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New guidelines to protect voters' personal data
The Council of Europe has issued guidelines aimed at protecting individuals' personal data when registering as voters and when their identity needs to be authenticated to participate in elections. The guidelines, prepared by the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of...
Council of Europe contributed to the high-level ‘United for Justice’ Conference in Ukraine: Focus on Accountability for the Attacks against Civilian Objects
The Council of Europe supported the international high-level expert Conference ‘United for Justice: Accountability for Attacks Against Civilian Objects’, held in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 11 September 2024. The Conference provided a platform for expert exchange on critical topics such as the scale of...
3rd meeting of the Bureau of the Bern Convention - Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
The Bureau of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats held its third ordinary meeting of the year from 10 to 12 September 2024 in Strasbourg.
Council of Europe calls for strengthening international cooperation against migrant smuggling
The 2nd International Conference on Migrant Smuggling, organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, has called on its 46 member states to explore all pathways to strengthen international cooperation. In her opening speech, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić...
Kazakhstan: Anti-corruption body publishes first report on progress implementing recommendations
The Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published the first report on Kazakhstan assessing progress made in implementing the recommendations issued to the country in the Joint First and Second Round Evaluation Report (2022). See also unofficial translations in Kazakh...
Council of Europe opens first ever global treaty on AI for signature
The Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy, and the rule of law (CETS No. 225) was opened for signature during a conference of Council of Europe Ministers of Justice in Vilnius. It is the first-ever international legally binding treaty aimed...
Justice Ministers discuss accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine and open AI Convention for signature at meeting in Vilnius
The Ministers of Justice will meet in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 5 September at a conference entitled “Towards accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine” and held under the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. Prior to the meeting, the Council of Europe’s Convention...
Italy must improve system for promoting integrity and preventing corruption in government and law enforcement agencies
In a new report, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), calls for determined measures to prevent corruption in Italy in respect of persons with top executive functions (PTEFs), including the President of the Council of Ministers, ministers, undersecretaries of state,...
European Committee of Social Rights: Insufficient protection of workers in cases of unfair dismissal in Spain breaches Social Charter
In a new decision on the merits of the collective complaint Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) v. Spain, Complaint No. 207/2022, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) concludes that Spanish legislation does not afford sufficient protection to workers in cases of termination of...
GRECO calls on Monaco to supplement and extend its mechanism for fighting corruption in the executive and the police
In a new report which evaluates the effectiveness of Monaco’s framework for preventing corruption among persons with top executive functions and members of law enforcement agencies, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls on Monaco to take resolute steps to...
MONEYVAL acknowledges Jersey’s progress in combatting money laundering and financing of terrorism
In a new report the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL commends the UK Crown Dependency of Jersey for taking steps to strengthen its legal and regulatory framework to combat money laundering (ML), financing of terrorism (FT) and financing of proliferation (FP). It also calls...
Anti-torture Committee highlights dire situation in Lithuanian prisons
In a report published today, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has reiterated concerns over inter-prisoner violence in Lithuania, following an ad hoc visit to the country in February 2024. The objective of the visit was to examine the implementation of the...
On-the-spot appraisal (OSA) in Anamur Mersin, Türkiye - Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
On 2 – 4 July 2024 an on-the-spot-appraisal (OSA) was convened in Anamur Mersin, Türkiye. Related to the case-file 2019/5: Habitat destruction in Mersin Anamur Beach, the appraisal included...
Council of Europe evaluates access to official documents held by public authorities in 11 states
The Council of Europe’s Access Info Group (AIG), an independent group of experts created to monitor the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents by its parties, published today its first baseline evaluation reports on 11 states: Bosnia and Herzegovina,...
Anti-torture Committee again calls on Greece to reform its immigration detention system and stop pushbacks
In a report on its ad hoc visit to Greece, which took place from 21 November to 1 December 2023, published together with the response of the Greek authorities, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) once again urges...
Facing challenges to human rights posed by climate change
A panel discussion during the UN 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development has assessed how best to build a resilient, multi-stakeholder coalition to face climate challenges and how they relate to human rights. Organised by the Council of Europe and Lithuania, the event –...
Summer school in Liverpool examines Council of Europe law
The second Liverpool Summer School is underway at the University of Liverpool. The twelve day event, titled “Council of Europe at 75: Protecting Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law in a Rapidly Changing World” has been organised by the university’s School of Law and Social Justice in...
Georgia: anti-corruption body calls for stronger oversight and accountability in top executive functions and the police
In a new report the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has called for determined measures to prevent corruption in Georgia in respect of persons with top executive functions and law enforcement officials. (see French and Georgian version of the report). GRECO...
Sofia conference tackles challenges in prison and probation services
Directors of European prison and probation services from the 46 Council of Europe’s member states are meeting in Sofia on 24 and 25 June to discuss ways to improve the autonomy and resocialisation of prisoners and combat organised crime groups in the prison and probation contexts, among other...
High-Level Conference "Of Unsound Mind"
On 27 March, the Committee of Ministers’ Presidency of Liechtenstein, in collaboration with the Department for the Execution of Judgments, organises a High-Level Conference, “’Of Unsound Mind’: Convention-compliant approaches to the execution of judgments concerning involuntary detention and...
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