17/12/2008 | Monitoring
The two PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs on the consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia have expressed serious concern that the escalation of tensions and provocations along the administrative borders could lead to “renewed clashes or an outbreak of hostilities” between the two member states. In a preliminary draft explanatory memorandum made public today by PACE’s Monitoring Committee, meeting in Paris, Luc van den Brande (Belgium, EPP/CD) and Mátyás Eörsi (Hungary, ALDE) called for access for international monitors to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
16/12/2008 | Political Affairs and Democracy
In his report on private military and security firms and the erosion of the state monopoly on the use of force, adopted today by the Political Affairs Committee, Wolfgang Wodarg (Germany, SOC) criticises the shift in public security obligations to the private sector. He warns against the uncontrolled activities of European private military and security companies.
12/12/2008 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Adopting a draft resolution on the humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and the Russian Federation, PACE´s Committee on Migration called on both states and the de facto authorities in South Ossetia and Abkhazia to investigate and where appropriate prosecute all human rights violations and violations of humanitarian law. Following the proposals of the rapporteur (Corien Jonker, Netherlands, EPP/CD), the parliamentarians also said that reparations for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law should be provided, including restitution of property and payment of compensation.
12/12/2008 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“I welcome the decision by the Committee of Ministers to approve the terms of reference of an ad hoc committee to draft a legal instrument aiming at preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,” said Carina Hägg, Chair of the PACE Sub-Committee on Violence against Women. “Thanks to the involvement of Assembly members and the efforts of the Committee of Ministers supported by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, it is now possible to start work on drafting a convention,” she added.
12/12/2008 | Prizes
Nominations for PACE's annual Human Rights Prize, which will reward "outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe", should be submitted by 31 December 2008 at the latest. Individuals and NGOs can be nominated for the prize, which will be selected by a seven-member panel from nominations put forward by at least five sponsors.
11/12/2008 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
“Illegal immigration in the Canary Islands is a matter of concern to us all, and it is not a short-lived phenomenon. It is there to stay”, declared Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (Spain, SOC), head of the Spanish delegation to PACE, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria today at the opening of the meeting held by the Assembly’s Migration Committee in the capital of the archipelago. Inés Rojas, member of the Canary Islands government responsible for social affairs, said that “the Canary Islands can be the voice of Africa in Europe. We must stop talking about Africa and start talking with Africa”.
10/12/2008 | President
"It is when times are hard that the commitment to protecting human rights is tested most severely," PACE President Lluis Maria de Puig said on the eve of Human Rights Day. "History tells us that an economic downturn usually leads to a rise in prejudice and discrimination. We must redouble our efforts to fight them, as well as the resulting intolerance."
09/12/2008 | Prizes
The Council of Europe Museum Prize for 2009 has been awarded to the Zeeuws Museum in Middelburg in the Netherlands. The museum, housed in a twelfth century abbey, presents regional collections in unexpected visual and sensory contexts. Zeeuws is a regional language spoken in the Dutch province of Zeeland. The museum’s focus on “excitement, liveliness, interaction” and its appeal to a younger audience were particularly appreciated.
09/12/2008 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
“Technological progress in the field of electronic media, notably the internet, which is now widely used for disseminating audiovisual content, means that it is time for a revision of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television,” said Andrew McIntosh (United Kingdom, SOC), author of a report on the regulation of audiovisual media services, approved today by PACE’s Culture Committee. He made a number of recommendations for revising the Convention.
09/12/2008 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
“The protection and adaptation of copyright in an information society where the growth of the internet offers everyone the opportunity to share written documents, music and films and to access electronic libraries remains a controversial issue, especially given the inadequate regulation of this sector,” said José Luis Arnaut, rapporteur of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science and Education, at a hearing on copyright in Europe held in Paris today.
09/12/2008 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
The members of the Migration Committee will meet the authorities of the Canary Islands, during a series of seminars on 11-12 December, to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by ‘boat people’ and the phenomenon of irregular migration to the Canaries and the rest of Spain. Meeting later, the committee is also due to adopt the report by Corien Jonker (Netherlands, EPP/CD) on the humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia and the report by Tina Acketoft (Sweden, ALDE) on the need for international recognition and protection of environmentally induced migrants.
08/12/2008 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
How can copyright be protected, particularly in electronic communications, while every citizen must retain the right to free access to information, including those provided by digital libraries? This question will be raised at a hearing on “Copyright in Europe”, organised on Tuesday 9 December 2008 in Paris.