should step up its efforts to fight the hate speech prevailing today in Bulgaria in particular against Roma, LGBTI people and other minority groups” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, today after a 5-day visit to the country. Hate speech and...
“Two clicks forward, and one click back”: children with disabilities reveal their experiences in the digital environment
Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, the Council of Europe presents a new report focusing on children with disabilities in the digital environment. The report describes the experiences of children with intellectual, physical, hearing and visual impairments....
Quality journalism needs to be strengthened and protected
Journalism has to be firmly supported by states, professional associations, internet intermediaries and platforms, regulatory authorities and journalists alike to ensure trust between public and media, concluded an international conference organised by the Council of Europe in Ljubljana in...
Violence against women: Council of Europe reaction to developments in the Slovak Republic
The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has today made the following statement: “Today’s decision by the Slovak Parliament rejecting the ratification of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention and calling on the government to block the EU’s accession...
Committee of Ministers: Georgia takes over Presidency from France
The Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from France to Georgia, at a meeting at the organisation’s Strasbourg headquarters. France’s Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin gave an overview of her country’s achievements. The...
Earthquake in Albania: Secretary General expresses condolences and solidarity
Statement from Secretary General Marija Pječinović Burić
Si nous voulons des communautés ouvertes, tolérantes et inclusives, l’éducation est tout simplement vitale
Intervenant à la réunion des ministres de l’Education le 26 novembre à Paris, la Secrétaire Générale, Marija Pejčinović Burić, a souligné l’importance de promouvoir l’éducation à la citoyenneté numérique et l’enseignement de l’histoire en Europe. Extraits de son discours à retenir : « Lorsque le...
Achieving Sustainable Development Goals through North-South cooperation
This year’s Lisbon Forum – organised by the Council of Europe’s Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, or North-South Centre – focuses on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals for a better and more sustainable future. By promoting dialogue between countries in the northern...
New public policies for the Internet – 2019 IGF in Berlin
What are the risks of discrimination created by the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? What access to data across borders do law enforcement need in order to fight cybercrime? How can privacy be protected in digital platforms? How do we rise to the challenge of tackling illegal content online...
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Council of Europe leaders note success of Istanbul Convention, but warn of challenges ahead
Marija Pejčinović Burić: The Budapest Convention will remain the most relevant international standard on cybercrime
Speaking at the opening of the conference on cybercrime, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić stressed the importance of the Budapest Convention, the only legally-binding international treaty, which is used on a daily basis by criminal justice authorities in national and international...
Preventing torture in Europe: The CPT at thirty
In November 2019 the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment - or CPT for short - celebrates 30 years of work. Stopping torture and inhuman and degrading treatment is an essential ingredient in human rights protection. When people are...
Conference on cybercrime: evidence in cyberspace, fake news and election interference
From 20 to 22 November, ministers, other senior government officials, legal experts in criminal matters, and representatives of the internet industry, civil society and data protection organisations from all over the world will be meeting at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg with a view to...
Shaping future visions of Europe: European citizenship education is key
The concept of European Citizenship is a dynamic and complex idea deeply connected with the ideals of democracy, participation and human rights in Europe. Formal and non-formal education play a key role in promoting it to young people, engaging them in discussions about European topics,...
Violence against women in France: need to better protect victims and their children
In its first report on implementation by France of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention”) the Group of Experts (GREVIO) welcomes the authorities’ commitment and efforts in this field. It also underlines...
Secretary General: urgent measures needed to fight anti-Semitism and online hate speech
In a live television interview on German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has highlighted the key role of the Council of Europe in countering a rising trend of anti-Semitism and online hate speech in Europe and further afield. Speaking after an official...
Artificial intelligence: is a legal framework feasible?
The Ad hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI), an intergovernmental committee set up by Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to examine the feasibility of a legal framework for the development, design and application of artificial intelligence based on the organisation´s...
French launch for “Start to Talk” campaign against child sexual abuse in sports
Roxana Maracineanu, Minister of Sports of France, and Adrien Taquet, French Secretary of State on Child Protection, have announced today the launch of the Council of Europe’s campaign “Start to Talk” in France. “Start to Talk” is a Council of Europe campaign against the abuse of children in...
GRECO calls for an overall anticorruption strategy and effective implementation of laws in Spain
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Spain to develop a comprehensive anticorruption strategy, and to improve its legal framework to prevent corruption in top governmental functions and law enforcement agencies. This...
