News 2017
CPT publishes highly critical report on prisons in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”
In a report published today on its December 2016 visit, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) strongly criticises the conditions of detention and treatment of inmates at Idrizovo Prison, which holds some 60 % of the...
Germany ratifies Council of Europe convention to end violence against women
Monitoring procedure to be strengthened as a result
Call for Fourth Summit and harmonised rules for member states’ participation in the Organisation’s statutory bodies
PACE today unanimously called for a Fourth Council of Europe Summit to preserve and further strengthen the pan-European project in a Europe which has profoundly changed since the last Summit 12 years ago. Such a Summit of Heads of State and Government should define, at the highest political...
Petro Poroshenko: Ukraine is fighting on two fronts – one military, the other for reform
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said his country is fighting a war on two fronts at the same time – one to counter military aggression and restore its territorial integrity, and the other to implement difficult and complex reforms. Addressing PACE today in Strasbourg, he hailed his...
Azerbaijan: strengthening parliamentary control over the executive; ensuring independence of the judiciary
During a debate today at its plenary session in Strasbourg on “The functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) raised a number of concerns, particularly with regard to checks and balances, the functioning of the justice system,...
Parliamentary Assembly overhauls its Code of Conduct in response to corruption allegations
Responding to allegations of corruption in its ranks, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has unanimously adopted a heavily revised Code of Conduct for its members, with the aim of “restoring public confidence” in its work. Approving a report by Ian Liddell-Grainger (United...
Miloš Zeman: "the endeavour of the Council of Europe towards friendship and not hatred among European nations will be successful"
“I believe that the Council of Europe’s endeavour towards friendship and not hostility and hatred among European nations – including Russia – will be successful in the long term,” said Miloš Zeman, President of the Czech Republic, addressing the Assembly today. “I believe that the role of the...
Secretary General Jagland says Catalonia crisis must be solved within the context of the Spanish constitution
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, in reply to questions from PACE members, has emphasised the importance of resolving the conflict in Catalonia on the basis of the existing Spanish constitution, or an amended version of it. He rejected the idea of international mediation, and...
Stella Kyriakides elected PACE President
Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD) has been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe following the resignation of Pedro Agramunt (Spain, EPP/CD) on 6 October 2017. She obtained a large majority over the other candidate, Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), in...
Ángel Gurría on the global economic outlook: "better but not good enough"
“There are some welcome signs that our economies may finally be escaping the low growth trap. The OECD projects global growth to increase to around 3.5 per cent in 2017 and 3.7 per cent in 2018, up from 3 per cent in 2016. But we are not out of the woods yet,” said OECD Secretary General Ángel...
Palais in pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month
For the first time ever, the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg was illuminated in pink last night – in a special initiative to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The building, which houses the headquarters of the Council of Europe, will stay illuminated throughout the week of the PACE plenary...
The Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine celebrates its 20th anniversary
How can human rights be safeguarded in the face of scientific and technological developments in the biomedical field? The Committee on Bioethics of the Council of Europe will discuss the challenges ahead at an international conference being held on 24 and 25 October in Strasbourg to mark the 20th...
The Committee of Ministers shares the Assembly’s ambition to raise the Council’s profile and step up its activities
“The Committee of Ministers shares the Assembly’s ambition to raise the Council of Europe’s profile and step up its activities to help member States meet the challenges they currently face,” said Lubomír Zaorálek, Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic and Chairperson of the Committee of...
Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2017 awarded to Murat Arslan
The fifth Václav Havel Human Rights Prize – which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights – has been awarded to Turkish supporter of the independence of the judiciary Murat Arslan. The €60 000 prize was presented at a special ceremony today at the Palais de l’Europe in...
Human Rights Commissioner calls on Spain to investigate allegations of disproportionate use of police force in Catalonia
Today, the Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks published a letter sent on 4 October to Mr Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez, Minister of the Interior of Spain, in which he raises concerns regarding allegations of disproportionate use of force by law enforcement authorities in Catalonia on 1...
Europe against the death penalty
The 47-nation Council of Europe and the 28-member European Union have published a joint statement to mark the European and World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October. The statement underlines the two organisations’ firm opposition to capital punishment in any circumstances. It also calls...
Turkey: Emergency Decree Laws are obstructing local democracy
In an opinion adopted today, the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the “Venice Commission”) assessed the extent to which Turkey’s Emergency Decree Laws – passed in the wake of the failed 2016 coup attempt – include measures that go beyond what is permitted by international standards...
Venice Commission invites the President of Ukraine to submit a revised draft law on anti-corruption courts to Parliament, based on its recommendations
In its opinion on the draft law on anti-corruption courts in Ukraine adopted today, the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the “Venice Commission”) said that many of the provisions of the draft law provide a good basis for the establishment of a high specialised anti-corruption court,...
Pedro Agramunt resigns as PACE President
In a letter, Pedro Agramunt today announced his resignation as President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). A motion for his dismissal had been scheduled for debate at the opening of the plenary session in Strasbourg on 9 October. This debate will now not take place....
