How to obtain press accreditation at the Council of Europe

 

The Council of Europe Directorate of Communications makes two kinds of accreditation available to the media.

 

Temporary accreditation

Temporary accreditation, for a maximum period of five days, may be issued for a specific event. Applications need to be made one working day in advance.

Journalists’ badges are available from the Council of Europe’s main entrance (Accueil badge) and are to be worn visibly in order to facilitate the work of security staff.

 

Permanent accreditation

A permanent accreditation card, for a maximum period of 12 months, may be issued to journalists who are regularly present, either because they are based in Strasbourg or in adjacent regions/countries or because they are required to follow the work of the Council of Europe on a regular basis.

All journalists making applications for accreditation must provide evidence that they represent a genuine press organisation by supplying a copy of their valid journalist’s press card or, failing that, an official letter from a press organisation signed by the editor-in-chief.

Special accreditation may be necessary for certain events.

 

 Information

The Directorate of Communications reserves the right to refuse or to cancel the accreditation of journalists affiliated to press organisations, the activities of which conflict with the principles of the Council of Europe, which use their accreditation for reprehensible purposes or which act in a way which contravenes the ethical principles or standards of journalism.

The Directorate of Communications also reserves the right to refuse to renew a permanent accreditation which has not been used during the previous year, or if no media coverage of the Council of Europe and/or its activities has been produced.

If you have any questions about the arrangements for accreditation, please send an e-mail to the Media Assistance Unit: [email protected].

 

 Access to the Assembly Chamber

Only duly accredited photographers may have access to the Assembly Chamber.

TV teams are authorised to film only from the public galleries. Access to the public galleries is on the second floor, opposite the press room (lift No. 1), or from the entrance hall (visitors' lift).

All debates and speeches are recorded by the Council of Europe; copies in professional formats may be downloaded from the video-on-demand database.

For more information, contact contact [email protected] or [email protected] (tel: +33 3 88 41 35 00).

For major events, images are supplied through distribution networks run by APTN, ENEX, Eurovision and Reuters.

 

Application for financial support towards travel and accommodation costs

The Directorate of Communications has a limited budget to provide financial support to journalists who wish to cover the sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly, Committee of Ministers, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities or other major events, but lack sufficient resources to do so.

Priority will be given to journalists from countries which are not members of the European Union. Applications will be processed taking into account the main themes of the event concerned. Financial contributions will only cover travel and/or accommodation costs. Any journalists interested are asked to complete the relevant form (link above). Applications should be made no later than 10 days before the beginning of the event.

Journalists who receive financial support are kindly asked to provide the Spokespersons’ Service ([email protected]) with the articles and reports they produce concerning the respective events.