24/01/2013 | Session
“Our close and joint cooperation and engagement with our partners in the East and in the Southern neighbourhood represents a powerful instrument to support their process of transformation and the development of deep rooted democracy..." declared today Jean-Claude Mignon and Štefan Füle.
24/01/2013 | Session
The Assembly today said that “the increased involvement of, and solidarity by, European and African States, the EU and the United States of America, in support of Malian and French forces on the ground”, are necessary to put an end to the establishment of a “regime based on terrorism, hostage taking and drug and arms-trafficking in the Sahel” and restore Mali’s constitutional order and territorial integrity.
24/01/2013 | Session
"The Council of Europe is a key partner in various aspects of the enlargement process and has a key role in the European Neighbourhood Policy", said European Commissioner Stefan Fule while addressing PACE on Thursday. The Commissioner responsible for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy of the European Union highlighted the relevance of the strategic partnership with the Council of Europe for its indisputable assets...
24/01/2013 | Session
PACE, approving a wide-ranging assessment of the state of media freedom in Europe, has demanded greater protection for the continent’s journalists, less pressure on broadcasters, and more transparent media ownership.
24/01/2013 | Session
“As parliamentarians, we must vigorously oppose the resurgence of racism, xenophobia and cruelty that we are seeing in some states. We must work together to eradicate these things. Our duty of remembrance towards the victims means that we must take action,” said the PACE President in Strasbourg, speaking at a ceremony to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
23/01/2013 | Session
The urgent humanitarian needs following the conflict between Georgia and Russia in 2008 have been dealt with, but there are still significant long-term humanitarian challenges which cannot be solved as long as "people's lives are becoming trumped by politics", PACE said today.
23/01/2013 | Session
The Assembly has voted to confirm the nomination of a Hungarian member to two of its committees, following a challenge at the opening of this morning’s sitting. The nomination of Tamás Gaudy Nagi (Hungary, NR) to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, and to the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, was challenged by Jean-Claude Frécon (France, SOC) – the second time such a challenge had been made, after a similar challenge to this nomination on Monday.
23/01/2013 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly today encouraged the authorities of Azerbaijan “to step up their efforts to implement the legislation in the areas crucial for the proper functioning of democratic institutions” and, against this background, decided to continue the monitoring of the country’s obligations and commitments.
23/01/2013 | Session
With regard to the drafting of the Council of Europe convention against trafficking in human organs, PACE today recommended that the Committee of Ministers complete the provisions of the draft convention relating to measures for the prevention of organ trafficking, the protection of victims and national and international co-operation against such trafficking.
23/01/2013 | Session
Following a debate, PACE tonight voted to reject a draft resolution on "the follow-up to the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan", presented by Christoph Strässer (Germany, SOC) on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
22/01/2013 | Session
PACE has decided to ratify the credentials of Eleni Zaroulia and Tamás Gaudi Nagy, Greek and Hungarian members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) whose credentials were challenged on the opening day of the session.
22/01/2013 | Session
In a resolution adopted today, PACE underlined the need for the Council of Europe to maintain “direct working contacts with the Kosovo authorities, at all levels”, in order to ensure the smooth implementation of Council of Europe co-operation activities which respect status neutrality.