Summary of Iceland’s Presidency of Committee of Ministers

Presidency of Committee of Ministers 14 June 2023 Strasbourg

The Council of Europe has published a summary of Iceland’s six-month Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, which came to an end on 17 May 2023 in Reykjavík at the 4th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. Iceland took over the Presidency on 9 November 2022,...

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Latvia takes over the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers

Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers 17 May 2023 Reykjavik

Latvia has taken over the rotating Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers from Iceland at the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government from the organisation’s 46 member states. The outgoing Chair of the Committee of Ministers - Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs,...

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Council of Europe Summit creates register of damage for Ukraine as first step towards an international compensation mechanism for victims of Russian aggression

Council of Europe Summit 17 May 2023 Reykjavik

On the second day of the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign...

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European leaders unite around Ukraine and European values

SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT 16 May 2023 Reykjavik

Iceland has welcomed heads of state and government to the fourth Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik. The Summit is an historic opportunity to reaffirm the common commitment to the Council of Europe’s core values and to refocus its mission in the light of new threats to human rights and...

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Declaration on imprisoned Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza

Council of Europe 15 May 2023 Reykjavik

Joint Declaration from the Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of...

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Council of Europe and EU leaders warn against backsliding on LGBTI rights in run-up to International Day Against Homophobia

Council of Europe 11 May 2023 Strasbourg

Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland; Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe; and Helena Dalli, EU Commissioner for Equality, have made a joint statement ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Intersexphobia,...

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Promoting greater gender equality in sport: Council of Europe and European Union launch “All In Plus” project

Council of Europe 10 May 2023 Strasbourg

The Council of Europe and the European Union are today launching the “All In Plus” project during a day-long event in the framework of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. The hybrid event brings together representatives of public institutions and the sport movement, as well...

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Icelandic Presidency: Secretary General meets Minister of Culture and Business Affairs

Secretary General 5 May 2023 Strasbourg

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has exchanged views with the Icelandic Minister of Culture and Business Affairs Lilja Alfredsdóttir. The meeting started with the preparations for the Fourth Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik (16-17 May), a historic opportunity for...

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World Press Freedom Day: Statement by Committee of Ministers' Chair

Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 3 May 2023 Strasbourg

Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, has made the following statement on World Press Freedom Day: “As the world faces one of the greatest challenges ever to the global peace architecture with...

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Advancing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in Europe

Council of Europe 3 May 2023 Strasbourg

Senior judges, experts and representatives of the international community took part in a high-level conference in Strasbourg to discuss what the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment means in practice and what legal form that right may ultimately take in Europe. Opening the...

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Why gender stereotypes matter: Council of Europe conference highlights role of men and boys to stop violence against women

Council of Europe 27 April 2023 Strasbourg

Opening a conference co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić stressed the need for men and boys to stop violence against women by breaking barriers to gender equality. She spoke against...

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President of Iceland addresses the Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe 27 April 2023 Strasbourg

The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, commended the Parliamentary Assembly for its swift response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We must continue to condemn this violation of international law and norms. Therefore, let us all hope that the Reykjavík summit next month will deliver...

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Icelandic Presidency: Secretary General meets President Jóhannesson

Secretary General 27 April 2023 Strasbourg

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has exchanged views with the President of Iceland, Gudni Th. Jóhannesson. The Fourth Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik (16-17 May) has been at the centre of the meeting. “The Summit presents a historic opportunity...

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Icelandic Foreign Minister: Ukraine, core values high on agenda at Rejkavik Summit

Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 25 April 2023 Strasbourg

“Support and solidarity with Ukraine is one of the main priorities of our Presidency and we have worked hard to ensure that the outcome of the Reykjavík Summit in May further strengthens our collective resolve,” said Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland...

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Secretary General meets Committee of Ministers President

Secretary General 25 April 2023 Strasbourg

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the President of the Committee of Ministers, Iceland’s Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg. The meeting focused on the ongoing preparations for the Fourth Summit of the...

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Council of Europe leaders express ‘deep concern’ for the health of Alexei Navalnyy

Council of Europe 14 april 2023 Strasbourg

Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Tiny Kox, and Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, have issued the following statement: “We express...

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Rule of law: Secretary General calls for increased political will to implement ECHR judgments

Committee of Ministers 6 April 2023 Strasbourg

The Secretary General of the 46-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has urged member states to show increased political will to implement judgments from the European Court of Human Rights, and to improve their capacity for doing so. “Complying with court rulings is essential to the...

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Committee of Ministers hears testimony from former death row prisoner during discussion on death penalty abolition 

Committee of Ministers 6 April 2023 Strasbourg

At the initiative of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers and the Permanent Representation of France, the Committee of Ministers held a thematic discussion on the abolition of the death penalty on 5 April, with the participation of speakers who gave testimonies based on their...

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Statement by Committee of Ministers President on the anniversary of the liberation of towns Bucha and Irpin

Presidency of the Committee of Ministers 31 March 2023 Strasbourg

Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, has made the following statement on the anniversary of the liberation of towns Bucha and Irpin: “In my last visit to Ukraine, I had the honour to pay...

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Reykjavik conference: Investing in children – the key to prosperity

Council of Europe 30 March 2023 Strasbourg

On 30 March the Ministry of Education and Children of Iceland and the Council of Europe hosted a high-level conference “Investing in Children – the Key to Prosperity” in Reykjavik, Iceland. Organised under the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the...

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