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Congress President calls for a human-centred and decentralised recovery in Ukraine
Addressing the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, in Brussels on 15 May 2025, Congress President Marc Cools reaffirmed the key role of local and regional authorities in Ukraine’s recovery and EU accession process. “Municipalities and regions are not mere...
Four Cypriot municipalities receive European Label of Governance Excellence
The municipalities of Athienou, Kourion, Pafos, and South Nicosia-Idalion were awarded the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) at a ceremony held in Larnaca on 16 May 2025. The award was presented by Claudia Luciani, Director of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the...
Trauma-informed care for children of Ukraine indispensable for any reconstruction efforts, says Special Envoy at a conference in Helsinki
Future needs of returned children, their rehabilitation and reintegration, including trauma-informed care was the focus of the intervention by the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the situation of children of Ukraine Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir at a...
PACE Middle East Rapporteur: Gaza’s pain must end
PACE's rapporteur on the situation in the Middle East, Dora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD), made the following statement today: "'He who has a why to live can bear almost any how,' wrote Nietzsche. In the case of Gaza, however, that 'how' has become unbearable. For all of us who fervently support a...
'There can be no just and lasting peace without the return of deported Ukrainian children'
"Ukrainian children are non-negotiable. There can be no just and lasting peace without the unconditional return of all deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. The safe and immediate repatriation of these children must form an integral part of any future peace agreement", today said...
Combating hate speech and sexism ahead of parliamentary election
A third edition of the anti-discrimination campaign launched by the Council of Europe in partnership with the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova and UN Women, supported by...
Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: fundamental principles of international law must not be set aside in peace negotiations, says PACE committee
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting on 13 May in Paris, categorically reaffirmed indisputable legal and human rights considerations related to the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine. It stated that certain fundamental principles of international law, such...
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia – Silence is not neutral: Statement by Council of Europe Congress Rapporteur
Ahead of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (17 May), Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/DP), Standing Rapporteur for Human Rights of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, has made the following statement: “Protecting and...
IDAHOT 2025: A call to action for the protection of the rights of LGBTI persons
"In recent months, attacks against LGBTI persons have multiplied in a climate of hate. LGBTI persons have been targeted and stigmatised in certain political discourses that accuse them of various evils that have nothing to do with them. As parliamentarians, we have the responsibility to act and...
Il Segretario generale del Consiglio d’Europa al Festival di Cannes 2025: una presenza strategica per la cultura e la democrazia in Europa
Il Segretario generale Alain Berset parteciperà al 78° Festival di Cannes (17 e 18 maggio 2025) per riaffermare il ruolo essenziale della cultura nella rivitalizzazione della democrazia e per sostenere la creazione cinematografica europea. "La cultura, al pari della democrazia, non è un lusso, ma...
Vent’anni al servizio delle vittime: la Convenzione del Consiglio d’Europa rimane il più efficace strumento contro la tratta di esseri umani
Vent’anni fa, il Consiglio d’Europa è entrato nella storia. Il 16 maggio 2005, in occasione del Vertice dei capi di Stato e di governo tenutosi a Varsavia, ha aperto alla firma il primo trattato internazionale che pone la protezione dei diritti delle vittime al centro della lotta contro la tratta...
Congress delivers on the Ukraine reform agenda
On 31 March 2025, the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance (CEMG) at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe completed its Programme “Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine” . Implemented since 1 January 2023, the Programme...
60th anniversary of the European Diploma for Protected Areas
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the European Diploma for Protected Areas, a prestigious international award granted since 1965 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It...
The Council of Europe Congress examines the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Lithuania
A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, composed of rapporteurs Gobnait Ní Mhuimneacáin (Ireland, L, ILDG) and Cecilia Feliczitasz Friderics (Hungary, L, ECR), will conduct a monitoring visit to Lithuania from 13 to 15 May 2025 to assess the application of the European...
Inclusione delle persone con disabilità nello sport: il Consiglio d’Europa e l’UE lanciano una nuova iniziativa
Durante l’evento di lancio del nuovo progetto “Sport per tutti: promuovere l’inclusione e combattere la discriminazione delle persone con disabilità”, il Consiglio d’Europa (CdE) e l’Unione europea (EU) hanno evidenziato la necessità di riconoscere “le capacità anziché le disabilità” e di...
EDQM releases 9th edition of the Guide to the quality and safety of organs for transplantation
The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) of the Council of Europe is proud to announce the release of the 9th edition of the Guide to the quality and safety of organs for transplantation (Organ Guide). This comprehensive guide remains an essential resource for...
Congress Secretary General on official visit to Finland
Strasbourg, 15.05.2025 – Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, will pay an official visit to Finland on 19 and 20 May 2025. On 19 May in Tampere, he will present highlights of the Congress´ work during the third edition of...
Il Segretario generale pone l’accento sulla sicurezza democratica al vertice della CPE
In un contesto di guerra, regresso democratico e rapidi stravolgimenti in Europea e nel mondo, il Segretario generale del Consiglio d’Europa Alain Berset parteciperà, insieme a oltre 40 capi di Stato e di Governo europei, al sesto vertice della Comunità politica europea (CPE), che si terrà il 16...
Il Comitato dei Ministri sostiene il Tribunale speciale per l'Ucraina, definisce le priorità strategiche, apre la convenzione per la protezione degli avvocati e adotta un trattato sull'ambiente
Il Comitato dei Ministri del Consiglio d'Europa ha ribadito oggi il suo fermo sostegno a favore dell'Ucraina avviando il processo per l'istituzione di un Tribunale speciale per il crimine di aggressione contro l'Ucraina. Tribunale speciale per l'Ucraina “Gli Stati membri hanno scelto di istituire...
Council of Europe Adopts Comprehensive Environment Strategy Highlighting Human Rights
The Council of Europe adopted its Strategy on the Environment (2025–2030) reflecting its commitment to a forward-looking, holistic vision that aligns human rights,...
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