Debates on recent developments in the Middle East: Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s response, and on allegations of systemic torture in places of detention in Europe, were among highlights of the 2024 Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), held from 22 to 26 January in Strasbourg. The parliamentarians also held a debate under urgent procedure on the situation of the children of Ukraine, with the online intervention of Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović, as well as the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, Daniel Risch, addressed the parliamentarians. Liechtenstein’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, and Sport, Dominique Hasler, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić presented their communications to the Assembly and took questions from members. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of Belarusian democratic opposition, addressed the Assembly during the debate “A democratic future for Belarus”.
At the opening of the session, the Assembly elected its President. During the session parliamentarians also elected the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. Dunja Mijatović, the outgoing Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed the Assembly on Monday 22 January.
Also on the agenda was a debate on globalisation in times of crises and war, and the role of the OECD since the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, with the participation of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.
Other debates included the theme of migration and asylum in the election campaign, countering SLAPPs as an imperative for a democratic society, and the prevention of child abuse in institutions in Europe.
Finally, the Assembly debated the challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan.
Note to editors
Due to ongoing renovation work in the debating chamber of the Palais de l'Europe, the plenary sittings were held in the debating chamber of the European Parliament.
All committee activities and meetings, as well as all side events, took place in the Palais de l’Europe premises, as will all media-related activities (press room, interviews, press briefings, MediaBox, etc.)
Practical information
Press accreditation: Please fill in this accreditation form. More details here, or contact the Council of Europe Communications Directorate via [email protected].
Website: The agenda, documents, voting results, speakers lists, video recordings of each sitting (in English and in the original languages), as well as the verbatim record of each sitting (in English, French, German and Italian), are available on the Session’s special page. News items on all debates appear on the Assembly’s home page.
Webcast: The session is webcast live (in French, English, German, Italian and Spanish) on PACE’s website. Each sitting is also streamed live via the Assembly’s YouTube channel in original languages, scrollable in mid-stream, and a recording made available immediately after it ends.
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Social media: Follow the Assembly’s official accounts via X (#PACEwinter2024) and Facebook.
Contact: PACE Communication Division, tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93; [email protected].
04/10/2024 - Session
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03/10/2024 - Session
Ninety years on from the Holodomor, Ukraine once again faces the threat of genocide
03/10/2024 - Session
Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski reaffirms North Macedonia’s commitment to European values, human rights and rule of law
Vice-Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly
Nomination of members to general committees
Nomination of members to general committees - Add.1
Nomination of members to general committees - Add.2
Nomination of members to general committees - Add.3
Composition of the Standing Committee
Statutory report on the activities of the Committee of Ministers
Monday 22 January 2024
Doc. 15896 (Report on credentials) Examination of credentials of representatives and substitutes Doc. 15885 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (13 October 2023 - 21 January 2024) Doc. 15885 Add. 1 (Progress report) Gender equality in the functioning of the Assembly Doc. 15885 Add. 2 rev (Progress report) Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Doc. 15885 Add. 3 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 15885 Add. 4 (Progress report) Election Observation activities of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2023 Doc. 15885 Add. 5 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (22 January 2024) Doc. 15895 (Election observation report) Observation of the early parliamentary elections in Serbia (17 December 2023)
Tuesday 23 January 2024
Doc. 15870 (Communication) Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Doc. 15885 Add. 2 rev (Progress report) Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Doc. 15867 rev (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Bulgaria Doc. 15885 Add. 3 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 15877 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Lithuania Doc. 15876 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Luxembourg Doc. 15890 (Report) Recent developments in the Middle East: Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s response Doc. 15890 Add. (Addendum to the report) Recent developments in the Middle East: Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s response Doc. 15832 (Report) The theme of migration and asylum in election campaigns and its consequences on the reception of migrants and their rights Doc. 15888 (Committee Opinion) The theme of migration and asylum in election campaigns and its consequences on the reception of migrants and their rights
Wednesday 24 January 2024
Doc. 15870 (Communication) Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Doc. 15885 Add. 2 rev (Progress report) Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Doc. 15867 rev (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Bulgaria Doc. 15885 Add. 3 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 15868 (Report) Globalisation in times of crisis and war: the role of the OECD since the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine Doc. 15887 (Committee Opinion) Globalisation in times of crisis and war: the role of the OECD since the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine Doc. 15898 (Report) Challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan Doc. 15899 (Committee Opinion) Challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan Doc. 15880 (Report) Allegations of systemic torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in places of detention in Europe
Thursday 25 January 2024
Doc. 15901 (Report) Situation of the children of Ukraine Doc. 15902 (Committee Opinion) Situation of the children of Ukraine Doc. 15910 (Parliamentary questions) Parliamentary question to the Chairperson-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers Doc. 15892 (Report) A democratic future for Belarus Doc. 15892 Add. (Addendum to the report) A democratic future for Belarus Doc. 15869 (Report) Countering SLAPPs: an imperative for a democratic society Doc. 15879 (Committee Opinion) Countering SLAPPs: an imperative for a democratic society Doc. 15891 (Report) Guaranteeing media freedom and the safety of journalists: an obligation of member States
Friday 26 January 2024
Doc. 15889 (Report) Child abuse in institutions in Europe Doc. 15893 (Report) The progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure (January-December 2023) Doc. 15885 Add. 6 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (26 January 2024)
Result election – Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe
Result election – Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Bulgaria
Result election – Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Lithuania
Result election – Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Luxembourg
| Date | Lists |
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| Monday 22 January | 1 2 |
| Tuesday 23 January | 1 2 3 4 |
| Wednesday 24 January | 1 2 3 4 |
| Thursday 25 January | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Friday 26 January | 1 2 |
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| Monday 22 January |
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| Tuesday 23 January |
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| Wednesday 24 January |
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| Thursday 25 January |
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| Friday 26 January |
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| Date | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 22 January | OV EN | OV EN |
| Tuesday 23 January | OV EN | |
| Wednesday 24 January | OV EN | |
| Thursday 25 January | OV EN | OV EN |
| Friday 26 January | OV EN |
