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Rik / Daems / President

PACE President to make working visit to Budapest

25/05/2021 | President

Rik Daems, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will make a working visit to Budapest from 26 to 28 May, during which he will hold a series of high-level meetings, in particular with the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the...

Olivier Becht / France

Promoting environmental research and development policies

21/05/2021 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

According to the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, despite significant results, the current policies and efforts of member States to combat climate change and its impacts remain insufficient. In this context, the committee called on States to review their research and...

Digital media and newspapers
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PACE committee urges a ‘right to know’ to combat disinformation and manipulation

21/05/2021 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

A PACE committee is urging European governments to create a broad “right to know” – consisting of maximum transparency in public life, a vibrant and diverse media, and a rich educational and cultural environment – in order to encourage democratic participation and combat “post-truth...

Alain / Fridez / Switzerland

PACE Migration Committee Chair reacts to migrant arrivals in Ceuta

20/05/2021 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation

The Chair of PACE’s Migration Committee has urged Spain and Morocco to work together to urgently find a solution to the situation in Ceuta, following the arrival of significant numbers of migrants there.Since Monday 18 May 2021, more than 8000 migrants from Morocco, among them 1500 unaccompanied...

Addressing sexual violence against children
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Middle East crisis: ‘All children must be protected in accordance with international standards’, says...

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

The Social Affairs Committee, meeting by videoconference, expressed deep shock at the loss of human life and disrespect for humanitarian law in the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, in particular with regard to children. “Children have fallen victim to killings, injuries, destruction...

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...

Covid-19 - Woman
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Measures to combat the socio-economic crisis sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic

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

The Social Affairs Committee today expressed its deep concern about the situation of the vulnerable population that has been harshly affected by the socio-economic crisis sparked by the pandemic. “The recession caused by the Covid-19 has resulted in deep shortfalls in resources for enterprises...

Saint Petersburg Forum

“Vaccination strategies are only lawful if proportionate”, President says

19/05/2021 | President

“States must ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated against Covid-19, whether due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated,” the PACE President said today, addressing the Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum on ‘Vaccination by Law’. While...

Climate change
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Reinforcing civil and criminal liability to respond to environmental harm

19/05/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Given the climate crisis and the importance of holding private and public actors liable for their contributions to climate change, the Legal Affairs Committee, meeting today by videoconference, proposed reinforcing civil and criminal liability for “acts that might have an impact on climate change...

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...

Piero Fassino, Italy

Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ‘We must act to stop the military escalation and give the law its voice back...

19/05/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy

“Following the wave of violence that has hit Israel and Gaza in recent days, causing further victims, loss of life, destruction and suffering, it is the duty of every international institution, every government and every democratic conscience to act to halt the military escalation and restore the...

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova - Presidential Palace
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Republic of Moldova: the co-rapporteurs call on political actors to show restraint, awaiting early...

19/05/2021 | Monitoring

In an information note on political developments in the Republic of Moldova between the November 2020 presidential election and the dissolution of parliament in April 2021, Pierre-Alain Fridez (Switzerland, SOC) and Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (Latvia, EPP/CD), co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of this...