Newsroom
7 – 8 November 2018
Shrinking space for civil society: its impact on young people and their organisations
Shrinking space for civil society is an issue for all civil society sectors in the countries concerned, and it is, or should be, an issue for all democratic states in general. It is a multifaceted problem which needs a specific solution that should be based on a constructive political dialogue...
Dates of the Sessions of the Conference of INGOs in 2019
The Conference of INGOs decided at its meeting in June 2018 to hold its sessions in April and October 2019 and not in January and in June. This change is motivated by a will to enhance co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The Spring session will be held in parallel...
Conference of INGOs updates its regulatory frameworks - thoughts welcome!
As is the case with many organisations, the rules of procedure that govern their functioning need reviewing from time to time. This is also the case with the Conference of INGOs. The Standing Committee has mandated a drafting group to do the ground work for this review. The terms of reference for...
Conference of INGOs concerned about the impact on NGOs
Romania: Law for the prevention and control of money laundering and financing of terrorism
Considering the recent adoption by the Romanian Parliament of the law transposing the 20 May 2015 EU Directive 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist, the President of the Conference with the President of the Expert Council...
INGO Conference calls upon its members to contribute
Handbook on standards and good practices on family reunification prepared by the Special Representative on Migration and Refugees
The Council of Europe has adopted an Action Plan on Protecting Refugee and Migrant Children in Europe (2017-2019). The Conference of INGOs calls upon its members to submit good practices to contribute to the handbook on standards and good practices to restore family links and reunify families...
Civil participation in the decision-making process
Report published following the visit of the Conference of INGOs to Skopje
The report on the Conference of INGOs’ fact-finding visit to Skopje that took place from 26 to 27 March 2018, has been published and sent to the Government of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" for comments. It will be presented and discussed together with the representatives of the...
First meeting of the 'Expert Council on NGO Law' in its new composition (2018-2021)
The first meeting of the Expert Council on NGO Law in its newly constituted membership presided by Jeremy Mcbride, was held In Strasbourg on 20-21 September. The vast majority of members were new to the Expert Council (12 out of 16 members, counting its honorary President, Cyril Ritchie) and -...
Everyone has the right to housing
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
To celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17 October 2018), the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe is organising a working session on Article 31 of the European Social Charter which states that everyone has the right to housing. We know that this fundamental...
connect.reflect.act
Conference of INGOs at the Fundamental Rights Forum, Vienna, 25-27 September 2018
The President of the Conference of INGOs is invited to speak at the high-level opening panel with Claude Moraes, representative of European Parliament, Peggy Hicks, representative of UN's Human Rights Office (OHCHR), Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE / ODHiR. On the second day of...
A Council of Europe event to mark the International Day of Democracy
Debate: DEMOCRACY & “THE PEOPLE”
On 19 September 2018, to mark the International Day of Democracy, the Directorate General of Democracy and the Conference of INGOs are organising a debate entitled: Democracy & “The People”, aiming to re-assert the value of our democratic institutions based on individual human rights, civic...
European Social Charter
The Coordination Committee for the Turin Process of the Conference of INGOs
During the summer session, the Coordination committee for the Turin Process and the European Social Charter of the Conference of INGOs organised a training regarding the collective complaint procedure under European Social Charter. This legal Council of Europe instrument is particularly important...
EXPERT COUNCIL ON NGO LAW
New publication: Compendium of Council of Europe practice on freedom of association and NGOs
The Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs has just published a Compendium of Council of Europe practice relating to the right to freedom of association and the position of non-governmental organisations. This compendium examines the practice of Council of Europe bodies whose...
Resolution 2226 (2018) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
Conference of INGOs welcomes PACE Resolution condemning restrictions on NGO activities
During the plenary of its summer session, the Conference of INGOs, welcomed Resolution 2226 (2018) condemning new restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States that was adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 27 June 2018. The resolution calls...
The Highlights
Summer session of the Conference of INGOs
During its summer session, the Conference of INGOs bodies have chosen to address new, relevant and diverse subjects which will be discussed with different stakeholders engaged for human rights, the rule of law and democracy. At the Human Rights Committee meeting (Tuesday from 9.30 to 13.00),...
Guidelines for civil participation in political decision-making
Civil Participation Logo design - call for creative ideas
The Council of Europe’s Democratic Governance Department has been working for some time to put into practice the recent Committee of Ministers Guidelines for civil participation in political decision-making As befits an effort aimed at raising the standing of civil society and at promoting wide...
President of the Conference of INGOs calls on Hungary to refrain from further action on the 'STOP Soros bill'
As the President of the Conference of INGOs, I am extremely concerned by the criminalization of essential human rights work by NGOs in the context of migration that this bill proposes. The modification of the Criminal Code by this Bill targets organizations and professionals who are merely...
Call for initiatives
World Forum for Democracy 2018
This year's World Forum for Democracy will take place in Strasbourg from 19 to 21 November. The labs, which are the heart of the World Forum for Democracy, will focus on on issues to resolve specific problems with regards to inequalities between women and men thanks to the critical analysis of...
Expert Council on NGO Law
Opinion on the draft amendments to the Serbian Law on Access to information of Public Utility
The Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs issued an Opinion on the draft amendments to the Serbian Law on Access to information of Public Utility, which it sent to the authorities in response to the call for public consultation organized by the Ministry of Public Administration and...
Contribution of the President of the Conference of INGOs
Continued Reform of the European Human Rights Convention System - Better Balance, Improved Protection
The Conference of INGOs, and through it, the 298 INGOs that enjoy participatory status with the Council of Europe, value the right of individual applications, the indivisibility, the interdependence and universality of fundamental rights. As it was suggested by NGOs, the reading and...
Civil participation in the decision-making process
Visit of the conference of INGOs to Skopje - 26-27 March 2018
A year ago, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" entered a new political dynamic marked by openness and democratic dialogue between public authorities and independent civil society. The importance of this change is necessary not only for this country but also for democratic security...
