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Summer session 2021: the Istanbul Convention 10 years on

25/06/2021 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) marked the 10th anniversary of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) with an event on this topic at its Summer plenary session, taking place...

Children meeting

Young people speak out on what they expect from policy makers in terms of concrete action on the climate...

25/06/2021 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

“The climate emergency has awakened consciences across the world, thanks to the perseverance of scientists and their words, but also and above all thanks to the action of young people,” said Jennifer De Temmerman (France, ALDE), at the opening of a parliamentary hearing on “Inaction on climate...

Drugs
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PACE rapporteur welcomes revision of the Pompidou Group’s statute

24/06/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The Rapporteur for follow-up to Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2335 (2020) and Recommendation 2177 (2020) on “Drug policy and human rights in Europe: a baseline study”, Hannah Bardell (United Kingdom, NR), welcomed the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe of a...

Paulo Pisco (Portugal, SOC)
©Council of Europe

For a European policy on diasporas

24/06/2021 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly has called for the elaboration of a European policy on diasporas, and has suggested the Council of Europe should take the lead in this work. Adopting a resolution and recommendation based on a report by Paulo Pisco (Portugal, SOC), the parliamentarians spelled out a...

Alain / Fridez / Switzerland

A solidarity mechanism between European countries to relieve migratory pressure on front line countries

24/06/2021 | Session

"The values of our Organisation must be respected. We must show solidarity with the countries receiving these mixed flows of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and help protect the rights of these people, many of whom are extremely vulnerable", said Pierre Alain Fridez (Switzerland...

Momodou Malcolm Jallow (Sweden, UEL)
©Council of Europe

A ‘window of opportunity’ for determined action to stamp out Afrophobia or anti-Black racism

24/06/2021 | Session

Racism, including Afrophobia or anti-Black racism, is still “rife in Europe”, according to PACE, but recent increased public awareness of the problem has created a “window of opportunity” for determined action to eradicate it. Approving a resolution based on a report by Momodou Malcolm Jallow...

Konstantin Kuhle

PACE sets out road-map for limiting foreign funding of political parties and campaigns

24/06/2021 | Session

PACE has condemned attempts by states to “interfere improperly or illicitly in democratic decision-making processes” in other states by funding political parties or campaigns – and set out a road-map for cracking down on the practice. Approving a resolution based on a report by Konstantin Kuhle...

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić
©Council of Europe

Closer EU-Council of Europe cooperation is more important than ever, Secretary General tells PACE

23/06/2021 | Session

Responding to questions from members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić began by emphasising the importance of coordinating work with the European Union in order to avoid duplication. She underlined the shared values of the two...

Plenary Session, hemicycle
©Council of Europe

Current affairs debate on the situation in Belarus

23/06/2021 | Session

“Belarus has become a threat to the whole of Europe, especially to neighbouring countries, with a real risk of destabilisation”, said Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), opening of a current affairs debate on this topic. Mr Zingeris referred to the forced landing of a civilian airliner by the...

Portal / Baku / Azerbaijan

Problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan ‘neither recognised nor adequately addressed, let alone...

23/06/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

The problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, as identified and described in a January 2020 resolution of the Assembly, “has been neither duly recognised nor adequately addressed by the authorities, let alone resolved”, according to a follow-up report declassified yesterday. The follow-up...

Istanbul Convention event
©Council of Europe

10th anniversary of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention: 'Nothing will make us back down'

23/06/2021 | Session

“As we seat here and debate, women will be beaten to death. And we are not just talking about a few cases, but about thousands and thousands and thousands of acts of violence. Just think about it”, PACE President Rik Daems said at the opening of an event organized in the framework of the PACE...

Award of the 2021 Council of Europe Museum Prize to Moscow's Gulag History Museum, ceremony at the Palais Rohan on 22 June 2021.
©Council of Europe / Sandro Weltin

2021 Council of Europe Museum Prize awarded to Moscow’s Gulag History Museum in Strasbourg award ceremony

23/06/2021 | Prizes

The 2021 Council of Europe Museum Prize was awarded to Moscow’s Gulag History Museum during a special ceremony in Strasbourg’s Palais Rohan last night. PACE President Rik Daems presented the Museum’s Director Roman Romanov with the trophy, a bronze statuette by Joan Miró entitled “La femme aux...