Education for Democracy and Human Rights 28/11/2012 Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights: Democracy in Action Agora building, Council of Europe, Strasbourg Strasbourg, 28 November 2012 - Intercultural understanding, citizenship and human rights education are core priorities for democracy in practice: the Council of Europe will analyse the impact of the Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education in an international conference starting tomorrow ( see programme ) organised in the framework of the Andorran Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers , in co-operation with the European Commission and the European Wergeland Centre....

Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) 28/11/2012 Council of Europe anti-corruption group critical of party funding transparency in Germany . Strasbourg, 28 November 2012 - The report from GRECO – published today – recognizes “overall high standards set by Germany in its fight against corruption,” but concludes that current compliance with recommendations is “globally unsatisfactory”.   Out of 20 recommendations, only four have been fully implemented, six partially and 10 not at all.   For example, GRECO regrets that Germany has not taken action to lower a 50,000€ threshold for the immediate reporting and disclosure of...

Congress 26/11/2012 Promoting effective participation of young Roma people Strasbourg, 26 November 2012 - What sort of policies and action should be taken at local and regional levels to provide an environment in Europe where young Roma people can participate fully, have full access to their social human rights, can live their lives free from discrimination, and where they can feel confident about the future? This is the question that was addressed during a one-day consultation meeting between young Roma people and local elected representatives held on Sunday 25 November 2012 in the European Youth Centre Strasbourg. More information   Read also: European Alliance of...

Secretary General 23/11/2012 International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women: Thorbjørn Jagland calls on Governments to ratify treaty Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg, 23 November 2012 -On the occassion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Secretary General published the following statement:   "Every day in Europe women are victims of violence just because they are women. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November reminds us all that we need to fight this violation of human rights.   The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against...

MONEYVAL 23/11/2012 Report on measures to combat money laundering and terrorism financing in Latvia . Strasbourg, 22.11.2012 – The Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL Committee published today a report evaluating measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in Latvia.   MONEYVAL concludes that Latvia has a comprehensive legal structure to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and has taken significant legislative steps to remedy many of the deficiencies identified in the previous evaluation, particularly on prevention. A new Law on the Prevention of Laundering the Proceeds from Criminal Activity and of Terrorist Financing brought the money...

Chairman of the Committee of Ministers 22/11/2012 Chairman of Committee of Ministers at OSCE on Andorran chairmanship priorities Mr Gilbert Saboya Sunyé Vienna, 22 November 2012 - Mr Gilbert Saboya Sunyé, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, presented today the priorities of the Andorran chairmanship before the Permanent Council of the OSCE, at the invitation of the Irish Chairmanship of the OSCE.   On that occasion, he underlined the importance he attaches to co-operation between the two organisations in order to reinforce their complementarity and to promote synergies between their respective activities.   Speech...

Commissioner for Human Rights 22/11/2012 "Stop chasing Roma" Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks Strasbourg, 22/11/2012 - In recent years, the situation of Roma has been largely debated in Europe. However, this attention for the situation of the most discriminated minority in Europe has not been matched by much concrete action by governments. European countries continue too often to resort to old methods of dealing with this pressing human rights issue, as the increasing evictions of thousands of Roma throughout Europe show, Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today.   IIn France...

Council of Europe 22/11/2012 25 years of Council of Europe Cultural Routes The Cultural Routes annual Forum will be held in Colmar (France) on 22-23 November at the invitation of the French Ministries for Culture and Tourism. The 25th anniversary will be the occasion to take stock of activities and discuss new projects. To date, the Programme includes 24 Cultural Routes.   Launched in 1987, the Cultural Routes programme reflects the Council of Europe ideals by fostering a better understanding of Europe’s cultural diversity and European history. The Cultural Routes are a channel for intercultural and interreligious dialogue. They are also a means for improving quality...

Committee of Ministers 21/11/2012 Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the Resolution on a moratorium on the death penalty at the United Nations Committee of Ministers Strasbourg, 21 November 2012 - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe welcomes the adoption by an unprecedented number of States within the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly of a draft Resolution calling for a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty.   Committee of Ministers website         Read also: General Assembly Will Call for Moratorium on Executions, with View to Abolishing Death Penalty, under Terms of Resolution Approved by...

Council of Europe and European Union 20/11/2012 Council of Europe and EU discuss cooperation in the Southern Mediterranean Senior officials from the 47-nation Council of Europe and the 27-member European Union met in Strasbourg today to discuss current issues of importance to both organisations, including cooperation in the Southern Mediterranean. Participants stressed that democratic reforms in the Southern Mediterranean are in Europe’s interests, as well as those of the region itself. They pledged to continue working together to help support the reform process, notably in the areas of constitutional and judicial reform, as well as holding free and fair elections and...

