Debates on the humanitarian crisis concerning women, children and the hostages in Gaza; and on the need for a renewed rules-based international order - with a statement by Marko Bošnjak, President of the European Court of Human Rights - are among the highlights of the winter plenary session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), taking place from 27 to 31 January 2025 in Strasbourg.
The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden, will address the parliamentarians and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Xavier Bettel, will present his communication to the Assembly and take questions from members in the framework of Luxembourg’s Presidency.
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will also address the Assembly, and Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, will present a communication to the parliamentarians.
The presentation of a report on multi-perspectivity in remembrance and history education will be followed by a ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in the Chamber.
There have been requests for urgent procedure debates on "Opinion on a draft convention for the protection of the profession of lawyer" and on "The urgent need for free and fair elections in Belarus".
Other highlights on the agenda include the observation of the parliamentary elections in Georgia; immigration as one of the answers to Europe’s demographic ageing; the risks to human rights and the rule of law posed by mercenaries and private military companies; regulating content moderation on social media to safeguard freedom of expression; and age-based discrimination against older persons.
The Assembly will also debate the Council of Europe’s draft convention for the protection of the profession of lawyer, with a statement by the Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland, as well as reports on women in the economy: employment, entrepreneurship and gender-responsive budgeting; “long Covid” and access to the right to health; and the progress of the Assembly's monitoring procedure.
24/01/2025 - Session
Ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp
23/01/2025 - Session
PACE Winter Session: the humanitarian crisis concerning women, children and the hostages in Gaza; the need for a renewed rules-based international order
04/10/2024 - Session
Maximising the metaverse benefits while avoiding potential misuses
Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp
Candidatures for the Vice-Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly
Monday 27 January 2025
Doc. 16096 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (4 October 2024 – 26 January 2025) Doc. 16096 Add. 1 (Progress report) Gender equality in the functioning of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2024 Doc. 16096 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16096 Add. 3 (Progress report) Election observation activities of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2024 Summary report and recommendations Doc. 16079 (Election observation report) Observation of the parliamentary elections in Georgia (26 October 2024) Doc. 16086 (Report) Progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure (January – December 2024)
Tuesday 28 January 2025
Doc. 16085 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Andorra Doc. 16096 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16080 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Armenia Doc. 16027 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Slovenia Doc. 16087 (Report) The need for a renewed rules-based international order Doc. 16093 (Report) The absolute and urgent need to end the humanitarian crisis for women, children and the hostages in Gaza Doc. 16092 (Report) Addressing risks to human rights and the rule of law posed by mercenaries and private military and security companies: a call for comprehensive regulation
Wednesday 29 January 2025
Doc. 16090 (Report) Multiperspectivity in remembrance and history education for democratic citizenship Doc. 16072 (Report) Immigration, one of the answers to Europe's demographic ageing
Thursday 30 January 2025
Doc. 16068 (Report) Women in the economy: employment, entrepreneurship and gender-responsive budgeting Doc. 16089 (Report) Regulating content moderation on social media to safeguard freedom of expression Doc. 16091 (Report) Overcoming age-based discrimination against older persons
Friday 31 January 2025
Doc. 16088 (Report) “Long Covid” and access to the right to health
