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Summer Session 2025

PACE summer session: addresses by the President of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Malta, award of the 2025 Vigdís Prize

Addresses by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela, as well as the award of the 2025 Vigdís Prize for Women's Empowerment to the Women of the Sun organisation were among the highlights of the summer plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which took place in Strasbourg from 23 to 27 June 2025.

There were also debates on the legal and human rights aspects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and on political negotiations to enforce exchange and release of prisoners of war. Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman also addressed the Assembly.

Urgent debates were on “Women's rights in Europe – progress and challenges” and on “Global peace under threat: halting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and addressing the wider conflict in the Middle East”.

There were also current affairs debates – in which no text is adopted by the Assembly – on “A call for the immediate release of persons facing politically motivated persecution in Georgia” and on “The European Court of Human Rights: rising to the challenges of our times”.

Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg, President of the Committee of Ministers, were present the traditional communication from that body and answer questions from members. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, also held a question-and-answer session with the parliamentarians.

Debates took place on social mobilisation, social unrest and police reaction in Council of Europe member states; on inclusive participation in parliamentary life; on protecting human rights in and through sport; and on the Olympic movement and peacekeeping.

Other items on the agenda included saving migrants’ lives at sea and protecting their human rights, the challenges and needs of public and private actors involved in migration management, and the analysis and guidelines for a sustainable and socially fair energy transition.

PACE gave its opinion on a Draft Protocol amending the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, and will debate the observation of Albania’s parliamentary elections.

Agenda

Reports and opinions

Monday 23 June 2025

Doc. 16203 (Report on credentials) Examination of credentials of representatives and substitutes Doc. 16198 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (11 April – 22 June 2025) Doc. 16198 Add. 1 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (23 June 2025) Doc. 16198 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16201 (Election observation report) Observation of the parliamentary elections in Albania (11 May 2025)

Tuesday 24 June 2025

Doc. 16177 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom Doc. 16198 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16193 (Report) Legal and human rights aspects of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine Doc. 16197 (Report) Support for political negotiations to enforce exchange and release of prisoners of war Doc. 16206 (Committee Opinion) Support for political negotiations to enforce exchange and release of prisoners of war

Wednesday 25 June 2025

Doc. 16196 (Report) Protecting human rights in and through sport: obligations and shared responsibilities Doc. 16185 (Report) The Olympic Movement and peacekeeping: is sport neutrality serving sport values? Doc. 16210 (Report) Global peace under threat: halting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and addressing the wider conflict in the Middle East Doc. 16212 (Committee Opinion) Global peace under threat: halting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and addressing the wider conflict in the Middle East Doc. 16191 (Report) Social mobilisation, social unrest and police reaction in Council of Europe member States: is there a need for a new social contract? Doc. 16186 (Report) Draft protocol amending the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism Doc. 16182 (Report) Analysis and guidelines for a sustainable and socially fair energy transition

Thursday 26 June 2025

Doc. 16195 (Report) Saving the lives of migrants at sea and protecting their human rights Doc. 16192 (Report) The challenges and needs of public and private actors involved in migration management Doc. 16211 (Report) Women's rights in Europe – Progress and challenges Doc. 16183 (Report) Promoting inclusive participation in parliamentary life: gender equality, accessibility and inclusive policies

Friday 27 June 2025

Doc. 16198 Add. 3 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (27 June 2025)

Speakers list

Date Lists
Monday 23 June 1
Tuesday 24 June 1 2 3 4
Wednesday 25 June 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Thursday 26 June 1 2 3 4 5 6
Friday 27 June 1

Verbatim records

Date Morning Afternoon
Monday 23 June
Tuesday 24 June
Wednesday 25 June
Thursday 26 June
Friday 27 June

Multimedia resources

Date Morning Afternoon
Monday 23 June OV EN OV EN
Tuesday 24 June OV EN OV EN
Wednesday 25 June OV EN OV EN
Thursday 26 June OV EN OV EN
Friday 27 June OV EN

Pictures

Media Gallery