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Drugs
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Towards a human rights and public health approach to drug control policies

12/10/2020 | Standing Committee

Member States must “optimise human rights protection in the implementation of drug control policies”, while adopting “a public health approach”, the PACE Standing Committee said today, meeting by videoconference. There is strong evidence suggesting that purely repressive policies have been...

A voter places a ballot in a ballot-box

How far do parliaments really reflect the votes cast? A plea for ‘minimum standards’ of fairness in...

15/09/2020 | Standing Committee

PACE is asking election experts to assess the fairness of different electoral systems in the light of certain anomalies which mean that parliaments do not necessarily reflect the political choices made by constituents at the ballot-box. “Not all electoral systems provide an equal degree of...

Demonstration in Minsk, Belarus
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Declaration on an urgent need for a democratic, broad-based and inclusive political process in Belarus

15/09/2020 | Standing Committee

The Standing Committee (*) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting today by videoconference, adopted the following statement on an urgent need for a democratic, broad-based and inclusive political process in Belarus: "1. The Parliamentary Assembly’s political...

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis / Greece / Committee of Ministers

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis: ‘States contribute to limit the negative effects of the pandemic on society’

15/09/2020 | Standing Committee

“Since our last digital meeting in June, we have still been facing many of the questions and the concerns raised by the pandemic regarding respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights in this extraordinary situation,” said Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign...

Stefan / Schennach / Austria

Promoting a new culture of public debate on new technologies

15/09/2020 | Standing Committee

In a resolution adopted today on the basis of a report by Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC), the Assembly called on member States to “develop a new culture of public dialogue” on advances in science and technology, so that progress in these fields respect fundamental values and human dignity...

Towards an internet Ombudsman institution

15/09/2020 | Standing Committee

In order to avoid freedom of expression being limited in a discriminatory manner while at the same time making efforts to take down illegal content on the internet, the PACE Standing Committee today proposed establishing an Ombudsman institution (or equivalent) with the requisite “independence...

Standing Committee

PACE Standing Committee to meet by videoconference

11/09/2020 | Standing Committee

The Standing Committee (*) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will meet by videoconference on Tuesday 15 September 2020. After the opening of the meeting by PACE President Rik Daems, the parliamentarians will hold an exchange of views with Miltiadis Varvitsiotis...

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis / Greece / Committee of Ministers

Miltiadis Varvitsiotis: restrictions imposed in situations of health crisis must be ‘necessary, temporary...

26/06/2020 | Standing Committee

“Confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, people widely observed the restrictions imposed to protect human life and public health, showing a strong sense of maturity and respect for human life,” said Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the Greek Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee...

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: 'The greatest threat in Europe now is complacency'

26/06/2020 | Standing Committee

“The greatest threat in Europe now is complacency. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over; and nobody is safe until we are all safe,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, addressing PACE's Standing Committee today by video-conference. The impacts of COVID...

Petra / Bayr / Austria

For a modern contraception accessible to all

26/06/2020 | Standing Committee

All types of modern contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception “should be accessible and affordable for everyone”, irrespective of their sex, social or national origin and any other status, and should be “accompanied by reliable advice and information”, the PACE Standing...

Andrej Hunko
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COVID-19: responding to the next pandemic, states should act fast and comply with human rights

26/06/2020 | Standing Committee

States facing future pandemic crises should “act fast to contain outbreaks, using tried and tested, effective measures, implemented in a rights-compliant way,” the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has said. Responses should be “data-driven, evidence-based, and incorporate...

Standing Committee - June 2020

Standing Committee: exchange of views with WHO Director General on COVID-19

26/06/2020 | Standing Committee

An exchange of views on the COVID-19 pandemic with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, was one of the highlights of the meeting of the Standing Committee (*) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which met on Friday 26 June 2020...