Do European states do enough to protect the rights of the child?
A two-day international conference on children’s rights has started in Strasbourg today in the framework of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It looks at what European states are doing to promote children’s rights protection and what challenges remain....
Inauguration of the new secondary site of the EDQM: resilience and business continuity
The Council of Europe will open and inaugurate on 15 November the new secondary site of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) in Ars-Laquenexy, close to Metz in eastern France. It will enable the safe storage of contingency stocks of European Pharmacopoeia...
Secretary General in Georgia: high-level meetings, new Action Plan launch
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has concluded on 11 November 2019 her official two-day visit to Georgia ahead of the Chairmanship in the Council of Europe that Georgia will assume on the 27th of November 2019. The agenda of the Secretary General’s visit...
International conference on children’s rights
Challenging social norms, attitudes and behaviours that hinder effective protection of children’s rights: conference in Strasbourg next week
Statement of Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić on the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Statement of Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić on the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall “All Europeans have a reason to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. People won freedom and democracy through peaceful revolution - and by efforts in the east and...
“Follow The Money” Initiative in Nigeria wins Council of Europe’s Democracy Innovation Award
At today’s closing session of the 2019 World Forum for Democracy, the Council of Europe announced that the winner of its Democracy Innovation Award was the initiative “Follow The Money”, a network of grassroots citizens in Nigeria dedicated to tracking government and international aid spending....
New guidelines for recruitment and training of prison and probation staff
The Council of Europe issued today a new set of Guidelines aimed at assisting its 47 Member States in improving the recruitment, education, training and professional development of prison and probation staff. The guidelines have been developed as a way to share best practices taking into account...
World Forum for Democracy
“Is democracy in danger in the information age?”
Raoul Wallenberg Prize 2020: deadline for candidates extended to 30 November
The Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg Prize has been awarded every two years since 2014 in recognition of extraordinary humanitarian achievements by a single individual, a group of individuals or an organisation. The prize, which was established by the Committee of Ministers in 2012, derives...
Secretary General calls on member states to recognise, protect and promote Romani language
On the occasion of the World Day of Romani Language, Ms Marija Pejčinović Burić, Council of Europe Secretary General, calls on the Organisation’s member states to recognise, protect, and promote the Romani language, which forms an integral part of our common European cultural heritage. Romani is...
CPT at 30: conference on safeguards during first hours of custody
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) is organising a conference in Strasbourg on 4 November to mark its 30th anniversary and to discuss the implementation of detention safeguards in the first hours of police custody, a time when the risk of ill-treatment is higher. The...
Aegean islands: Greece should urgently transfer asylum seekers and improve their living conditions
“The situation of migrants, including asylum seekers, in the Greek Aegean islands has dramatically worsened over the past 12 months. Urgent measures are needed to address the desperate conditions in which thousands of human beings are living,” said today the Council of Europe Commissioner for...
National minorities in Finland: rising intolerance needs tackling
Finland has a long tradition of support for minority languages and cultures, through a well-developed legal framework that is generous towards persons belonging to minorities and affords extensive linguistic rights. However, as in other European countries, levels of intolerance and nationalism...
Russian local elections: all candidates need equal access to electoral rights
In its report on the Russian Federation adopted today, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe noted with satisfaction the developments that have taken place since 2010: the principle of local self-government is now recognised both in the Constitution and in...
Turkey: Congress adopts report on the observation of local elections and the Istanbul repeat mayoral election
Meeting in session on 30 October 2019, the members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted a report on the local elections in Turkey (31 March 2019) and the Istanbul repeat mayoral election (23 June 2019), following observation missions led by the...
Liliane Maury Pasquier: "The Council of Europe needs the continuing commitment of the Assembly and the Congress"
"The Council of Europe has already strongly demonstrated its ability to adapt to the changing world. But the organisation needs our continued commitment and the Assembly and the Congress, as well as our national parliaments and local and regional authorities, have a fundamental role to play. It...
Council of Europe Secretary General addresses Congress members
“We can take pride in having created a common legal area for 47 member states in which common legal standards are adopted, promoted and upheld,” said the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, in an address to Congress members at their session in Strasbourg, France,...
Anders Knape: "The Congress must have resources corresponding to its responsibilities within the Council of Europe"
Speaking at the opening of the 37th Session in Strasbourg on 29 October 2019, Congress President Anders Knape recalled the role of the Council of Europe in guaranteeing in its 47 member States democracy, human rights and the rule of law. He stressed that the Congress, which plays a key role in...
Language policies should protect minority rights, promote diversity and lower tensions
Languages are immensely enriching. They enable us to communicate with more people, to be better understood and to better understand other perspectives. Unfortunately, however, in many countries of the Council of Europe, languages are still sometimes used as tools to pit people against each other....
Tunisia: Secretary General confirms Council of Europe commitment to reinforced political dialogue
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met with Mr Mokhtar Hammami, Minister of Local Affairs and Environment of Tunisia today, underlining the increasing political dialogue between Tunisia and the Council of Europe. She welcomed cooperation on democratic reforms, notably...
37th Session of the Congress: Mayors safeguarding democracy
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will meet in Strasbourg, France, from 29 to 31 October 2019, for its 37th Session, under the theme “Mayors safeguarding democracy”. The Session’s debates will focus on smart cities and cybersecurity, the working conditions of...
12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance: conference on 28 October
An international conference on the Twelve Principles of Good Democratic Governance is taking place in Strasbourg on 28 October. The event has been organised by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, within the framework of the French presidency of the Council’s Committee...
Session of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations
The Conference of INGOs has chosen the theme of migration for its October session, taking place in Strasbourg from 28 to 31 October 2019. The theme will be dealt with at different times and in different ways during the week: The Human Rights Committee will hold a round table on hate speech on the...
Supreme Court of Slovenia wins Crystal Scales of Justice Prize
The Supreme Court of Slovenia has just been rewarded for an initiative entitled “Improving the quality of justice” (IQ Justice) [video – powerpoint presentation] The 2019 European Crystal Scales of Justice prize, organised by the Council of Europe and rewarding innovative judicial practices in...
“Act for Heritage!”: Conference in Cyprus on protecting Cultural Property
Cultural property, as an invaluable testimony of history and identity to be preserved in all circumstances, contributes to the creation of a more peaceful, just and cohesive society. However, with alarming frequency, cultural property is targeted in both peace and wartime, often leading to a...
European summit of Presidents of Parliament in Strasbourg
The Presidents of Parliament from the 47 Council of Europe member states and many partner, observer and neighbouring countries, along with the Presidents of other international assemblies, will be meeting in Strasbourg on 24 and 25 October 2019 for a European parliamentary summit. Some 60...
European states urged to strengthen and support families before resorting to out-of-home care
A declaration on ”Protecting children in out-of-home care from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” has been adopted in Nicosia, Cyprus on 18 October by the Lanzarote Committee, the Council of Europe body overseeing the implementation by states of the Convention on the Protection of Children...
European Anti-trafficking Day (18 October)
Victims must have justice, including compensation, says Council of Europe Secretary General
Deputy Secretary General at European Heritage Days annual assembly
European Heritage Days, a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Union, holds its annual Assembly of national co-ordinators of the 50 States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, in presence of the Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni. European Heritage Days...
Integrating migrants: survey finds language courses more beneficial than tests
Policies on language and knowledge of society for migrants in Council of Europe member states and the learning opportunities are the focus of the new survey that has been presented at the conference in the Council of Europe on 16 October. The survey was conducted by the Council of Europe in...
Council of Europe receives Future Policy Award for empowering youth
The Council of Europe’s co-management system in the youth field, where youth NGOs and governments have an equal say, has received the 2019 Future Policy Bronze Award at a ceremony on the margins of the 141st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Belgrade, Serbia. The theme of this year’s...
Malta must establish accountability for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia
“The Government of Malta remains far behind in its obligation to ensure that investigations in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are conducted in a prompt, effective, independent and impartial manner,” said today in a joint statement Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human...
Azerbaijani Justice Minister signs protocol to Extradition Convention
Today, 15 October 2019, Fikrat Mammadov, Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan, has signed the Fourth Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Extradition in the presence of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić in Strasbourg. The European Convention on...
Syria humanitarian situation
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić expresses concern for migrants
Tunisia joins convention to protect children against sexual violence
Today Tunisia became the 45th state to join the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No.201 - “Lanzarote Convention”). Naziha Laâbidi, Minister of Women, Family and Children, has deposited the instrument of accession during a ceremony with...
Justice ministers to discuss digital challenges for justice in Europe
Council of Europe ministers of justice will gather in Strasbourg on 14 and 15 October for a conference being held under the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, with representatives from 47 countries. The ministers will discuss access to the law and justice in the digital era and the...
Why Istanbul Convention matters: Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić explains
Speaking at the October plenary session of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić called on all countries that have not yet done so to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,...
From presidential overreach in Albania to the Istanbul Convention in Armenia: Venice Commission plenary session opinions
Opinion highlights from the plenary session of the Council of Europe constitutional experts of the Venice Commission included an opinion on Albania that determined that even if the President may have overstepped his bounds in postponing local elections, impeachment may not be justified. Addressed...
Council of Europe Secretary General addresses Venice Commission
In her address to the Council of Europe advisory body on constitutional matters, also known as the Venice Commission, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić appreciated its work as “an important pillar of Europe’s legal architecture”. Speaking to its 62 members and others participating in one...
Secretary General condemns anti-Semitic attack in Halle, Germany
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has condemned the anti-Semitic attack in which two people were killed in Halle. “I am deeply saddened and concerned by this cold-blooded attack aimed against the Jewish community on Yom Kippur. I extend my condolences to the families of...
Shootings in Halle, Germany
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has expressed her great sadness and concern over the killings in Halle, Germany, as well as her solidarity with the victims and the authorities dealing with the unfolding situation.
Death Penalty Day: EU/Council of Europe joint statement
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have published a joint statement to mark the European and World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October. The statement underlines both...
Switzerland urged to improve the identification and protection of victims of trafficking
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) welcomes the progress made by Switzerland, but also asks the Swiss authorities to take further action to improve the identification and protection of victims of trafficking. GRETA notes...
Turkey urged to improve identification and protection of victims
The Council of Europe’s group of experts on human trafficking has urged the Turkish authorities to improve the identification of victims of trafficking and the protection which is given to them. In its first report on Turkey, published today, the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in...
Deputy Secretary General opens joint workshop on family
The Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni will open together with the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, Elena Bonetti the Joint Workshop on family as a hub for social policies. The event is organised by the Department for Family Policies of the Italian Presidency...
Cultural Routes: 9th Advisory Forum opens in Sibiu, Romania
Around 200 representatives from International Organisations, Representatives of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, Member States, national and local authorities are meeting for three days in Sibiu, Romania. The event is jointly organised by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural...
Mechanisms to protect social rights: seminar In Madrid
The European Committee of Social Rights of the Council of Europe and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are organising a seminar in Madrid on 3 and 4 October to discuss how to protect social rights effectively, at a time when these rights are exposed to growing risks. Organised in...
Cérémonie de commémoration du 70e anniversaire
Le Conseil de l’Europe a célébré son 70e anniversaire lors d’une cérémonie de commémoration qui s’est tenue le mardi 1er octobre à l’Opéra de Strasbourg. Le maire de la ville, Roland Ries, a ouvert la cérémonie. Son discours a été suivi des interventions de l’ancien Premier Ministre espagnol...
Secretary General to use full powers to ensure human rights protection
Extract of the speech (0'37") : Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić today pledged to use her full powers to ensure human rights standards were respected throughout the Council of Europe region. In her first address to Parliamentary Assembly, the Secretary General said respect for human...
Montenegro: good progress on national minorities, but situation of Roma and Egyptians must be improved
Montenegrin society is characterised by a general climate of tolerance, a good legal anti-discrimination framework has been set up and very welcome progress has been made on resolving the issue of displaced persons who arrived in Montenegro from Kosovo* in the late 90s. However, urgent efforts...
Emmanuel Macron: "The Council of Europe is where the divisions in our continent can be healed"
In his address to the Assembly today, the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the “70 years of battles and conquests that are all part of the Council of Europe’s wealth of experience”. “The Council of Europe has advanced respect for fundamental rights, democracy and...
Amélie de Montchalin : "Rassembler notre famille européenne autour de valeurs communes"
Amélie de Montchalin, Secrétaire d'Etat française chargée des Affaires européennes s’est exprimée aujourd’hui au nom de la Présidence française du Comité des Ministres devant l’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe. Après avoir rendu un hommage appuyé au Président Chirac, dans lequel...
2019 Václav Havel Prize shared by Ilham Tohti and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights
The seventh Václav Havel Human Rights Prize – which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights – has been awarded jointly to imprisoned Uyghur intellectual Ilham Tohti from China and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), which brings together young people from...
