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Fight the upsurge in antisemitism and anti-muslim hatred: a major challenge for European cities and regions

Congress 28 March 2024 Strasbourg

The events in the Middle East have led to an unprecedented upsurge in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents in Europe. During the thematic debate on 26 March, Congress members shared both recent information regarding their local authorities and also best practices for preventing violence and...

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Natural disasters and climate hazards: Congress calls on its members to be better prepared

Congress 28 March 2024 Strasbourg

Council of Europe member states are increasingly confronted with natural disasters and climate hazards, and local and regional authorities are in the first line to respond. To do this in the most effective, yet democratic manner, it will be crucial for local and regional authorities to develop a...

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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya asks the Congress to help people of Belarus establish democracy in their country

congress of local and regional authorities 28 March 2024 strasbourg

The goal of the Belarusian democratic forces was to decentralise governance and foster greater empowerment and autonomy within local communities, stressed Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressing the Congress session on 27 March 2024. Convinced that the...

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Congress President: Local and regional authorities can usefully contribute to the execution of Court judgments

Congress 28 March 2024 Strasbourg

“Local and regional authorities can make a valuable contribution to the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on involuntary detention and treatment for mental health reasons”, stressed Congress President Marc Cools, speaking on 27 March 2024 at the Conference on "Of...

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Local self-government: France must pursue decentralisation and clarify division of powers, says Congress

Congress 27 March 2024 Strasbourg

The Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has called on France to pursue decentralisation, clarify the division of powers between the state and subnational authorities and provide better protection for mayors. Adopting its recommendation based on a report by Bryony Rudkin...

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PACE committee recommends that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly 27 March 2024 Strasbourg

The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recommended that Kosovo* be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe. Approving a draft Opinion during a meeting held today in Paris, based on a report by Dora Bakoyannis...

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Support for Ukraine, need to halt democratic backsliding top US visit agenda

Deputy Secretary General 28 March 2024 United States

Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge has concluded a three-day working visit to the United States (25-27 March), where he found widespread support for Ukraine, concern about democratic backsliding around the world, and a hunger for working together to find solutions. Starting in Washington DC,...

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Two years of war: Council of Europe Congress calls for greater support to Ukraine

Congress 26 March 2024 Strasbourg

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted on 26 March 2024 a Declaration on the second anniversary of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, presented by Martine Dieschburg-Nickels (Luxembourg, L, ILDG) and Gunn-Marit Helgesen (Norway, R, EPP/CCE). The...

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Secretary General meets Minister of Justice of Moldova

secretary general 26 March 2024 strasbourg

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has met the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru. The meeting focused on the close co-operation under the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024, especially in the...

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Secretary General marks Council of Europe 75th anniversary at Congress session

Secretary General 26 March 2024 Strasbourg

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić has marked the importance of the Council of Europe 75th anniversary in her speech at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities session, coinciding with its 30th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of its youth initiative. “I am very pleased with the...

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Young Ukrainian musicians play at the opening of the 46th Congress session

Congress 26 March 2024 Strasbourg

The 46th session of the Congress opened in Strasbourg today to the sound of the European and Ukrainian anthems played young musicians from Ukraine. The 3-day session’s agenda features debates on two years of the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, with the adoption of a declaration, and on...

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Secretary General election: Committee of Ministers submits candidatures to Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe 25 March 2024 strasbourg

The Committee of Ministers has decided to submit to the Parliamentary Assembly, for appointment to the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, with effect from 18 September 2024, the following candidatures: Alain BERSET (Switzerland) (Curriculum vitae) Indrek SAAR (Estonia)...

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Azerbaijan should end the intimidation and harassment of journalists and civil society activists

Commissioner for Human Rights 25 March 2024 Strasbourg

“The increasing repression faced by journalists and civil society members in Azerbaijan is reason for deep concern”, says the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, referring to the arrests, detentions and judicial harassment that are stifling freedom of expression in...

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President of the Committee of Ministers and Secretary General visited Ukraine 

Council of Europe 23 March 2024 Strasbourg

President of the Committee of Ministers Dominique Hasler and Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić have inaugurated the Kyiv office of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, during a working visit to the country. "The Liechtenstein...

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Survey finds “widespread and concerning pattern” of NGO stigmatisation

conference of INGOs 22 March 2024 strasbourg

A survey prepared by the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe indicates serious stigmatisation of NGOs across Europe, based on 55 responses to a questionnaire by NGOs operating in 31 Council of Europe member states[1] plus Russia, as well as from two...

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GRETA triggers positive changes in the fight against human trafficking: celebrates 15 years of its monitoring work

Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) 22 March 2024 strasbourg

The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has taken stock of its 15 years of monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention, on the occasion of its 50th plenary meeting. Its latest publication on “The practical impact of GRETA’s...

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Congress 46th session agenda: Russia’s war against Ukraine, rising antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, support to Belarus democratic forces and Congress 30th anniversary

Congress 20 March 2024 strasbourg

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold its 46th Session from 26 to 28 March 2024 in Strasbourg, France. On this occasion, the Congress will hold a special ceremony on Wednesday 27 March to mark its 30th anniversary. The session’s agenda features debates...

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PACE President: ‘Russian and Belarusian athletes should not compete in the Paris Olympic Games’

Parliamentary Assembly 20 March 2024 Strasbourg

Following yesterday's decision by the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and responding to a call by Ukraine’s Olympic Champions* urging PACE’s continued support for a total ban on...

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European Committee of Social Rights publishes 2023 Findings and Conclusions on Children, Family and Migrants

European Committee of Social Rights 20 March 2024 Strasbourg

The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) has published its Conclusions 2023 in respect of the articles of the European Social Charter relating to Children, Family and Migrants. In the framework of the reporting procedure, the ECSR adopted 799 conclusions: 415 conclusions of conformity with...

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Making justice for and with children in Europe: the goal of a new EU-Council of Europe joint project

Council of Europe 19 March 2024 strasbourg

The new European Union-Council of Europe joint project on Child-friendly Justice has been launched in Strasbourg. Co-funded by the EU and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe's Children's Rights Division in close co-operation with Belgium, Poland and Slovenia as focus...

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