22/05/2026 Standing Committee
The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which acts in the name of the Assembly between sessions and brings together around 60 parliamentarians from the Council of Europe’s 46 member states, met in Monaco on Friday 22 May 2026.
On 15 May, Monaco began its six-month Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, the Organisation’s executive body. The Standing Committee traditionally meets in the capital of the country holding the Presidency.
The meeting was opened by PACE President Petra Bayr, followed by a welcome address from the Speaker of the National Council of Monaco Thomas Brezzo.
The parliamentarians then held an exchange of views with Monaco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, who is due to preside over the Committee of Ministers for the next six months.
In the afternoon the Standing Committee held a debate on the Assembly’s contribution to updating the Rule of Law Checklist prepared by the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional matters, with the online participation of the Venice Commission’s President Marta Cartabia.
It also debated reports on journalism in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict, on enhancing co-operation between parliaments and equality bodies., and on restructuring and streamlining the Rules of Procedure.
The meeting concluded at around 4.30 p.m., immediately followed by a round table on “Youth and Artificial Intelligence: Education, Autonomy, and Democratic Safeguards”, which was opened by the President of the National Council of Monaco Thomas Brezzo and PACE President Petra Bayr.
At the beginning of the day, there was a working breakfast of the Assembly’s Women@PACE group with the participation of H.S.H Princess Charlene of Monaco. The group, which brings together women members of the Assembly, invites inspiring women to reflect on their experiences and share their insights.
Practical information
Both events were open to the press and could be followed live and on replay on the Assembly’s YouTube channel, in French, English and original languages. The working breakfast of the Women@PACE group was not open to the press.