Newsroom
New video for migrant children explaining their rights in age assessment procedures
On World’s Children’s Day the Council of Europe and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) have launched an animated video on age assessment of migrant children and adolescents. Age assessment is a process carried out by authorities to estimate a person’s age and determine whether he/she is an...
LGBTI policies in Europe: progress achieved, but more needs to be done
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić today highlighted substantial progress in the legal and social recognition of LGBTI people: more countries are offering civil unions and equal marriage, there are positive developments in ensuring freedom of assembly and association, in tackling bullying,...
Anti-torture Committee calls on Greece to reform its immigration detention system and stop pushbacks
In a report on a rapid reaction ad hoc visit to Greece in March 2020, the Council of Europe's anti-torture committee (CPT) once again urges the Greek authorities to change their approach towards immigration detention and to ensure that migrants deprived of their liberty are treated both with...
Germany takes over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers
Germany has taken over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Greece during a video-conference meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 47 member States. Greece’s Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis gave an overview of his...
Secretary General warns about the risks associated with sexual images and videos self-generated by children
Report from HINA (Croatian News Agency) published on European Day on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, on Wednesday warned about the risks associated with sexual images and videos self-generated by...
6th European Day on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
On the occasion of the 6th European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18 November 2020), the following joint statement was made by: The Greek Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, outgoing Chair of the Council of Europe’s...
Cyprus: Judicial Code of Ethics praiseworthy, but Parliament needs Code of Conduct to better fight corruption
A new report on Cyprus by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) stresses the need for a Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament to be adopted to prevent various forms of corruption, and to address issues such as conflicts of interest and lobbying. MPs’ asset...
Managing elections, including during pandemics: Venice Commission draws conclusions
The Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has published conclusions to an online international conference it held last week on electoral management, addressing electoral law and electoral administration in Europe. Conference participants focused on two main issues: Holding elections during...
How associations of judges support judicial independence: new Opinion
In a new Opinion on “The role of associations of judges in supporting judicial independence”, the Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) calls upon member States to provide a framework within which the right of judges to associate can be effectively exercised, and to...
World Forum for Democracy 2020/2021 – “Can Democracy Save the Environment?”
Officially launching on 18 November, the next World Forum for Democracy will bring together intellectuals, politicians, activists, experts and young people from around the world to discuss responses to the environmental crisis over a whole year leading up to the live Forum event to be held in...
Manifesto on Freedom of Expression of Arts and Culture in Digital Era
The Council of Europe has launched a Manifesto on the Freedom of Expression of Arts and Culture in the Digital Era as well as the concept for a digital @exhibition « Free to Create, Create to be Free”. The Manifesto sums up the importance of artistic creation and cultural industry for our...
Anti-torture committee urges Portugal to tackle police ill-treatment and police impunity
In a new report on Portugal the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) once again urges the Portuguese authorities to take determined action to prevent police ill-treatment and ensure that cases of alleged ill-treatment are investigated effectively. It also proposes a series of measures...
Child self-generated sexual images/videos: education vital to prevent risks
Ahead of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse marked on 18 November, the Council of Europe has held a webinar on how risks associated with sexual images and videos self-generated by children can be prevented and mitigated through...
Council of Europe launches Observatory on History Teaching in Europe
Seventeen Member States (*) of the Council of Europe have decided to establish the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe as an Enlarged Partial Agreement. The Observatory’s main purpose will be to collect and make available, through a series of regular and thematic reports, factual...
Paris Peace Forum: Council of Europe presents MEDICRIME Convention
The Council of Europe MEDICRIME Convention will be presented at the Paris Peace Forum which takes place online from 11 to 13 November. The main message to the Forum is that countries worldwide should take action using the only binding international instrument in this field to combat the...
Mid-term impact of Covid-19 on European prison populations: new study
Following the overall decrease of European prisons populations during the period of the lockdowns in spring, during the summer the incarceration rate remained stable in most European countries but started to grow in several prison administrations, according to a new study by the University of...
Ministers of justice confirm their commitment to Independence of justice and the rule of law
As the Council of Europe celebrates the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Ministers of Justice of the 47 member States of the Organisation, meeting by videoconference under the Greek Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, reaffirmed their commitment to...
Facing COVID-19 in prisons and probation
Directors of prison and probation services from the 47 Council of Europe member states as well as renowned experts and researchers in this field are meeting online on 9 and 10 November. They will discuss measures taken to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in prisons and services in charge of...
Slovenia: draft law on Barnahus will better protect children from sexual abuse
The results and key recommendations of the public consultation process of the draft law on Barnahus in Slovenia are being discussed today at an online event. Barnahus (“Children’s House”) is a leading European model for a child-friendly multidisciplinary and interagency response to child sexual...
Role of European Youth Card in promoting young people’s rights post-COVID
A webinar “New challenges and opportunities for innovative youth services. The role of the European Youth Card in promoting the rights of young people in post COVID era” is being held under the Greek Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers on 5-6 November 2020. The Greek Chairmanship has...
Foreign Affairs Ministers call for unity and more solidarity between nations
As the Council of Europe celebrates the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights in the unprecedented context of the current health crisis, the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Organisation’s 47 member States have reiterated their commitment to unity in Europe and stronger...
Sports Ministers discuss revision of European Sports Charter and Human Rights in Sport
Sport is an important facet of modern life. Sports’ governance is facing many challenges in a world that is rapidly changing and it can also, if unchecked, lead to human rights issues. Practicing sport is a human right and a goal shared by all governments. The 16th Conference of Council of Europe...
Congress delegation concerned for increasing polarisation of Polish society and situation of LGBTI people
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has completed a two-day fact-finding mission regarding the situation of LGBTI people in Poland. "Sexual orientation has become a polarising issue in Polish society; this is also increasingly reflected in local and regional...
Foreign Ministers discuss Council of Europe's role in the context of COVID-19 pandemic
Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe’s 47 member States will hold an online ministerial session on 4 November. During their annual meeting, the Ministers will be invited to take position on the response to the health crisis in full respect for democracy, rule of law and human...
Secretary General condemns Vienna terrorist attack
Statement by Marija Pejčinović Burić
Internet Governance Forum 2020
The Council of Europe is taking part in the 15th UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF), being held online from 2 to 17 November under the theme “Internet for human resilience and solidarity”. Council of Europe representatives and experts are contributing to debates on the challenges to freedom of...
Anti-money laundering: Georgia should increase the use of financial intelligence
The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL has urged the Georgian authorities to strengthen the practical application of their measures to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism. In a new report it calls for making more efforts to use financial intelligence to detect...
November 2: International Day to end Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Based on information collected by the Council of Europe Platform for the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, perpetrators of at least 22 murders of journalists in Europe are being shielded from justice. This is another confirmation that the International Day to End Impunity for...
Council of Europe leaders condemn terrorist attack in Nice
We are deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric and cowardly terrorist act in Nice on Thursday. We condemn in the most vigorous way this heinous attack and we express our deepest condolences and our sympathy to the families of the victims. We also express our full and unconditional support and...
Conference of Ministers of Education: response to pandemic crisis
The Conference of Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe, organised in the framework of the Greek Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, has endorsed a Political Declaration on the education response to COVID-19. The Declaration is accompanied by a Roadmap for Action on the Council...
Slovakia should prosecute money laundering with more determination
A new report by the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL urges the authorities of the Slovak Republic to systematically pursue illicit funds generated by crimes, through effective seizure and confiscation, and to systemically tackle money laundering and terrorist financing...
Ukraine: Congress concludes remote observation procedure regarding local elections
Welcoming the fact that, for the first time, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were allowed to vote in local elections in Ukraine, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe concluded its remote election observation procedure which was introduced as a temporary and...
Poland: Poor legal and medical access for people in police custody among concerns raised in Anti-Torture Committee report
In its latest report on police detention facilities, the Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) stresses that Poland has failed to implement previous recommendations for proper legal and medical access, and that...
