21/04/2021 | Session
"We need a more efficient, more flexible, more resilient and more democratic European Union," European Parliament President David Sassoli told PACE today. Referring to the global health crisis, Mr Sassoli stressed that the only way to overcome it was "through solidarity, within Europe and with...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE has urged Belarus to comprehensively reform its electoral system to bring it into line with international standards for democratic elections. Approving a resolution and recommendation based on a report by Lord Blencathra (United Kingdom, EC), the Assembly said that the current failed...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE is urging Council of Europe member States to use universal jurisdiction and “Magnitsky laws” to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious human rights violations in Belarus, including torture, during the recent protests and government crackdown. Approving a report by Alexandra Louis...
21/04/2021 | Session
“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the erosion of the democratic fabric of our society on which the protection of human rights ultimately depends”, warned Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, while presenting today her annual activity report covering 2020 before...
21/04/2021 | Session
The Assembly today commended the Montenegrin authorities for “demonstrating their sustained political will and commitment to fully respecting their obligations”, in the framework of the ongoing post-monitoring dialogue. According to the parliamentarians, the country has introduced legislation...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE today recommended to member States a set of measures – based on the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – to remedy the “profound social disadvantage and discrimination” experienced by people with chronic and long-term illnesses. The resolution...
20/04/2021 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly, during its “hybrid” spring session, held a current affairs debate on 'Covid passports or certificates: protection of fundamental rights and legal implications'. Damien Cottier (Switzerland, ALDE) opened the debate and 6 other members took the floor.
20/04/2021 | Monitoring
The PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Poland, Azadeh Rojhan Gustafsson (Sweden, SOC) and Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD), have expressed their deep concern at the implications of the Polish Constitutional Court ruling that effectively removes the current Human Rights Defender from...
20/04/2021 | Session
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today elected Frédéric Krenc as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Belgium. Mr Krenc, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of nine...
20/04/2021 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
PACE’s General Rapporteur on combating racism and intolerance, Momodou Malcolm Jallow (Sweden, UEL), today made the following statement: “A bill on ‘Strengthening respect for Republican principles and against separatism’ has now been read in the two parliamentary chambers and will be submitted to...
20/04/2021 | Session
Addressing parliamentarians at the Spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić was asked about the danger of imminent armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in the context of the build-up of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. She...
20/04/2021 | Session
In adopting a resolution today, based on the report by Georgios Katrougalos (Greece, UEL), PACE said that taxation was an essential tool for governments to raise the funds necessary for the proper functioning of public services, and that States needed to be provided with a broader tax base to...