Over almost sixty years, the 47-member Council of Europe has developed a considerable acquis, encompassing not only standards on civil and political rights, social rights, minority rights, treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, the fight against racism and the fight against corruption and money laundering, but also active European monitoring of these standards. Such monitoring is carried out by several well-established independent bodies with recognised expertise and professionalism that enable the Council of Europe to identify areas of non-compliance and address recommendations to its member states. The Directorate of Monitoring comprises the secretariats of these independent mechanisms, as well as the Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights which assists the Committee of Ministers in its function of supervising the execution of these judgments by member states.

Croatia signs the Revised European Social Charter
[06/11/2009] Ambassador Anica Djamić, Permanent Representative of Croatia to the Council of Europe, signed the Revised European Social Charter in the presence of Maud de BOER-BUQUICCHIO.
Table of Signatures and Ratifications

International Conference on Roma migration and freedom of movement, Vienna (Austria)
This joint event organised by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the OSCE (Vienna, Austria), will take place from 9-10 November 2009 in Vienna. Mrs Gioia SCAPUCCI, Administrator in the Department of the European Social Charter will attend this conference to participate in a working group on access to health care and housing in a context of migration and freedom of movement.
Draft programme

Russia ratifies the Revised European Social Charter
[16/10/2009] Ms Tatiana GOLIKOVA, Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, handed to Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the instruments of ratification of the European Social Charter revised (Entry into force on 1 December 2009 ). At present the total number of ratifications of the Revised Charter is 29 States.
Signatures and ratifications
Table of accepted provisions
Social Charter website

Joint Council of Europe/United Nations Study on trafficking in organs, tissues and cells and trafficking in human beings for the purpose of the removal of organs
[13/10/2009] This new joint Council of Europe/United Nations publication was presented at a special launching event in the United Nations headquarters in New York on 13 October 2009 on the occasion of the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Website on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

20 years of combating torture in Europe : Council of Europe's anti-torture Committee publishes its 19th General Report
[20/10/2009] During the 20 years of its existence, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has been at the forefront of efforts in Europe to stamp out ill-treatment by State officials. It has conducted some 270 visits in 47 European States, examining the situation in thousands of places of detention. In its 19th General Report, published today, the CPT takes stock of what has been achieved over the last two decades and reflects on the challenges that lie ahead. (more ...)
19th General Report

Council of Europe anti-torture Committee Visits and Reports
Belgium: Visit [14/10/2009]
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Report [14/10/2009]
Greece: Visit [05/10/2009]
Romania: Visit [07/10/2009]

Portugal and Kosovo: adoption of Advisory Committee Opinions
[09/11/2009] On 5 November 2009, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities adopted opinions on Portugal and Kosovo which are restricted for the time-being. These opinions will now be submitted to the Committee of Ministers, which is to adopt conclusions and recommendations.

Georgia: early publication of the first cycle opinion
[13/10/2009] The Opinion of the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) on Georgia has been made public by the Government. The Advisory Committee adopted this Opinion in March 2009 following a country visit in December 2008. (More)

Cyprus: visit of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
[13/10/2009] A delegation of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities will visit Sofia and Plovidv, from 28 September - 02 October 2009 in the context of the monitoring of the implementation of this convention in Bulgaria.(More)