Poland: Congress conducts remote fact-finding mission on situation of LGBTI+
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will conduct a remote fact-finding mission on 2 and 3 November 2020 on the situation of LGBTI+ people in Poland. This mission follows a request from members of the Polish parliament regarding the increasing attacks and...
Responding to COVID-19 crisis: Ministers of Education conference
The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging our education systems and institutions, which need to innovate the ways in which we learn, teach and assess qualifications. The risk of increased exclusion and inequality in access to education is another effect of the sanitary crisis. In order to respond to...
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Congress conducts remote observation procedure for local elections on 15 November
In response to an invitation from the authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities will carry out a remote observation procedure on 29 and 30 October, for local elections set for 15 November. This new remote format has been introduced as a temporary procedure...
Efficiency and quality of justice in Europe: 2020 report
A new report has identified a number of broad trends across judicial systems in 45 European countries. Among the findings of the eighth evaluation report drawn up by the Council of Europe’s European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ): European states spend an average of €72 per...
Polish authorities should ensure continuity, independence and effectiveness of Ombudsman institution
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, made public today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović raises her concerns about risks to the continuity and the effective functioning of the Polish Ombudsman institution. A constitutional...
Setting up a European network of police forces
At a conference on the role of the police in a democratic society attended by high-level representatives of European Ministers of the Interior on 20 and 21 October, the Council of Europe proposed to set up its own permanent high-level network of the police forces of the 47 member states. Some 90...
New factsheet on the execution of ECHR judgments concerning environment
Although the European Convention on Human Rights does not contain an explicit right to a clean and quiet environment, the Court has developed its case-law and established that where an individual is directly and seriously affected by noise or other pollution, an issue may arise under the...
Ukraine: Congress conducts remote observation of local elections on 25 October
After receiving an invitation from the Ukrainian authorities, from 19 to 20 October the Congress will carry out a remote observation procedure for the local elections that will take place on 25 October. This new remote format has been introduced as a temporary procedure in exceptional situations,...
Secretary General condemns terrorist attack in France
We deplore the horrific terrorist attack against a teacher yesterday at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and express our solidarity with those close to the victim, with the French people and with President Macron. We will not allow our rights and freedoms to be threatened by extremists of any kind. See...
European Anti-trafficking Day: Human trafficking will not be tolerated
In a statement to mark Anti-Trafficking Day, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has called for full respect for the rights of victims of trafficking in human beings during the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the face of...
Secretary General on working visit to Moscow
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić in Moscow on 19 and 20 October for meetings on key issues facing the Organisation. The Secretary General met with Sergey Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council and Konstantin...
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s final interview released on third anniversary of her death
The last interview ever given by Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has been released today to mark the third anniversary of her assassination on 16 October 2017. The interview, carried out on 6 October 2017, was one of 20 with journalists from across Council of Europe member...
Protection of national minorities in Spain: Progress regarding Roma, but anti-discrimination laws needed
In an Opinion evaluating Spain’s level of compliance with its commitments towards the Spanish Roma under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention acknowledges the progress made by the country in providing social...
New study: journalists speak out on undue pressure
A new study has made an in-depth analysis of undue pressure exerted against journalists to prevent them from reporting freely and of the strategies they use to overcome fear and continue to perform their public watchdog mission. “A Mission to Inform: Journalists at Risk Speak Out”, authored by...
Anders Knape: “The Congress Charter has a key role for promoting local democracy and Europe’s pluralist society model”
To mark the 35th anniversary of the opening for signature of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Anders Knape, made the following statement: “The European Charter of Local Self-Government was opened for signature on 15...
Council of Europe leaders make joint statement on Belarus
The Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Rik Daems, and the Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić,...
Online Venice Commission plenary marks 30 years of newsworthy legal advice
Because of continued concerns over Covid-19, an “on location” celebration that was scheduled to mark 30 years of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission had to be postponed. Instead a virtual plenary session was held late last week. It resulted in the adoption of many newsworthy opinions and...
