29/09/2009 | Session
"Music is essential for young people education in the European project", mentioned the distinguished conductor Kurt Masur, intervening at the Assembly on 29 September. The former music director of the New York Philharmonic stressed the importance of art and culture as integration instruments and curriculum development for the Council of Europe member states education policies.
29/09/2009 | Session
Art can usefully reinforce formal education, according to the Assembly. That is why cultural and artistic means of education should become an essential part of formal education, in particular at school level. Following the proposals of the rapporteur (Christine Muttonen, Austria, SOC), the Assembly today invited the Council of Europe member and observer states to support research with a view to establishing national strategies for cultural education at school and as part of informal education and lifelong learning. Cultural education through qualified arts teachers and artists, they said, should be mandatory at school.
29/09/2009 | Session
PACE believes that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009, should result in an agreement giving priority to equity and social justice. While the Assembly recognises the need to reach agreement in Copenhagen on a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each country – at least 50% by 2050 compared with 1990 levels – it supports, in a resolution adopted today, an equitable and differentiated approach that takes due account of a country’s population, industrial development and poverty.
29/09/2009 | Session
The Chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) addressed today the Parliamentary Assembly highlighting the relevance of climate change. The Indian expert focused on the global warming effects and on the role of the international community gathering in Copenhagen in December.
29/09/2009 | Session
PACE today elected Thorbjørn Jagland (Norway) Secretary General of the Organisation for a five-year term. In the first round of the election, Thorbjørn Jagland obtained 165 votes (an absolute majority) and Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz (Poland) 80 votes. There were 245 votes cast. Mr Jagland has been President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005 and Member of Parliament for Buskerud County since 1993. Thorbjørn Jagland will be sworn in as Secretary General on 1 October 2009.
29/09/2009 | Session
PACE today elected Thorbjørn Jagland (Norway) Secretary General of the Organisation for a five-year term. In the first round of the election, Thorbjørn Jagland obtained 165 votes (an absolute majority) and Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz (Poland) 80 votes. There were 245 votes cast. Mr Jagland has been President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005 and Member of Parliament for Buskerud County since 1993. Thorbjørn Jagland will be sworn in as Secretary General on 1 October 2009.
29/09/2009 | Session
Speaking today at the Assembly, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Slovenia and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, announced that an agreement has been reached on a package of measures to enhance dialogue and co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers. "I believe that it is of vital importance that the two statutory bodies of our Organisation stand united to promote the values and principles of the Council of Europe," he said. The agreement covers a series of measures, including the review of the future election procedures and immediate action for improving dialogue and co-operation in general.
29/09/2009 | Session
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) has unanimously elected Anne Brasseur new President of the Group. Mrs Brasseur, engaged in politics since 1975, has a long and rich experience of parliamentary work. She was Minister of National Education and Sports of Luxembourg (1999-2004) and at present chairs PACE's Committee on Culture, Science and Education.
28/09/2009 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
In a recommendation adopted today, the Assembly calls on the member states to increase protection for minors who use Internet and online media services, particularly through the use of parental filter systems. PACE also urges the member states to support the creation of secure, restricted-access networks which filter content harmful to minors and comply with codes of conduct, as recommended by József Kozma (Hungary, SOC) in his report.
28/09/2009 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected two of its Vice-Presidents : Dzhema Grozdanova, with respect to Bulgaria and Juan Moscoso del Prado Hernández, with respect fo Spain.
28/09/2009 | Session
What strategies are currently being implemented in Europe and the United States to support green business? Are new environmentally-friendly technologies and solutions emerging on both continents? What policies have governments already introduced to foster green growth? All of these issues will be explored at a debate to be held jointly by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Alsace Regional Council, on Tuesday 29 September 2009, from 8 to 9.30 p.m.
28/09/2009 | Session
At the opening of its autumn session (28 September-2 October 2009) in Strasbourg this morning, the Assembly decided to hold a current affairs debate on Wednesday 30 September on the situation of human rights defenders and the growing violence in the North Caucasus region. The parliamentarians also decided to discuss the reconsideration, on substantive grounds, of the already ratified credentials of the Russian delegation, an item which will be debated on Thursday 1 October, and a challenge to the credentials of the Moldovan delegation, a question which will be discussed on the evening of Wednesday 30th September. The highlights of the session include debates on the challenges of climate change and the situation one year after the war between Georgia and Russia, and the election of the new Council of Europe Secretary General.