German Presidency - News
Hungary takes over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers
Hungary has taken over the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Germany during a video-conference meeting with representatives of the Organisation’s 47 member States. Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, gave an overview of his country’s...
Foreign ministers discuss democracy and human rights situation in Europe
Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states will hold their annual session by videoconference on Friday 21 May 2021. Chaired from Hamburg by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, the meeting will provide an opportunity for ministers to take important decisions for the...
CAHDI Expert Workshop on “Non-Legally Binding Agreements in International Law“
Organised jointly by the German Federal Foreign Office, the University of Potsdam and the CAHDI (Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law) Secretariat, this high-level online conference took place on 26 March 2021. It was the second event on non-legally binding instruments taking...
Europe Day 5 May 2021: 72nd Anniversary of Council of Europe
Joint statement by Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić and Committee of Ministers Chair Heiko Maas
Journalism and Covid-19: Press freedom is essential in times of crisis
Joint statement by Council of Europe Secretary General and German Federal Justice Minister
Online-Exhibition: 70 years of Germany in the Council of Europe
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Germany's accession as a full member to the CoE on May 2, 2021, the Permanent Representation of Germany to the CoE presents an online-exhibition on "70 years of Germany in the Council of Europe". This exhibition consists of a selection of significant...
Germany makes a voluntary contribution
The Government of Germany has made a voluntary contribution of €100,000 to support the Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence and the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance. The agreements were signed on 20 April 2021 by Ambassador Rolf Mafael, Permanent Representative of Germany to the Council...
Berlin Buddy Bear inaugurated in the German garden of the European Youth Centre
To mark the 70th anniversary of Germany’s membership of the Council of Europe and in view of youth being a priority of its current Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Germany has gifted a colourful “Berlin Buddy Bear” to the Council of Europe. The painted sculpture is a work of art by...
‘A rules-based and reliable international order is the basis for peaceful relations between states’ says German Chancellor Angela Merkel
“Europe is the continent with the highest human rights standards. However, a look at Europe’s external borders and in the East of Europe shows us that, even today, peace and security, stability and welfare cannot be taken for granted,” said Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany, in a...
Towards full recognition of LGBTI rights across Europe
During the six-month German Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe 2020/2021, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) has placed a special focus on the rights of LGBTI persons. Together with the Observatory for Sociopolitical...
Angela Merkel to address PACE spring session
On the occasion of the German Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth will participate in the spring session of PACE (19-22 April 2021) which will take place in a hybrid format. The President of the European...
Council of Europe leaders react to Turkey’s announced withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention
The German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas, Chair of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, and the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Rik Daems, joined their voices to the Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović...
Istanbul Convention at 10 years: leading the way to a life free from violence
In a joint statement to mark UN International Women’s Day, German Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Franziska Giffey and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić highlight the 10th anniversary of the Council of Europe’s Convention on...
Seventh anniversary of the annexation of Crimea by Russia
Statement by Heiko Maas, President of the Committee of Ministers
Digital Conference on February 18: Unboxing Hate Speech – European Impulses for Respect and Solidarity on the Web
Online hate speech poses a growing threat to our democracies. It violates human rights, corrodes solidarity and the culture of debate. What can European political institutions and civil society do to counter hatred, exclusion and verbal violence while also defending freedom of speech? What part...
Heiko Maas urges PACE not to burn bridges
In a speech to the Assembly today, the Chair of the Committee of Ministers, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, paid tribute to the Council of Europe, referring to it as an “institutional pillar of our united continent” setting “human rights protection standards worldwide with the European...
Convention on Data Protection turns 40: Committee of Ministers’ declaration
The Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (“Convention 108”), which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, can become the international standard of reference on privacy and data protection in the digital age, declared the Committee...
Aleksey Navalny: Council of Europe leaders urge Russia to respect its human rights obligations
The German Federal Government’s Special Representative for the Presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, State Minister Michael Roth, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Rik Daems, and the Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe,...
High-Level Conference on Human Rights in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
A conference on Human Rights in the Era of AI – Europe as International Standard Setter for Artificial Intelligence is being held on Wednesday 20 January. Jointly organised by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, in cooperation with the Council...
Working together for human rights – at all times and in all places
On this Human Rights Day, we are commemorating the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 72 years ago. On 10 December 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted a catalogue of fundamental rights which apply equally to all individuals – regardless of their skin colour, gender,...