Presidency of France - news
Committee of Ministers: Georgia takes over Presidency from France
The Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe today passed from France to Georgia, at a meeting at the organisation’s Strasbourg headquarters. France’s Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin gave an overview of her country’s achievements. The...
If we want open, tolerant and inclusive communities, education is vital
Speaking at the meeting of Education Ministers on 26 November in Paris, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić underlined the importance of promoting digital citizenship education and history teaching in Europe. Extracts of her speech: “When the Council of Europe was established 70 years ago,...
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Council of Europe leaders note success of Istanbul Convention, but warn of challenges ahead
French Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers invites justice ministers to discuss digital challenges for justice
On 14 and 15 October 2019, the Ministers of Justice of the member states of the Council of Europe met in Strasbourg at a conference on the theme “Digital challenges to justice in Europe”, held on the initiative of the French Chairmanship and at the invitation of the French Minister of Justice,...
Justice ministers to discuss digital challenges for justice in Europe
Council of Europe ministers of justice will gather in Strasbourg on 14 and 15 October for a conference being held under the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, with representatives from 47 countries. The ministers will discuss access to the law and justice in the digital era and the...
Amélie de Montchalin: 'Uniting our European family around common values'
Amélie de Montchalin, France’s Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs, addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today on behalf of the French Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. After paying a heartfelt tribute to the former President of France Jacques...
ECRI’s 25th anniversary
At the opening of the conference marking the 25th anniversary of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, Amélie de Montchalin, France’s Secretary of State for European Affairs, representing the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, spoke of “the European ideal, our identity,...
European Heritage Days 2019
Statement by Amélie de Montchalin, Representative of the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the French Republic
Reinforcing social rights protection in Europe: to achieve greater unity and equality
In the framework of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the European Social Charter organises, on 19 September in Strasbourg, an expert seminar to highlight the protection of social rights in Europe so as to achieve greater unity and equality. Welcome addresses will be delivered...
Marija Pejčinović Burić, New Council of Europe Secretary General
Marija Pejčinović Burić (Croatia) began her position as Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 18 September, after being elected in June 2019 by the Parliamentary Assembly for a five-year mandate. She is the second woman in this position after the French Catherine Lalumière (1989-1994) and...
Re-enactment of the first meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and exhibition
From 8 to 13 August 1949, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe met for the first time, in Strasbourg City Hall. As part of the French Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers and the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, the ambassadors of the organisation’s current 47...
New Council of Europe action against sexism
In March 2019, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted a new Recommendation on Preventing and Combating Sexism. Not only does this text contain the first ever internationally agreed definition of sexism, but it also proposes a set of concrete measures to combat this wide-spread...
High-level conference “Our Rights, our Freedoms, our Europe” in Baku
On Wednesday, 11 September 2019, the Council of Europe Office in Azerbaijan and the Embassy of France in the Republic of Azerbaijan organised a high-level conference “Our Rights, our Freedoms, our Europe”. The conference was organised on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Council of...
Europe’s young people call for equal access to social rights
Over 300 young people and youth workers from all Council of Europe member states and beyond gathered this week in Strasbourg for the ENTER! Youth Week. In a joint message they called upon member states to guarantee the protection of their rights. “All young people must have equal access to their...
Decision of the Committee of Ministers at the initiative of the French Presidency: support for the Christchurch Call
On Wednesday 10 July, at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers, at the initiative of the French Chairmanship, the member states expressed their support for the Christchurch Call to Action to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online, while referring to the standards relating to...
Enter! Youth Week: Our Rights, Our Lives
On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, the Council of Europe with the support of the City of Strasbourg, the French Ministry of National Education and Youth and the European Youth Forum is holding the "Enter! Youth Week: our rights, our lives” from 8 to 11 July 2019 in Strasbourg. Held under...
Amélie de Montchalin: ‘We must preserve the pan-European dimension of the Council of Europe’
“As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe, we can measure the progress made since 1949 and the fact that this organisation is more essential than ever to promote our common values and foster economic and social progress on our continent,” said Amélie de Montchalin, French...
Declaration by the Committee of Ministers on the execution of Mr Alyaksandr Zhylnikau in Belarus
At its 1350th meeting, the Committee of Ministers, on the initiative of the French Chairmanship, adopted a declaration deeply deploring the execution of Mr Alyaksandr Zhylnikau, which was announced on 13 June 2019, and calling on the Belarusian authorities not to execute Mr Vyachaslau Sukharko,...
Protecting victims of terrorism
A workshop on the protection of victims of terrorist acts will be organised on Thursday 20 June in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights. Its aim is to raise awareness of the Council of Europe Guidelines (2017) on the protection of victims of terrorism and to...
GRECO: looking ahead after 20 years fighting corruption
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is organising an international conference in Strasbourg on 17 June to mark its 20th anniversary. Held under the auspices of the French Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the event will discuss GRECO’s achievements in assisting states to...
