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Covid-19 - Woman
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Public health emergency: the need for a holistic approach to multilateralism and health care

27/04/2023 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, "new public health emergencies linked to the climate crisis, coupled with dwindling biodiversity, are waiting to unfold, and will likely hit the world unexpectedly", the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable underlined.  Unanimously adopting a draft...

Prison
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Europe can learn ‘useful lessons’ from the experience of prisons during Covid, says PACE committee

13/10/2022 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Europe can learn “useful lessons” from the experience of prisons during the Covid pandemic, continuing to use alternatives to detention to reduce the prison population and ease overcrowding, according to PACE’s Legal Affairs Committee. In a draft resolution based on a report by Givi Mikanadze...

Damien Cottier
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PACE clarifies legal and human rights pre-conditions for the use of Covid passes

22/06/2021 | Session

PACE has clarified the pre-conditions necessary for the use of Covid passes, declaring their use “fraught with legal and human rights complications”. The use of such passes, which would partially lift Covid restrictions for holders, “above all depends on a high degree of certainty about medical...

Baroness Doris Massey

Helping the children of ‘Generation Covid’ to overcome the devastating impact of the pandemic

22/06/2021 | Session

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children has been devastating, according to PACE, and “Generation Covid” – as they are sometimes referred to – will face the consequences for many years to come, unless European governments take adequate measures. Unanimously approving a report today by...

Children masked during Covid-19
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Helping the children of ‘Generation Covid’ to overcome the devastating impact of the pandemic

20/05/2021 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on children has been devastating, according to a PACE committee, and “Generation Covid” – as they are sometimes referred to – will face the consequences for many years to come, unless European governments take adequate measures. Unanimously approving a report today...

Vaccine / COVID

PACE committee clarifies legal and human rights pre-conditions for the use of Covid passes

19/05/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

A PACE committee has clarified the pre-conditions necessary for the use of Covid passes, declaring their use “fraught with legal and human rights complications”. The use of such passes, which would partially lift Covid restrictions for holders, “above all depends on a high degree of certainty...

Jennifer De Temmerman (France, ALDE)
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Rapporteur supports lifting Covid-19 vaccine patents

07/05/2021 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

On Thursday 6 May, the Biden Administration expressed its support for the lifting of patents protecting the production of Covid-19 vaccines. “This is an act of true leadership which at last meets the expectations of countries severely affected by the pandemic, humanity’s worst health crisis in a...

PACE Session
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Current affairs debate on 'Covid passports or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal...

20/04/2021 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly, during its “hybrid” spring session, held a current affairs debate on 'Covid passports or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications'. Damien Cottier (Switzerland, ALDE) opened the debate and 6 other members took the floor.

Virtual meeting

Joint conference on global challenges and threats in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

09/04/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy

The PACE Political Affairs Committee will organise an international conference on 15 April by videoconference on “Global challenges and threats in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic: terrorism and violent extremism”, together with the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of...

The Bulgarian Parliament during pandemics
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Current affairs debate on “Democracies facing Covid-19: the way forward”

19/03/2021 | Standing Committee

The Standing Committee, meeting today by videoconference, held a current affairs debate on “Democracies facing Covid-19: the way forward”. Ian Liddell-Grainger (United Kingdom, EC/DA) opened the debate. Following this current affairs debate, PACE President Rik Daems issued a statement...

Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
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Secretary General: “During Covid we have been present where people need us”

19/03/2021 | Standing Committee

Speaking to members of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić emphasised that that since the start of the health crisis in Europe, the Council of Europe has not only advised but also provided material support to its member States. “We have...

Rik Daems, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

PACE President: the rule of law must prevail in the emergency situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic

19/03/2021 | President

PACE President Rik Daems has again recalled that the rule of law must prevail in the emergency situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic – and stressed that any laws linked to the pandemic should comply with the constitution and international standards. “Today’s debate – held as the crisis...