20/06/2006 | News
Debates on alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers in Europe, as well as on the balance between freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs – with the participation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan – are among highlights of the PACE's summer plenary session, which takes place in Strasbourg from 26 to 30 June 2006. On the morning of Tuesday 27 June Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) will present his report on “alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers of detainees involving Council of Europe member states”. Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini and the European Parliament’s rapporteur on this subject, Giovanni Claudio Fava, will take part in the debate.
13/06/2006 | News
Debates on alleged secret detentions, on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs – with an address by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan – and on the Assembly’s position towards member and observer states which have not abolished the death penalty are among highlights of PACE’s summer session, in Strasbourg from 26 to 30 June. The UN’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women will also take part in a debate to support the Council of Europe campaign on this subject. The Assembly will decide its final order of business only on the first day of the session.
02/06/2006 | News
“Indeed, many European Muslim communities have already expressed their determination to take steps to prevent or combat extremism. The Council of Europe member states have, for their part, taken numerous measures to try to prevent extremist tendencies from emerging or gaining ground”, PACE rapporteur on European Muslim communities confronted with extremism, Daniel Goulet (France, ALDE) said at the end of the Hearing on this issue organised in Paris today.
01/06/2006 | News
Following its decision last April to close its dialogue with the Parliament of Liechtenstein on the country's constitutional and political practices, following the entry into force in 2003 of the new Constitution, the Bureau of PACE has just published the report of its Ad Hoc Committee.
18/05/2006 | News
"In a democracy can we restrict freedom of expression in deference to religious beliefs?” asked the Chair of the PACE Committee on Culture, Jacques Legendre, when he opened this morning’s hearing in Paris on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs.
16/05/2006 | News
In a letter sent today to football administrators, Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC) launched a new appeal against forced prostitution during the World Cup in Germany.
16/05/2006 | News
“For some years now we have been witnessing a return to the most distorted stereotypes in advertising, showing women as housewives in thrall to men, whereas major advances have now been made in the legislation in this area” said Marie-José Laloy (Belgium, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the image of women in advertising, speaking at the opening of a hearing on the subject held in Paris today. “Pictures inciting people to violence against women or to discrimination on grounds of sex are violations of human dignity”, she went on to say.
16/05/2006 | News
At the end of a hearing on the image of women in advertising PACE rapporteur Marie-José Laloy (Belgium, SOC) said that in view of the urgent social need to prevent violence and combat discrimination, she would like an in-depth study on the subject to be conducted, involving advertising professionals, representatives of the community and regulatory bodies. On this basis a ‘code of conduct’ could be framed, taking the form of guidelines to help advertising creatives project positive images of men and women and eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sex. Advertising must remain within an ethical framework, showing due regard for equality between women and men and respect for human dignity, she said. “However, our aim should not be simply to add to the range of possible punishments, but to try to find better ways of reconciling freedom of expression and creation with respect for human dignity”, explained Ms Laloy.
12/05/2006 | News
“A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus would have to be considerably different from the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe as conflicts are still latent. It should therefore take into account all aspects of the specific situation in the South Caucasus,” Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) said at the opening of today’s hearing on the subject, organised by PACE’s Political Affairs Committee in Brussels.
12/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on “the image of women in advertising” is to take place in Paris on 16 May 2006, organised by PACE's Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. Participants at this public hearing, which is open to the press, include the Director General of French lingerie firm Aubade Anne-Charlotte Pasquier, who discusses “The image of women: veiled or unveiled”.
12/05/2006 | News
"A European Stability Pact for the South Caucasus cannot be imposed on the countries concerned, but it could well be imposed on ourselves," said Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) in his concluding remarks at a hearing on the issue organised by PACE's Political Affairs Committee in Brussels today.
10/05/2006 | News
A parliamentary hearing on the Stability Pact for the South Caucasus will take place on Friday 12 May in Brussels, organised by the Political Affairs Committee of PACE. The hearing, which is open to the press, will focus on the prospects for such a Pact – similar to the one for South-East Europe – with the participation of representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as high-level officials from the EU, World Bank and G8, as well as members of the European Parliament.