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News


Racial discrimination, unacceptable violation of human rights

[19/03/2010] ''Racial discrimination is one of the scourges of our contemporary societies and must be combated resolutely and relentlessly'', said Micheline Calmy-Rey, Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The European human rights bodies also call for decisive action against racism and xenophobia, especially with regard to the Internet. ''Our organisations are alarmed by patterns and manifestations of racism such as the ever-increasing use of the Internet by racist groups for recruitment, radicalisation, command and control, as well as for the intimidation and harassment of opponents'', says the statement by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

Statement by Micheline Calmy-Rey
European human rights bodies call for action against racism

 

Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers

 

Current Chairmanship
Switzerland: 18 November 2009-11 May 2010


Next Chairmanships
  ”The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: 11 May-November 2010
  Turkey: November 2010-May 2011
  Ukraine: May-November 2011
  United Kingdom: November 2011-May 2012
  Albania: May-November 2012

Previous Chairmanships

  Slovenia: 12 May -18 November 2009

 

 

 

Activities of the Committee of Ministers

 

The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe's decision-making body. It is composed of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the 47 member states or their permanent representatives in Strasbourg (more...).

Report by the Swiss Chair of the Committee of Ministers (November 2009 - January 2010)

Overview of activities - Statutory report 2010

 

 

 

Committee of Ministers: Who's Who

 

1. Who sits on the Committee of Ministers?  
The Foreign Minister of each Council of Europe member state.
List of Foreign Ministers 
Member states

2. Who currently chairs the Committee of Ministers (18 November 2009 - 11 May 2010)?
Ms Micheline Calmy-Rey, Federal Councillor, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
Chairmanship file

3. Who are the Ministers’ Deputies?  
The Deputies, acting on behalf of the Ministers, conduct most of the day-to-day business of the Committee of Ministers.
List of Permanent Representatives

4. Who currently chairs the Ministers' Deputies (18 November 2009 - 11 May 2010)?  
Mr Paul Widmer, Permanent Representative of Switzerland

5. What are the Deputies' subsidiary groups?
These working groups
help to prepare the meetings of the Deputies.
List of groups

6. Who are the Observer states?
Holy See, United States of America, Canada, Japan, Mexico

 

 


Committee of Ministers - Assembly Presidential Committee: discussion on enhancing dialogue and co-operation
[18/03/2010] Assembly Presidential Committee, headed by its President Mevlüt Çavusoglu, in the presence of Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, on 18 March met in Paris with Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, the current Chair of the Committee of Ministers, and its next Chair the Foreign Minister of “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia' Antonio Milososki, as well as members of the Bureau of the Committee of Ministers.


Meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies
[11/03/2010] At their 1079th meeting, on 10 March, the Deputies adopted a first set of decisions on the follow-up to the Interlaken Conference on the future of the European Court of Human Rights. Moreover, they approved a pre-electoral assistance programme in view of the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, which will take place in Azerbaijan in November 2010.


Council of Europe publishes reports on minority languages in Hungary and Norway
[11/03/2010]
The Committee of Ministers has made public the reports on the situation of minority languages in Hungary and Norway. It calls on Hungary to develop a structured long-term policy in the field of minority language protection, while Norway is to ensure that social and health care institutions within the Sámi Administrative District offer services in North Sámi.
Report on minority languages in Hungary
Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on the application of the Charter in Hungary
Report on minority languages in Norway
Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on the application of the Charter in Norway
File ''Minority languages''


Committee of Ministers publishes decisions on execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights

[10/03/2010] The Committee of Ministers concluded on 4 March its first special human rights meeting devoted to the supervision of the execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The decisions adopted directly at the meeting in some 25 cases or groups of cases against Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom have just been published.
Bosnia and Herzegovina asked to eliminate discrimination in standing for elections
Russia asked to improve conditions of detention in remand prisons


Committee of Ministers and Assembly call for stronger participation of women in politics
[05/03/2010] According to Micheline Calmy-Rey, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, and Assembly President Mevlüt Çavusoglu, speaking on International Women's Day, women make up more than half the population and the electorate of the organisation’s member states, but are still grossly under-represented in key political and public decision-making posts in many of those member countries.
Special file on International Women's Day


Council of Europe - OSCE High-level meeting
[05/03/2010] The 19th Council of Europe-OSCE High-level meeting held in Geneva on 5 March 2010 centred on current and future co-operation between the two Organisations, their respective priorities and co-operation in the field.
Joint Declaration


Committee of Ministers to supervise execution of European Court of Human Rights judgments
[26/02/2010]
The Committee of Ministers holds its first ''human rights'' meeting of 2010 from 2 to 4 March. A preliminary list of items/cases to be examined at the 1078th meeting of the Ministers’ deputies is available on the website www.coe.int/execution.


1077th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies
[26/02/2010] On 24 February, the Ministers' Deputies held a first exchange of views on the follow-up to the high-level Conference on the future of the European Court of Human Rights, held in Interlaken, on 18 and 19 February. They expressed their appreciation for the commitment and efforts by the Swiss President to carry out this important initiative.


Mexico becomes member of Venice Commission
[23/02/2010]
The Committee of Ministers decided this month to unanimously accept Mexico´s request to become a full member of the Venice Commission. Mexico had observer status since 2001. This decision acknowledges Mexico’s democratic development, and will provide its government with access to European expertise in areas such as the functioning of the democratic institutions and constitutional justice, electoral law and party financing.


Reform of the European Court of Human Rights: joint declaration reached in Interlaken
[19/02/2010] In the framework of its Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, on 18 and 19 February, Switzerland organised a Ministerial Conference in Interlaken aimed at setting the course for the future reform of the Court. With the issuing of a joint declaration the event was crowned with success. According to the declaration it is necessary in particular to reach a balance between the incoming cases and the settled ones and to reduce the volume of outstanding cases as well as to guarantee that new appeals are dealt with in reasonable time. Moreover, the national implementation of the Court's judgements should be improved and the Committee of Ministers should guarantee an effective supervision. File
Interlaken Declaration


Micheline Calmy-ReyForthcoming entry into force of Protocol No. 14 - Statement by Micheline Calmy-Rey
[18/02/2010]
The Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers welcomes the deposit, by the Russian Federation, of its instrument of ratification of Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, shortly before the beginning of the ministerial conference in Interlaken. Russia is thus joining the other 46 member states which have already ratified the Protocol, thereby enabling the latter to come into force on 1 June next.


Council of Europe calls for deinstitutionalisation of children with disabilities
[04/02/2010] On 3 February, the Committee of Ministers adopted a text recommending that member states no longer place children with disabilities in institutional care and instead give preference to community living. There are many concerns about the compatibility of institutional care with the exercise of children’s rights.


Meeting of Ministers’ Deputies: exchange of views on Georgia
[04/02/2010] On 3 February, the Ministers' Deputies held an exchange of views with Temur Yakobashvili, Minister for Reintegration issues of Georgia, on the ''State Strategy of the Government of Georgia on the occupied territories of Georgia : Engagement through co-operation''. They also took note of a report on a visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan.


Council of Europe, Palais de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France 
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