26/06/2012 | Session
The Assembly today elected Helena Jäderblom as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Sweden. Ms Jäderblom, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of 9 years starting not later than 3 months as from 26 June 2012. Judges are elected by PACE from a list of three candidates nominated by each State which has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights.
26/06/2012 | Session
The Azerbaijani authorities should be invited to speedily solve the cases on a consolidated list of 89 alleged political prisoners by releasing or retrying them, according to PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. In a draft resolution approved today during a meeting on the fringe of PACE’s plenary session in Strasbourg, based on a report by Christoph Strässer (Germany, SOC), the committee noted that the issue of political prisoners was “still not resolved” in Azerbaijan.
26/06/2012 | Session
PACE today expressed its concern at the social damage that may be caused by cuts to local and regional authorities as a result of the economic crisis, be it poorer public services or cuts in welfare. In a resolution based on a report by Sir Alan Meale (United Kingdom, SOC), the Assembly said local authorities themselves can take steps to lessen the negative effects of cuts by reallocating budgets so that basic social rights continue to be protected.
25/06/2012 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which opened today in Strasbourg its Summer Session 2012, elected Olga Nachtmannova (SOC) Vice-President of the Assembly with respect to the Slovak Republic.
25/06/2012 | Session
“We must remain on our guard to make sure that all member states of our organisation respect our values and honour their undertakings in this time of crisis,” said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon at the opening of the summer part-session...
25/06/2012 | Session
“The Council of Europe has always stood by Albania since the fall of Europe’s worst dictatorship,” declared Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha in his address to the PACE. He recalled the considerable distance covered by Albania over the two decades following the fall of its prevailing dictatorship...
12/06/2012 | Session
Addresses by Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović, as well as a joint debate on “Democracy at risk: the role of citizens and of the State today” will be among highlights of the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg from 25 to 29 June 2012.
12/06/2012 | Session
When adopting its final agenda at the opening of the Summer Session 2012, PACE decided to hold an urgent debate on the crisis of democracy in Egypt and a current affairs debate on European institutions and human rights in Europe.
31/05/2012 | Session
Addresses by the Albanian and Croatian Prime Ministers, as well as a joint debate on the state of democracy in Europe, will be among highlights of PACE’s forthcoming summer session (25-29 June). The Italian Foreign Affairs Minister will also address the Assembly. The President of Tunisia’s Constituent Assembly will take part in a debate on political transition in the country.
27/04/2012 | Session
PACE has demanded a series of steps to end what it calls “massive tax avoidance, evasion and fraud” facilitated by secrecy jurisdictions, tax havens and offshore financial centres. Adopting a resolution based on a report by Dirk van der Maelen (Belgium, SOC), the parliamentarians said tackling global distortions due to harmful or predatory tax practices was “a moral duty” because they drain public finances and cause serious harm to the public interest.
27/04/2012 | Session
In order to safeguard decent pensions for all, and to address the dual challenge of ageing of the population and the current economic crisis, the PACE calls on member states to “design national pension systems based on several pillars and a ‘mix’ of sources of pension income”. The PACE also called on member states to “find appropriate solutions for people with periods in which they have made no pension contributions” and for those who are less able to prepare for their retirement.
27/04/2012 | Session
Representatives of Google, Facebook and Index on Censorship were among participants taking part in a round table on internet freedom yesterday, organised by PACE's Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media together with the British Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. Other speakers included British Ambassador Eleanor Fuller and Felix Treguer of La Quadrature du Net. The participants agreed that internet freedom was increasingly at risk, both from restrictive legislation in some countries as well as by the practices of some internet companies.