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The European Anthem - Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy: happy 50th birthday to the European Anthem

18/01/2022 | Did you know?

The European Anthem marks this week its 50th birthday. Lauding shared values between nations, the prelude to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" was originally proposed by the Parliamentary Assembly and adopted by the Council of Europe in 1972. At the European Council of June 1985, the Heads of State or...

David Sassoli
©European Parliament

PACE President pays tribute to David Sassoli

11/01/2022 | President

“I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of European Parliament President David Sassoli. A most dedicated defender of human rights and a tireless champion of democracy, Mr Sassoli, whom I had the privilege to work with, was a true and committed European whose work and legacy we will...

Rik / Daems / President

PACE President Rik Daems calls 2022 the year when parliaments work together to turn the tide on the rise of...

31/12/2021 | President

In an annual end-of-year message, Rik Daems, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has recalled some of the successes and challenges of 2021. “It is with both setbacks and achievements that we summarise the year 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic still has Europe and the...

Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD)
©Council of Europe

Pieter Omtzigt: new whistleblower protection law in Malta ‘not fit for purpose’

20/12/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD), the Parliamentary Assembly’s General Rapporteur on the protection of whistleblowers, has strongly criticised the reform of the Maltese law on whistleblower protection. “Last Friday’s deadline for the transposition of the EU Directive on improving...

Alain / Fridez / Switzerland

Europe must remain committed to open and regular channels for migrant workers

17/12/2021 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation

“On the occasion of International Migrants Day, 18 December 2021, we can celebrate the creation of the International Organisation for Migration 70 years ago, as well as the 31st anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their...

Morocco meeting

Opening the Parliament to citizens: why and how?

17/12/2021 | Parliamentary support

The Parliament of Morocco and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) organised a round table on the theme “Opening the Parliament to citizens: why and how?” in the premises of the Moroccan Parliament in Rabat on 14 December. This meeting allowed the officials of the two...

PACE monitors call on all political forces in Georgia to overcome extremely polarised political climate

17/12/2021 | Monitoring

Following their visit to the country from 8 to 10 December 2021, the PACE rapporteurs for the monitoring of Georgia, Titus Corlatean (Romania, SOC) and Claude Kern (France, ALDE), expressed their serious concern at the extremely polarised political climate in the country which is foreclosing any...

Yerevan / Armenia

PACE Monitoring Committee welcomes Armenia’s successful emergence from crisis, sets out next steps for reform

15/12/2021 | Monitoring

The PACE Monitoring Committee has welcomed the fact that Armenia has “successfully emerged from the serious political crisis triggered by the outcome in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” as well as its pursuit of reforms and the launch of new projects since the change of political leadership in 2018...

Michael Aastrup Jensen, Denmark

Committee reviews progress of Council of Europe States under monitoring in 2021

15/12/2021 | Monitoring

The Monitoring Committee today adopted its annual report taking stock of its monitoring activities in 2021 and making a series of assessments of the countries under monitoring procedure or engaged in post-monitoring dialogue, as well as of countries that are currently subject to the procedure for...

Baku / Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan: PACE rapporteurs concerned about the state of health of activist Saleh Rustamov

10/12/2021 | Monitoring

The rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Azerbaijan, Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC) and Richard Bacon (United Kingdom, EC/DA) have expressed their serious concern about the state of health of Saleh Rustamov, activist of the Azerbaijani...

Rik / Hendrik / Daems / President

‘A new generation of human rights is emerging, including the right to live in a healthy environment’

09/12/2021 | President

“On this year’s Human Rights Day, as we celebrate the progress made, let us not forget that fundamental rights and freedoms must be respected and advanced also in times of emergency. In responding to our common challenges – such as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, violence against women, migratory...

Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg, meets with Rik Daems
©Chambre des députés du Luxembourg

PACE President completes official visit to Luxembourg

09/12/2021 | President

Rik Daems, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), paid an official visit to Luxembourg on 7 December 2021, where he discussed how to further strengthen bilateral relations and to maintain the role of Luxembourg as a pioneer in the development of policies...