President makes plea for constructive dialogue and maintaining order in ‘'our common home’'
In her opening address at her last plenary session, the PACE President made a fervent plea for maintaining order in what she described as “our common home” and for “constructive dialogue, even in the gravest crisis situations”. “Whenever the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law...
Parliamentary Assembly Autumn Session
On the occasion of the Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg (30 September-4 October), the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, will address PACE and answer questions from parliamentarians on Tuesday 1 October. French Secretary of...
ECRI adopts a roadmap to effective equality
Following a conference to mark its 25th anniversary, the Council of Europe’s anti-racism commission (ECRI) stressed the need for joint efforts to contain the threats that racism and intolerance pose to society, guarantee respect for human dignity and lay the ground for greater equality in Europe....
[Podcast] What motivates the new Secretary General of the Council of Europe?
In her first podcast, Marija Pejčinović Burić outlines her priorities for making Europe a more tolerant and inclusive place for its citizens, and identifies new challenges to human rights, such as Artificial Intelligence. The Secretary General was interviewed by Daniel Holtgen, the Council of...
Hungary: more help needed for child and migrant victims of human trafficking
The Hungarian authorities should strengthen efforts to prevent child trafficking, particularly by sensitising and training staff working with children and raising awareness of trafficking and online safety among children, including those in residential care institutions, the Council of Europe’s...
Implementing ECHR judgments: Latest decisions from the Committee of Ministers
The latest case-by-case decisions on the implementation of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights have been published by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The Committee adopted 29 decisions concerning 17 member states at the end of its quarterly human rights...
Déclaration de la Secrétaire Générale, Marija Pejčinović Burić, suite à la disparition de Jacques Chirac
"Jacques Chirac, un immense Européen et grand Français n'est plus. Son engagement en faveur de la paix, du respect du droit international et de la tolérance ont marqué l’histoire de la France et de toute l'Europe. Nous gardons de lui l’image d’un homme d'Etat hors norme, humaniste et proche des...
The Council of Europe marks 25 years of the fight against racism and intolerance
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a high-level conference will be organised on 26 and 27 September in Paris to take stock of its action and of the progress achieved in Europe in the fight against racism...
Strasbourg railway station to be decorated to mark 70th anniversary
Speaking on the occasion of the inauguration of the decoration on the glass facade of Strasbourg railway station marking the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, the Deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, highlighted the importance of this project, which is both a “work of...
MONEYVAL: swift action needed to combat money laundering and terrorist financing risks
In its annual report for 2018, published today, the Council of Europe anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body MONEYVAL calls on states to ensure that they have appropriate measures in place to combat “dirty money”. The impact by economic crime, organised criminal groups and...
Liechtenstein: professionals to be trained and victims to be better protected
In a report published today, The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) welcomes the steps taken by Liechtenstein to combat trafficking in human beings, through the adoption of legislation, guidelines and a coordinating mechanism, and calls on the authorities to...
Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Russian Federation
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published today the report on its ad hoc visit to the Russian Federation, which took place from 19 to 29 October 2018, together with the response of the Russian Government....
Implementing European Court of Human Rights judgments
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is holding its quarterly meeting to oversee the execution of judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg from 23 to 25 September. Information on the cases to be examined in detail during the meeting is available...
Conference on the fight against domestic violence: the role of the police
The Council of Europe is organising a Conference of high-ranking representatives of Ministers of Internal Affairs in Strasbourg on 24 and 25 September to highlight new measures enabling the police to fight domestic violence more effectively. Bringing together police officers, associations and...
Secretary General welcomes Maltese announcement to set public inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
In a statement today, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has welcomed the announcement of the Maltese Government to set up a public inquiry into the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017. “It is a positive development that the Maltese...
European Heritage Days 2019
Statement by Amélie de Montchalin, Representative of the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the French Republic
Reinforcing social rights protection in Europe: to achieve greater unity and equality
In the framework of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the European Social Charter organises, on 19 September in Strasbourg, an expert seminar to highlight the protection of social rights in Europe so as to achieve greater unity and equality. Welcome addresses will be delivered...
Marija Pejčinović Burić, New Council of Europe Secretary General
Marija Pejčinović Burić (Croatia) began her position as Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 18 September, after being elected in June 2019 by the Parliamentary Assembly for a five-year mandate. She is the second woman in this position after the French Catherine Lalumière (1989-1994) and...
Symposium “The future of young people’s political participation”
The changing nature and pathways of young people engaging politically keep opening new horizons interesting for the researchers, policy-makers, youth workers and young people themselves. The EU-Council of Europe youth partnership will organise a symposium, from 18 to 20 September at the European...
