21/01/2013 | Session
When adopting its final agenda at the opening of the Winter Session 2013, PACE decided to hold two urgent debates: on “Recent developments in Mali and Algeria and the threat to security and human rights in the Mediterranean region” and on “Migration and asylum: mounting tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean”...
21/01/2013 | Session
Speaking today at the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Gilbert Saboya, Foreign Affairs Minister of Andorra, announced that the Andorran Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers will soon launch a campaign to promote the European Convention of Human Rights.
17/01/2013 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, together with a PACE sub-committee visiting Greece, have urged greater European solidarity to help Greece deal with large numbers of irregular migrants and asylum seekers entering the country.
17/01/2013 | Elections
The intention of the Armenian authorities to organise an election fully in line with international standards has been welcomed by a PACE delegation visiting the country to assess the pre-electoral climate ahead of the 18 February presidential election.
14/01/2013 | Elections
A five-member PACE delegation, led by Karin Woldseth (Norway, EDG), will carry out a pre-electoral visit to Yerevan on 16-17 January 2013, to assess the electoral framework and campaign prior to the presidential elections of 18 February 2013 in Armenia.
11/01/2013 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
In the context of the preparation of the report by Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE) on “Unaccompanied migrant children: what rights at 18?”, PACE Committee on Migration is to hold a hearing on 14 January at the European Youth Centre (EYC) in Budapest, in the presence, amongst others, of the rapporteur and of young migrants as well as representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and of the EYC’s decision-making bodies.
11/01/2013 | Session
Addresses by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle, and Italian Justice Minister Paola Severino (to be confirmed) are among highlights of the 2013 Winter PACE Session, taking place in Strasbourg from 21 to 25 January. Other highlights include debates on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan and the follow-up to the issue of political prisoners in this country, the situation in Kosovo,* the state of media freedom in Europe and the humanitarian situation in the conflict- and war-affected areas of Georgia and Russia.
11/01/2013 | President
PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, has expressed his consternation following the killing of three Kurdish activists in Paris. “I am appalled by the execution of Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan and Leyla Söylemez. This shocking news comes just as the Turkish authorities have launched fresh talks with Abdullah Öcalan...”, he stated.
11/01/2013 | President
Jean-Claude Mignon, PACE President, will make an official visit to Greece on 15-16 January 2013. In this context, he will hold talks in Athens with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister. On the same occasion, he will join members of the PACE Ad hoc Sub-Committee on the large-scale arrival of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe's southern shores, for part of their information visit to the country.
11/01/2013 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
The members of PACE Ad hoc Sub-Committee on the large-scale arrival of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe's Southern shores, accompanied for part of the visit by PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, will make a fact-finding visit to Greece from 14 to 16 January.
01/01/2013 | President
On this first day of the New Year, I would like to wish happiness, prosperity, health and peace to the 800 million Europeans living in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, as well as to the citizens of the Observer states and to our Partners for Democracy. I also address my best wishes to the 636 MPs who are members of our Assembly, to the members of the Committee of Ministers, to our Secretary General and to the Deputy Secretary General, to the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as to all the officials and staff working for different Council of Europe bodies.
29/12/2012 | President
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon this morning expressed his sadness and consternation following the death of the young student who was gang-raped in a bus in New Delhi. "I would like, once again, to condemn this cowardly and ignoble act. At the same time, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family and to the relatives of the young woman," declared the PACE President.