News 2019
Free Press Unlimited and European Centre for Press and Media Freedom join Council of Europe Platform
Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists now includes 14 partners
Moldova needs better criminal asset recovery and confiscation systems
In a report published today, the Council of Europe anti money laundering body MONEYVAL calls on the Moldovan authorities to fully and consistently use its legislative framework to combat money laundering and to increase the effectiveness of confiscation of proceeds, in particular regarding...
Finland: action needed to combat hate speech and scrap transgender persons sterilisation requirement
In a report published today, the Council of Europe Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) calls on Finland to tackle growing racist and intolerant hate speech, better coordinate integration activities for immigrants and review the law requiring transgender persons to be sterilised...
Trafficking and exploitation - Human Rights Commissioner calls for swift action
“Few human rights violations are so universally condemned by Council of Europe member states as the exploitation of the most vulnerable”, says Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in her Human Rights Comment published today. As a result, year on year, the fight...
School starts with more inclusion for Roma children in Romania – and beyond
On 9 September, Council of Europe Director General of Democracy Snežana Samardžić-Markovic joined Romanian President Klaus Iohannis to open the new school year through a visit to Ferdinand I Elementary and Secondary School in Bucharest, where they addressed the impact so far of a joint European...
Secretary General welcomes release of prisoners by Russia and Ukraine
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement today: “The Council of Europe welcomes the release of prisoners by Russia and Ukraine today. This is an encouraging step towards the reconciliation of the two member states of the Council of Europe and an important element of the...
MONEYVAL issues follow up reports on Ukraine and Isle of Man
The Council of Europe´s anti money laundering and counter terrorist financing body MONEYVAL has published two follow up reports assessing the progress made by Ukraine and the United Kingdom Crown Dependency of Isle of Man in implementing its recommendations. MONEYVAL finds that Ukraine has made...
National minorities’ rights: new reports on Georgia and the Netherlands
New opinions on the situation of national minorities in Georgia and the Netherlands have published by the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Over the past three years, Georgia has strengthened its legislative framework for promotion of rights...
Denmark needs stronger anti-corruption policies for government and the police force
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls upon Denmark to strengthen its policies to prevent corruption in respect of persons entrusted with top executive functions (members of the government and – in certain cases – special...
The independence of judges and the judiciary under threat
The independence of the judiciary underpins the rule of law and is essential to the functioning of democracy and the observance of human rights. The fundamental right to a ‘fair trial’ by an ‘independent and impartial tribunal established by law’ is enshrined in the European Convention on Human...
Russia: lack of progress on criminalisation of corruption and transparency of party funding
The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO published today its fourth assessment of the measures taken by the Russian authorities since the previous examination in June 2018 to implement the outstanding recommendations on incriminations and transparency of party funding. GRECO regrets...
German youth centre awarded with Council of Europe Quality Label
On 31 August the wannseeFORUM Foundation in Berlin, Germany received the Council of Europe’s Quality Label for Youth Centres for the period 2019-2021, becoming the 14th youth centre to be honoured. The award ceremony was held in the presence of Sigrid Klebba, State Secretary of the Berlin Senate...
Finland’s services for women victims of violence praised, but criminal offences review needed
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) welcomes Finland´s efforts to increase services to victims, including offering funding for more shelters, but points out in a report published today, that a review of the criminal...
Slovak Republic: Determined action needed to fight corruption in executive government and police
In an evaluation report published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) urges the Slovak Republic to strengthen the effectiveness of its legal framework and policies to prevent corruption amongst persons with top executive functions (ministers and other senior...
Statement by Thorbjørn Jagland on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
Following Resolution A/RES/73/296, proposed by Poland and adopted at the 73rd UN General Assembly on 28 May 2019, 22 August of this year will be the first annual International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. In support of this important initiative,...
Statement by the President of the Congress on the recent suspension of mayors in Turkey
Anders KNAPE, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, made the following statement: "I express my grave concern about the decision of the Turkish authorities to suspend the elected mayors of three metropolitan cities in the south-east of the country,...
Corruption : Germany’s deficient progress leads to “non-compliance procedure”
In its latest report on corruption prevention with respect to members of parliament, judges and prosecutors in Germany, the Council of Europe’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) concludes an “overall very low level of compliance” with recommendations dating from 2015. This “globally...
European Heritage Days 2019: “Arts and Entertainment”
The European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission since 1999, are the most widely celebrated participatory cultural events shared by the inhabitants and visitors of Europe. The pan-European nature of this project contributes to bringing citizens...
Russian Federation: failure to respect human rights while policing peaceful protests
Today, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, published a letter addressed to the Minister of Interior of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, regarding the action taken by law enforcement agencies to disperse the largely peaceful protests in Moscow on 27 July 2019, and...
Council of Europe honours Roma Holocaust victims
Seventy-five years ago, the remaining Roma of the so-called “Zigeunerlager” (Gypsy camp) – 2,897 men, women and children – were exterminated in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The liquidation of the camp on 2 August 1944 was a particularly dark chapter of the Roma Holocaust: an attempt by...
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