Parliamentary Assembly 19/11/2012 Normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina should go hand in hand with the implementation of European human rights standards Parliamentary Assembly “I listened to the concerns of the Serbian authorities and I reminded them of the need to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law for all people of Kosovo*, also through the activities and the programmes of the Council of Europe” said Björn von Sydow (Sweden, SOC), rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the situation in Kosovo, at the end of his two-day visit to Belgrade on 15-16 November.   He congratulated Prime...

Council of Europe 19/11/2012 Conference in Rome: equal rights for foreign prisoners and prison overcrowding Strasbourg, 23 November, 2012 - How are foreign prisoners to be guaranteed the same rights as other prisoners? What standards should be applied to avert any form of discrimination? In which way can prison overcrowding be reduced? These questions were considered at an international conference on 22-24 November in Rome, which brought together the directors of prison administrations and probation services of the 47 Council of Europe member States.   Management of imprisoned foreigners poses a problem whose severity varies between countries. The Council of...

Secretary General 19/11/2012 Secretary General participates in "Science for Peace" event in Milan Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland "The European model of tolerance, respect and plurality must be solidified", said Thorbjørn Jagland, addressing the prestigious audience of "Science for Peace" initiative at the University "Luigi Bocconi", on Saturday, 17th November.   The Secretary General delivered a speech in the framework of "Peaceful co-existence in Diversity and Freedom" session, together with Emma Bonino, vice President of the Italian Senate and member of the Council of Europe Group of Eminent Persons . Emma Bonino...

Council of Europe 16/11/2012 Council of Europe body calls on Spain to implement Roma integration policies Strasbourg, 16.11.2012 - The Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has called on Spain to take more resolute measures to implement Roma integration policies and to ensure that they are not disproportionately affected by budgetary restrictions due to the economic crisis.   In its Third opinion on Spain , published today together with the governments´ comments , the Committee urges Spain to ensure that the implementation of admission rules to schools does not result in discriminatory practices...

Parliamentary Assembly 15/11/2012 Parliamentary Assembly concerned about the fresh outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon Strasbourg, 15.11.2012 – Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chair of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and newly elected rapporteur on the situation in the Middle East, today expressed their grave concern following the fresh outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip.   “The international community cannot stand by and watch as what may become a new full-scale tragedy unfolds. It is not the Parliamentary...

Parliamentary Assembly 15/11/2012 20 November: Universal Children's Day Strasbourg, 14.11.2012 – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will convene its network of contact parliamentarians to stop sexual violence against children on 20 November in Moscow on the occasion of Universal Children's Day. The discussion directed at the topic of “sexual abuse inflicted on children within the circle of trust” will enable the parliamentarians to strengthen prevention and protection policies as well as sanctions at national level.   To date, 22 countries have ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual...

Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) 14/11/2012 Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Ukraine Shutterstock Strasbourg, 14.11.2012 - The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ( CPT ) published today the report on its most recent visit to Ukraine, in November/December 2011, together with the response of the Ukrainian authorities . The main objective of the visit was to examine the treatment of persons detained by the police. Numerous persons interviewed by the CPT’s delegation, including women and juveniles, alleged that they had been subjected...

Council of Europe 13/11/2012 Paris pharmaceutical conference addresses doping in sport Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni Paris, 13.11.2012 – Representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, public authorities and anti-doping community gathered at a ground-breaking conference in Paris to explore ways to enhance the fight against doping in sport and restrict the misuse of licensed and unlicensed medicines.    ‘The International Conference on the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Fight against Doping: New Partnerships for Clean Sport’ at the French Parliament House was the first event of its kind and laid the foundations for increased co-operation between public...

Commissioner for Human Rights 13/11/2012 Enhancing freedom of expression in Azerbaijan Nils  Muižnieks , Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights,  Dunja Mijatovic , OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and  Neelie   Kroes , Vice-President of the European Commission said in a joint declaration published following a meeting with members of the Azerbaijani media on the safety of journalists that they stand ready to support any progress in Azerbaijan in securing freedom of expression for individuals and for the media in general, both offline and online.   The three officials pointed at key steps necessary for the Azerbaijani authorities to give...

Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers 09/11/2012 Education will be top priority of Andorra´s Council of Europe chairmanship Tirana, 09.11.2012 – Education in human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the Council of Europe essential values, is the top priority of the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Principality of Andorra, which starts today. The Andorran minister for Foreign Affairs, Gilbert Saboya Sunyé, is presenting his country´s priorities to the Council of Europe member states at a Committee of Ministers meeting in Tirana, just after the ceremony in which Albania is transferring the six month chairmanship to Andorra. The Andorran...