25/05/2011 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Europe must share, not shirk, responsibility for the large number of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants arriving by boat to the island of Lampedusa, a five-member delegation from PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and population has declared.
25/05/2011 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
How to handle the large-scale arrival of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe’s southern shores will be a main focus of meetings of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Corfu, Greece, on 1-2 June 2011.
24/05/2011 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“National parliaments should play a key role when it comes to strengthening protection of children and prevention of all forms of violence against them,” Ivan Popescu (Ukraine, SOC), Vice-President of the PACE, said today at the opening of a conference in Kyiv on combating violence against children. He added that it was up to the parliaments to go ahead with reinforcing national legislation and introducing the highest standards of protection.
20/05/2011 | Monitoring
The Assembly’s co-rapporteur for Albania, Thomáš Jirsa (Czech Republic, EDG), has expressed his concern about the growing tensions in the country over the mayoral election in Tirana and called upon all sides to remain calm and move away from confrontation. "I am following developments in Albania closely and with grave concern. I call upon both sides to avoid escalating the situation and to fully respect the legal framework for the resolution of election complaints and appeals," said Mr Jirsa.
20/05/2011 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
“In times of crisis, it is essential to give a boost to the regional economy and to develop the often underexploited local economic potential”, according to participants in Lamezia Terme at today’s hearing on input for local development, organised by the PACE Committee on Economic Affairs and Development.
19/05/2011 | Elections
PACE pre-electoral delegation visited Skopje on 17-18 May to assess the state of preparations and the political climate prior to the early parliamentary elections in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” on 5 June 2011. The pre-electoral delegation notes that the amended Electoral Code, if properly implemented, could ensure a sound legal framework for the holding of democratic elections.
19/05/2011 | Standing Committee
The potential dangers of electromagnetic fields and their effect on the environment will be a central focus of the meeting of PACE Standing Committee to be held in Kyiv on Friday 27 May 2011 following the transfer of the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers to Ukraine. Assembly members will hold a debate on the basis of the report by Jean Huss (Luxembourg, SOC) and will adopt a resolution on this issue. The draft text calls for a series of measures to reduce exposure – especially of children and young people – to electromagnetic fields, and in particular radio frequencies emitted by mobile phones.
19/05/2011 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
PACE Vice-President Ivan Popescu (Ukraine, SOC) will give a speech on 24 May in Kyiv at the opening of the Conference on combating violence against children to be held in the context of the Ukrainian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. The aim of the conference is to gather information on good practices in implementing integrated national strategies to safeguard children’s rights.
18/05/2011 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
PACE Committee on Economic Affairs and Development will hold a hearing on 20 May in Lamezia Terme (Italy) on “Input for local development: an innovative approach for crisis-stricken regions” in connection with the preparation of a report on the subject by Giuseppe Galati (Italy, EPP/CD).
18/05/2011 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
A five-member delegation of parliamentarians from PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population is to visit the Italian island of Lampedusa on 23-24 May as part of its assessment of the large-scale arrival of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe’s southern shores.
18/05/2011 | Elections
A four-member, cross-party delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) making a pre-electoral visit to Turkey ahead of the 12 June parliamentary elections has welcomed the sound economic progress achieved in Turkey since the 2007 parliamentary elections.
17/05/2011 | Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Governments must create incentives for “greener” industry, help companies to meet environmental standards and give them scientific and technological support to become more ecologically-friendly, has said Alan Meale (United Kingdom, SOC), Chair of PACE’s Sub-committee on Local and Regional Democracy, hosting a panel on “the role of government in strengthening green industry” at the Nevsky International Ecological Congress in Saint Petersburg today.