Data protection day 27/01/2012 Data Protection Day: "Connectivity must not compromise privacy" Davos, 27 January 2012 - Today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said:   “Hyper-connectivity should go hand-in-hand with the protection of privacy online. The protection of personal data is a fundamental right. Information technology offers huge economic and social potential, which will be fully realised if citizens trust that their personal information online is protected."   Press release

Group of States against Corruption 27/01/2012 Council of Europe recommends increased transparency in political campaign financing in the US The Council of Europe has issued a report that is critical of politically active non-profit groups — technically known by Internal Revenue Service parlance as 501(c) organisations — because of their ability to hide their donors. The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) – which includes the United States as a member – reports that US federal election campaign regulation of the flow of “hard money” deserves “much praise” for its transparency.   The report issued...

European Court of Human Rights 26/01/2012 Human rights are a shared responsibility, says European Court President Nicolas Bratza Strasbourg, 26 January 2012 - European governments must assume their part of the shared responsibility for the protection of human rights across the continent, the European Court of Human Rights’ President told journalists this afternoon. Speaking at the Court’s annual press conference, the Court’s President Sir Nicolas Bratza said: "Human rights, the rule of law and justice seem to be slipping down the political agenda in the current economic climate. It is in times like these that we must remember that human rights are not a luxury and...

Commissioner for Human Rights 26/01/2012 Commissioner Hammarberg presents his last annual report Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg “Europe must move with more determination from rhetoric to enforcement of human rights standards” stated the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, when presenting today the last annual report of his mandate. The report identifies fields in which stronger political action is required. One concern is the justice system which is dysfunctional in several member states. “Corruption, political interference and lack of resources erode the independence and credibility of the judiciary. Strengthening the...

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Parliamentary Assembly 25/01/2012 UK's Cameron makes case for human rights Court reform British Prime Minister David Cameron told parliamentarians today that the 47 countries of the Council of Europe had a "once in a generation" chance to improve the cause of human rights, freedom and dignity.   "For the sake of the 800 million people the Court serves, we need to reform it so that it is true to its original purpose," Mr Cameron told the Parliamentary Assembly.   "Already 47 members are agreed on this, and great work has been done. Now we would like to use our Chairmanship to help progress that work. This is the right moment for reform ...

Parliamentary Assembly 25/01/2012 Finnish President Tarja Halonen urges Council of Europe to step up its fight against intolerance and discrimination Tarja Halonen, President of Finland In her final address as Finnish President to the Parliamentary Assembly, Tarja Halonen announced a meeting next month (9-10 February) in Helsinki of European Presidents – the so-called Arraiolos Group – to combat discrimination. She invited Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland to take part in the meeting. Concerning current reform of the European Court of Human Rights, she stressed that governments must “look in the mirror now and then” because “member states bear the main...

Commissioner for Human Rights 24/01/2012 Nils Muižnieks of Latvia elected Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Parliamentary Assembly Strasbourg, 24 January 2012 - Nils Muižnieks (Latvia) was today elected third Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights by the Organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) at its plenary session in Strasbourg.   Mr Muižnieks was elected for a non-renewable term of six years starting on 1 April 2012. Mr Muižnieks obtained 120 of the votes cast in the first round, an absolute majority. Frans Timmermans (Netherlands) obtained 92 votes and Pierre-Yves Monette (Belgium) 27.   From November 2002 to December 2004, Mr...

Parliamentary Assembly 24/01/2012 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Assembly calls on the authorities and key political stakeholders to stop obstructionism On the eve of the 10th anniversary of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the Council of Europe, which will be celebrated in April 2012, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary in Strasbourg, has once again called on the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the key political stakeholders to “stop obstructionism and work constructively at the level of state institutions”. “It is time to move from ethnocracy to democracy,” said Karin Woldseth (Norway, EDG) – one...

Parliamentary Assembly 24/01/2012 Human Rights leads the UK priorities for chairmanship, UK Europe Minister tells Assembly Reform of the Court of Human rights is one of the overarching themes of promotion and protection of human rights, and a priority for the UK chairmanship of the Council of Europe, UK Europe Minister David Lidington told the organisation’s Parliamentary Assembly today. Speaking as the UK moves into the third month of its six month presidency, he set out a blueprint for action, including strengthening rule of law across Europe, working on values-based Internet governance and freedom of expression, and acting against discrimination to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual...