Thorbjørn Jagland farewell speech at ECHR
After ten years as Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland delivered his farewell Speech at the European Court of Human Rights. Speech by Thorbjørn Jagland Video of the speech:
Reconstitution de la première réunion du Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe et exposition
Du 8 au 13 août 1949, le Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe se réunissait pour la première fois, à l’Hôtel de Ville de Strasbourg. Dans le cadre de la Présidence française du Comité des Ministres et du 70ème anniversaire du Conseil de l’Europe, les Ambassadeurs des 47 pays actuellement...
Online child sexual abuse experts visit Ukraine and Armenia
The Council of Europe experts will visit Yerevan and Kyiv on 17-19 September 2019 under the Project to End Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse @ Europe to analyse legislation, policies and practices to prevent and combat this crime. The EndOCSEA@Europe Project promotes, facilitates and...
New Council of Europe action against sexism
In March 2019, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted a new Recommendation on Preventing and Combating Sexism. Not only does this text contain the first ever internationally agreed definition of sexism, but it also proposes a set of concrete measures to combat this wide-spread...
North-South Prize 2018 honours fight to end female genital mutilation and the promotion of social ecology
Jaha Mapenzi Dukureh founder and CEO of the Non-Governmental organisation “Safe Hands for Girls” and Damien Carême, Mayor of Grande-Synthe are the laureates of the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe 2018. The Award Ceremony of the XXIV North-South Prize of the Council of Europe took place...
Artificial intelligence: Expert committee to explore the development of a legal framework
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe representing its 47 members states has decided to set up an intergovernmental committee of experts to examine the feasibility of a legal framework for the development, design and application of artificial intelligence. To carry out its work, the...
Congress President calls on Russia to allow international observers to strengthen the integrity of municipal elections
Following Sunday's municipal elections in the Russian Federation, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Anders Knape, underlined the importance of democratic framework conditions in order to ensure genuinely free and fair elections, in...
Malta: more needed to investigate and prosecute money laundering and strengthen its supervisory system
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL calls on the Maltese authorities to strengthen their practical application of their measures to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism (see also the summary of the report). The report makes a...
Free Press Unlimited and European Centre for Press and Media Freedom join Council of Europe Platform
Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists now includes 14 partners
Moldova needs better criminal asset recovery and confiscation systems
In a report published today, the Council of Europe anti money laundering body MONEYVAL calls on the Moldovan authorities to fully and consistently use its legislative framework to combat money laundering and to increase the effectiveness of confiscation of proceeds, in particular regarding...
Finland: action needed to combat hate speech and scrap transgender persons sterilisation requirement
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) calls on Finland to tackle growing racist and intolerant hate speech, better coordinate integration activities for immigrants and review the law requiring transgender persons to be sterilised...
Trafficking and exploitation - Human Rights Commissioner calls for swift action
“Few human rights violations are so universally condemned by Council of Europe member states as the exploitation of the most vulnerable”, says Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in her Human Rights Comment published today. As a result, year on year, the fight...
School starts with more inclusion for Roma children in Romania – and beyond
On 9 September, Council of Europe Director General of Democracy Snežana Samardžić-Markovic joined Romanian President Klaus Iohannis to open the new school year through a visit to Ferdinand I Elementary and Secondary School in Bucharest, where they addressed the impact so far of a joint European...
Secretary General welcomes release of prisoners by Russia and Ukraine
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement today: “The Council of Europe welcomes the release of prisoners by Russia and Ukraine today. This is an encouraging step towards the reconciliation of the two member states of the Council of Europe and an important element of the...
MONEYVAL issues follow up reports on Ukraine and Isle of Man
The Council of Europe´s anti money laundering and counter terrorist financing body MONEYVAL has published two follow up reports assessing the progress made by Ukraine and the United Kingdom Crown Dependency of Isle of Man in implementing its recommendations. MONEYVAL finds that Ukraine has made...
National minorities’ rights: new reports on Georgia and the Netherlands
New opinions on the situation of national minorities in Georgia and the Netherlands have published by the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Over the past three years, Georgia has strengthened its legislative framework for promotion of rights...
Denmark needs stronger anti-corruption policies for government and the police force
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls upon Denmark to strengthen its policies to prevent corruption in respect of persons entrusted with top executive functions (members of the government and – in certain cases – special...
