18/05/2021 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Paul Gavan (Ireland, UEL) will visit Armenia on behalf of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 19 to 22 May 2021, to gather information for his report on "The humanitarian consequences of the conflict between...
18/05/2021 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
The Ad hoc Sub-Committee of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons visited Greece on 10-12 May 2021 with a fact-finding mission to look into the situation of refugees and migrants after the destruction by fire of the Moria camp. The sub-committee had meetings with the...
18/05/2021 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Strongly condemning so-called “honour” crimes, the Equality Committee called on member States to ratify and implement the Istanbul Convention, recalling that the convention clearly states that custom, tradition, culture, religion or so-called “honour” cannot justify violence. It said that no...
17/05/2021 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“It’s time to put an end to homophobia, transphobia, biphobia and intersexphobia, and to act decisively to achieve equality for all LGBTI people,” said Fourat Ben Chikha (Belgium, SOC), General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI people, on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia...
17/05/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
A PACE parliamentary hearing on reported cases of political prisoners in Azerbaijan took place on 17th May 2021. The hearing was organised by PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights in the framework of follow-up to a report by Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir (Iceland, SOC). Participants...
12/05/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
The rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for follow-up to Resolution 2362 (2021) on "Restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe member States", Alexandra Louis (France, ALDE), has expressed concern over two new draft laws aimed at widening the scope of...
11/05/2021 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
Lord George Foulkes of Cumnock (United Kingdom, SOC), PACE rapporteur on “Football governance: business and values” held an exchange of views by videoconference yesterday with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. Following the meeting, Lord Foulkes said: “In these quite difficult times, we need a...
11/05/2021 | President
“It is not enough for member States to implement their own laws; they need the Istanbul Convention, its tools and mechanisms in order to combat violence against women in a proactive and efficient way,” said PACE President Rik Daems today, at the opening of a high-level Conference by video...
11/05/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE’s Political Affairs Committee 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 report by Konstantin...
11/05/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“I am deeply concerned about the sharp increase in violence between Israelis and Palestinians,” said Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC), PACE rapporteur on Recent developments in Libya and the Middle East: what consequences for Europe? “We must avoid at all costs that the situation degenerates further. I...
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...
07/05/2021 | President
PACE President believes that every day should be a little bit Europe’s Day because the rights and freedoms we enjoy count every single day of the year, whether it is freedom of expression, religion, assembly, or the right just to be oneself, without racism or discrimination. “This was made...