Council of Europe Office in Ukraine

Please note: the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine currently operates in teleworking mode. To contact us, please email kyivcoe.int. For a specific project, please visit the Projects and Programmes web-page to find out respective email addresses and/or contact forms (office landlines may not function as usual).

About the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine
The Council of Europe Office in Ukraine officially started its activities on 6 October 2006.
Its status is based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ukraine and the Council of Europe on the establishment in Ukraine Council of Europe Office and its legal status.
The Council of Europe Office in Ukraine (after this referred to as the Office) facilitates the implementation of the Council of Europe's mission in the country on human rights protection, democracy support and the rule of law, and coordinates and implements cooperation projects and programs.
One of the key tasks of the Office is to strengthen the role of the Council of Europe in supporting Ukraine’s efforts to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine.
The Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2021 is a strategic programming instrument which aims, through co-operation, to accompany the country in its efforts to bring legislation, institutions and practice further into line with European standards in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy and, through this, to support the country in meeting its obligations as a Council of Europe member State.
In meeting its objectives, this Action Plan will also contribute to the goals of the Ukraine-European Union’s Association Agreement. The overall budget of the present Action Plan is €29.5 million.
The Office is currently coordinating the implementation in Ukraine of 17 different thematic projects of the Council of Europe, including 4 projects implemented with the financial support of the European Union.
Actions are developed and implemented in areas of the Council of Europe expertise and added value.
Projects are assigned and accomplish such essential tasks as:
- increasing transparency and effectiveness of the public administration at central and local levels;
- increasing transparency of the political process and trust in electoral practices;
- improving detention conditions of and preventing ill-treatment of persons detained in police, prisons or other closed establishments;
- strengthening the capacities to investigate ill-treatment, torture and other serious human rights violations by the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI);
- strengthening the Ombudsperson’s capacity to protect human rights;
- enhancing media pluralism and ensuring the safety of journalists;
- strengthening Freedom of Media, Access to Information and Reinforcing Public Broadcasting System in Ukraine;
- enhancing the protection of the human rights of Internally Displaced Persons;
- enhancing the protection of social rights across society;
- promoting gender equality and combating sexism;
- preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence;
- improving local and regional democracy, and promoting the decentralisation reform;
- strengthening the protection of national minorities, including Roma, and minority languages in Ukraine;
- promoting equal opportunities for vulnerable groups, with an emphasis on women, children and young people in these groups;
- strengthening legislative and institutional frameworks to counter money laundering and terrorism financing in Ukraine.
In recent years, more than 14 projects and programs have been implemented that have helped Ukraine to adopt a number of important acts of legislation and implement significant institutional reforms.
Progress in bringing Ukrainian legislation and institutions in line with European standards has been significant since 2014, as evidenced by the reforms of the judiciary, sectorial decentralisation and amalgamation of communities, public broadcasting reform and the establishment of a legal and institutional framework to fight corruption.
The present Action Plan builds on achievements of the previous Action Plan 2015-2017. The outcomes of the latter include the improvement of legislation in key areas. These, among other things, concern:
- the functioning of the judiciary and criminal justice systems, prosecution service;
- approximation of the criminal justice system of the Ukrainian state to European standards;
- improving the training of lawyers for the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights;
- creation of Public Broadcasting System, promotion of media pluralism and protection of free speech;
- protection of the rights of Internally Displaced Persons;
- increasing quality of and access to free legal aid;
- development of education for democratic citizenship and human rights education;
- democratic governance and management of socio-cultural diversity;
- improving the effectiveness of the fight against corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime;
- strengthening the capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to supervise the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgments, and the preparation of the ratification package of laws for the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention);
- developing interagency cooperation to respond to cases of violence against women and children, as well as enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies to combat abuse;
- decentralisation reform and development of local self-government;
- promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment;
- promoting active involvement of civil society in reform.
Thus, the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine plays a leading, coordinating role in implementing measures to implement the Action Plan, programs, and projects aimed at supporting Ukraine in fulfilling its statutory and specific obligations as a member state of the Council of Europe.
Nowadays, the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine is the largest CoE office in the field with more than 50 professionals.
The Office, in close collaboration with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and civil society, promotes the necessary reforms in fundamental areas within the purview of the Council of Europe – human rights, the rule of law, and democracy.
On 20 May 2022, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe reiterated its full support to and solidarity with Ukraine and its unwavering commitment to the independence, sovereignty and respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. The ministers also decided to adopt the Priority adjustments to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2022, including measures to protect displaced persons, support legal professionals, provide advice with regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, document human rights violations, protect children’s rights, combat violence against women and trafficking, protect vulnerable groups including Roma, and prevent discrimination, as well as measures to support Ukrainian media and the judiciary.

Media in support of good governance in Ukraine: the best media materials awarded
Military administrations of settlements and their officials – exercising certain some powers of local authorities under martial law
Invitation to participate in the round table "25 years of implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights: achievements and future challenges (judicial dimension)
Electronic evidence of war crimes and the role of journalists, media and social media
The Council of Europe organised a webinar on conflict-related sexual violence for judges and prosecutors
Steering Committee of the Council of Europe Project "Combating violence against children in Ukraine, Phase III" endorsed the need of further support for protecting rights of children during and in post-war context
Online training for professionals from non-governmental organisations and hotlines “Psychosocial support for war-affected children and adolescents”
International round table “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine: Implementing the Istanbul Convention during armed conflict”
The online course “Application of aerial video shooting for crime scene inspection when investigating war crimes” is developed for SBI
Brochures on ensuring the social rights of the Ukrainians fleeing the war were published
Council of Europe and CEPOL trains Ukrainian SBI investigators and operatives on open-source intelligence
How to strengthen youth participation: a series of workshop for youth councils in Ukraine has started
Ukraine – Urgent Opinion on the draft law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on improving the procedure for the selection of candidates for the position of judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on a Competitive Basis”
Uninvented stories from the war. The Kharkiv media project Nakypilo creates content with the support of the Council of Europe
Webinar on derogation from the obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights in the context of armed conflicts held for judges and prosecutors
An introductory intensive English course was developed and conducted for representatives of ethnic communities of the Krasnosilka settlement in Odesa
A public discussion of the draft Law of Ukraine "On National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine" was held
European Court of Human Rights case law on electoral matters. European electoral standards and post-war challenges for elections in Ukraine
Council of Europe supports elaboration of Lviv Agglomeration development strategy in Ukraine
Introductory training session on peculiarities of the National Preventive Mechanism work for the Ombudsperson Office staff
Over 700 professionals attend online webinar for social workers on support for mental health and psychosocial assistance for children in situations of armed conflict
Tender on purchase of IT equipment and software (re-advertising) - Deadline updated!


Council of Europe Office in Ukraine

Офіс Ради Європи в Україні
вул. Іллінська, 8, під'їзд 7, поверх 6
Київ, 04070 Україна
Council of Europe Office in Ukraine
8, Illinska str., 7 entrance, 6 floor
Kyiv 04070, Ukraine
Голова Офісу, Представник Генерального секретаря Ради Європи з питань координації програм співробітництва Ради Європи
пан Стен Ньорлов
Head of Office, Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the coordination of cooperation programmes of the Council of Europe
Mr Steen Nørlov
Біографічна довідка
Biographical note
Tel.+38 044 425 60 01
+38 044 425 02 62
kyiv
coe.int

