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PACE to observe the parliamentary elections in Montenegro

14/10/2016 | Election observation

A PACE delegation led by Aleksander Pociej will travel to Montenegro from 14 to 17 October to observe the parliamentary elections, alongside observers from the OSCE-PA and the OSCE-ODIHR.

PACE committee, citing human rights, asks EU and Canada to postpone signing of ‘concerning’ trade deal

14/10/2016 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

The committee has called for the signing of a new trade agreement between the EU and Canada to be postponed – because it would “unacceptably restrict the powers of national parliaments to adopt legislation”.

Europe’s response to “demographic winter” must be a cross-sectorial approach to social, labour and...

14/10/2016 | Session

Policies must be developed to address the current decline in fertility, known as the “European demographic winter”, and curb the negative effects of population ageing, as declared today by PACE.

Ensuring access to healthcare to all children in Europe

14/10/2016 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

According to the report by Stella Kyriakides, unanimously adopted by the Social Affairs Committee on 11 October, even in the early 21st century, not all children in Europe enjoy equal access to healthcare services.

President congratulates new UN Secretary General, a former Parliamentary Assembly colleague

14/10/2016 | President

PACE President Pedro Agramunt congratulated António Guterres on his election as the Secretary General of the United Nations. "The unanimous vote in the General Assembly gives you a strong political mandate", Mr Agramunt said.

Free debate on current issues that are not included in the session agenda

14/10/2016 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held this afternoon a free debate on current issues not included in the session agenda. Twenty-two Assembly members took the floor.

Committee calls on member States to use cleaner energy resources focusing on renewables

14/10/2016 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

In a draft resolution, the committee urges Council of Europe member States to ensure strict environmental and public health regulations are applied to the exploration and exploitation of non-conventional hydrocarbons.

PACE debates the situation in Turkey in the light of the attempted coup

13/10/2016 | Session

“When one of our friends in the Council of Europe has a problem, we must morally stand beside them, but we must also help them,” said Ian Liddell-Grainger opening today’s current affairs debate.

German Foreign Minister: ‘Human rights are and must remain non-negotiable’

13/10/2016 | Session

“Human rights are and must remain non-negotiable,” German Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told parliamentarians. “They are not just an instrument to be used when it suits on the road to peace.”

Deteriorating democratic environment and space for civil society in the Russian Federation

13/10/2016 | Monitoring

The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly expressed its “serious concern at the deteriorating democratic environment and narrowing space for civil society organisations in the Russian Federation”.

Prevention, information and education to eradicate female genital mutilation

13/10/2016 | Session

The Assembly believes that prevention must lie “at the heart of all efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation” and involve all the players concerned. Information campaigns must include both women and men in the communities concerned.

Improving the protection of unaccompanied migrant minors in Europe

13/10/2016 | Session

PACE called on member States to improve the protection of unaccompanied migrant minors and to avoid them going missing. They must be treated first and foremost as children, not as migrants, declared the Assembly.