Secretary General 23/01/2012 Compliance with democratic norms and values under serious threat in many parts of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland Strasbourg, 23 January 2012 - In his State of the Council of Europe speech to the Parliamentary Assembly today, Secretary General pointed to key achievements in 2011 and challenges facing the Organisation in 2012 and beyond. He said that reforms have made the Council of Europe flexible and reactive, able to offer assistance where and when it is needed, and that its convention based and non-politicised approach is the only way to help member states move forward. Speaking about Hungary, Jagland said that he had received a positive reply from Foreign...

Parliamentary Assembly 23/01/2012 Jean-Claude Mignon elected Parliamentary Assembly President Parliamentary Assembly President Jean-Claude Mignon Jean-Claude Mignon (EPP/CD) from France has just been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Taking over from Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (Turkey, EDG), he is the 26th President of the Assembly since 1949 and the first French  person to hold this office in 23 years.   “First and foremost, I want to make sure in my new position that the rule of law, respect for human rights and the promotion of democracy are not just empty words, and that we are moving forward in these areas,...

Parliamentary Assembly 23/01/2012 Visit to Russia following the 4 December 2011 Duma elections A post-election delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), ending a two-day visit to Moscow (20-21 January), has welcomed widespread indications – from across the political spectrum – of the need for political change in Russia, and called for this change to be substantial and sustainable. It should not be a survival mechanism, the delegation said.   The six-member delegation said that Russian voters, whatever their political views, were making increasingly clear their preference for elections that are conducted fairly, and called on the...

Parliamentary Assembly 20/01/2012 Assembly President pays tribute to Giuseppe Vedovato Giuseppe Vedovato President of the Assembly paid tribute to Giuseppe Vedovato, the former President of the Assembly, who had died yesterday at the age of 99 : “I was deeply saddened to hear that Giuseppe Vedovato had passed away. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. He was a fervent European and one of the greatest allies the Council of Europe has ever had in upholding its values. He was a member of our Assembly for 22 years and finally its President from 1972 to 1975, “the first Mediterranean President”, as he liked to call himself. (more..)

Secretary General - European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy 17/01/2012 Secretary General Jagland and Commissioner Füle sign the Programme for strengthening democratic reform in the Southern Mediterranean Commissioner Füle and Secretary General Jagland Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle today signed a € 4.8 million joint programme to strengthen democratic reform in the Southern Mediterranean countries.   The joint programme will support democratic reforms and, the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, whilst promoting good...

Parliamentary Assembly 16/01/2012 Kazakhstan’s elections did not meet democratic principles say international observers Notwithstanding the government’s stated ambition to strengthen Kazakhstan’s democratic processes and conduct elections in line with international standards, yesterday’s early parliamentary vote still did not meet fundamental principles of democratic elections, international observers concluded in a statement issued today.   The elections were well administered at the technical level and the observers noted legal changes aimed at ensuring representation of at least a second party in parliament, but the authorities did not provide the...

Council of Europe 12/01/2012 Hungary: Legislative changes threaten democracy and human rights Council of Europe Strasbourg, 12/01/2012 - "Major legislative changes have been adopted in Hungary after minimal public consultation and without sufficient consideration of crucial human rights principles. Recent decisions affecting the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and freedom of religion raise serious concerns", said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, publishing today a letter addressed to the Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs, János Martonyi, about the new Law on the Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion,...

Commissioner for Human Rights 10/01/2012 "Turkish judicial system should better protect human rights," says Thomas Hammarberg Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg “Long-standing, systemic shortcomings in the administration of justice in Turkey adversely affect the enjoyment of human rights” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, releasing today a report on the impact of the administration of justice on the protection of human rights in Turkey.   Despite serious reforms undertaken and the progress achieved by Turkey in tackling some of the major obstacles in recent years, its law and practice is still not in...

Parliamentary Assembly 03/01/2012 British Prime Minister David Cameron and Finnish President Tarja Halonen to address the Assembly Parliamentary Assembly   Speeches by British Prime Minister David Cameron and Finnish President Tarja Halonen will be among the highlights of the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to be held in Strasbourg from 23 to 27 January 2012.     Statements will also be made during the session by British Minister for Europe David Lidington, representing the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers; Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze; United Nations Under-Secretary-General Michelle Bachelet and...

Secretary General 23/12/2011 Jagland: Council of Europe ready to support Russia's democratic reforms Secretary General T. Jagland The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, welcomes the democratic reforms announced by President Medvedev and offers assistance with their implementation. "The measures announced by President Medvedev are important steps towards strengthening Russian democracy. The proposals to simplify rules to register political parties and reintroduce direct elections of regional leaders correspond to the commitments Russia made when joining the Council of Europe," he said. "It is the sovereign right of Member States...