02/06/2021 | President
PACE President Rik Daems, ending a working visit to Hungary, has welcomed the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and the opportunities it offers to further strengthen co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly. The President visited...
25/05/2021 | President
Rik Daems, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will make a working visit to Budapest from 26 to 28 May, during which he will hold a series of high-level meetings, in particular with the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the...
19/05/2021 | President
“States must ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated against Covid-19, whether due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated,” the PACE President said today, addressing the Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum on ‘Vaccination by Law’. While...
11/05/2021 | President
“It is not enough for member States to implement their own laws; they need the Istanbul Convention, its tools and mechanisms in order to combat violence against women in a proactive and efficient way,” said PACE President Rik Daems today, at the opening of a high-level Conference by video...
07/05/2021 | President
PACE President believes that every day should be a little bit Europe’s Day because the rights and freedoms we enjoy count every single day of the year, whether it is freedom of expression, religion, assembly, or the right just to be oneself, without racism or discrimination. “This was made...
05/05/2021 | President
Celebrating Europe Day and the founding of the Council of Europe, home to 47 member States and more than 830 million Europeans, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly made the following statement: “The Covid-19 crisis has brought about unprecedented, multi-faceted, wide-ranging and no doubt...
04/05/2021 | President
Rik Daems, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has strongly regretted that Jacques Maire, member of the Assembly, President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group in the Assembly, and Assembly Rapporteur, including for matters...
19/04/2021 | Session
A minute of silence in memory of Cheryl Gillan At the opening of its spring session, the Assembly held a minute of silence in memory of Cheryl Gillan, “a great European and a most appreciated colleague who left us on 5 April,” PACE President Rik Daems stressed in his opening speech. “Dame Cheryl...
06/04/2021 | President
Following the passing away of Cheryl Gillan (United Kingdom, EC/DA), Chairperson of the Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, PACE President Rik Daems made the following statement: "I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Dame Cheryl Gillan. A most dedicated European and a...
01/04/2021 | President
PACE President Rik Daems, ending a working visit to Turkey, has recalled the importance of dialogue, trust, mutual respect and working together as partners to overcome challenges and make progress (ilerleme in Turkish). The President visited the country from 29 to 31 March at the invitation of...
26/03/2021 | President
Rik Daems, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), will make a working visit to Ankara from 29 to 31 March, during which he will hold a series of high-level meetings, in particular with the President of the Repuplic, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, the...
21/03/2021 | President
The German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas, President of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, and the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Rik Daems, joined their voices to that of the Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija...