11/12/2012 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
A Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly hearing on governance at the world football body FIFA is to take place in Paris on 19 December, attended by leading current or former members of the organisation as well as those who have sought reforms to encourage greater transparency.
11/12/2012 | Monitoring
Following his visit to Tbilisi and Kutaisi from 5 to 7 December, Boriss Cilevics (Latvia SOC), co-rapporteur of the Assembly for the monitoring of Georgia, called on the political majority and opposition to fully respect each other’s constitutional roles and, in the interest of all Georgian citizens, ensure that the cohabitation between President and Government works.
10/12/2012 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
“The Council of Europe works on a daily basis to protect human rights throughout Europe. Over the years, the Council has recorded many successes, first and foremost of which is the European Convention on Human Rights and its control mechanism...," declared today Gilbert Saboya Sunyé and Jean-Claude Mignon.
07/12/2012 | President
At the end of his official visit to Morocco, PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon welcomed the exemplary co-operation between the Moroccan Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly. He encouraged co-operation on an equal footing to the mutual benefit of both partners.
04/12/2012 | President
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, will be making an official visit to Morocco from 5 to 7 December 2012 at the invitation of the Speakers of the two Chambers of Parliament. In Rabat, meetings are planned with the Speakers of the Chamber of Representatives and the Chamber of Councillors, the Head of Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, the Minister for Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development, the Minister of Justice and Freedoms and the Deputy Minister of the Interior. He will also meet the President of the National Human Rights Council.
04/12/2012 | Monitoring
Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) and Boriss Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC), PACE co-rapporteurs for the honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia, will undertake a fact-finding visit to the country from 5 to 7 December 2012. In Tbilisi they are due to meet the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Justice.
03/12/2012 | President
In his address to the members of MONEYVAL, the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism, today in Strasbourg, Jean-Claude Mignon, President of PACE, underlined what PACE and national parliaments could do to support the committee’s action.
03/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
All too often, human rights become part of foreign policy considerations only when situations have degenerated into humanitarian emergencies. Can human rights become a structural and systematic element of foreign policy so that, without neglecting any emergency that may arise, a medium to long-term approach can be developed in order to pre-empt the use of force through political action?
30/11/2012 | Standing Committee
“Statistics indicate an increase in the number of cases of violence against women and domestic violence,” the members of the PACE Standing Committee warned at a meeting in Andorra today. In a unanimously-adopted declaration, they called on member States to continue allocating adequate funding to shelters and assistance programmes for victims of violence...
30/11/2012 | Standing Committee
"Since taking up my duties in January 2012, I have been striving to refocus our Organisation, and the Parliamentary Assembly in particular, on its core business of upholding human rights. I am delighted that, when taking over the chairmanship, Andorra has also chosen to concentrate on the Council of Europe's original mission, to safeguard and develop human rights and fundamental freedoms," said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon as he opened today's Standing Committee meeting in Andorra.
30/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the Middle East, has welcomed yesterday’s vote in the UN General Assembly recognising Palestine as a non-member observer state. “The vote was a strong indication of the international community’s support for a two-state solution,” said Mr Marcenaro. “
30/11/2012 | Standing Committee
In a resolution adopted today by the PACE Standing Committee meeting in Andorra, the Assembly called on member states to reinforce their policies on intercountry adoption in order to pursue this practice under secure conditions while respecting the best interests of the child.