The parliamentarians who make up PACE come from the national parliaments of the Organisation’s 47 member states. They meet four times a year to discuss topical issues and ask European governments to take initiatives and report back. These parliamentarians speak for the 800 million Europeans who elected them. They broach the issues of their choice, … Read more
Composition and working methods of committees Committees are composed of representatives or substitutes of the Assembly. All committees (with the exception of the Committee on the Honouring of obligations and commitments by member states, known as the Monitoring Committee and the Committee of Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs) have an equal … Read more
The Assembly has a framework for ensuring the transparency of its work and the accountability and integrity of its members, in place for many years. This was significantly improved in 2017 and is regularly updated, ensuring that members act in line with the highest ethical standards. The Code of Conduct spells out what is expected … Read more
How are judges of the European Court of Human Rights elected? The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe elects the judges of the European Court of Human Rights, providing them with democratic legitimacy. According to the European Convention on Human Rights, judges must “be of high moral character and possess the qualifications required for … Read more
Václav Havel Human Rights Prize 2018 awarded to Oyub Titiev Strasbourg, 08.10.2018 – The sixth Václav Havel Human Rights Prize – which honours outstanding civil society action in defence of human rights – has been awarded to the head of the Grozny office of the Memorial Human Rights Center in Chechyna, Oyub … Read more
The democratic conscience of Greater Europe The Assembly brings together 324 men and women from the parliaments of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states. Though it contains many voices, reflecting political opinion across the continent, its mission is to uphold the shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law that … Read more
The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which aims to reward outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, was launched on 25 March 2013 at a ceremony in Prague (Czech Republic). To be awarded each year by the Assembly, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the … Read more
Most of the reports debated in plenary session or at the Standing Committee are prepared by a committee. The nine general committees of the Assembly are the following: Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy (AS/Pol) Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (AS/Jur) Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (AS/Soc) Committee on Migration, … Read more
With the Terrorism: #NoHateNoFear initiative, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe wishes to encourage all players in society to stand firm against the terrorist threat by refusing to give in to hatred or fear. Certainly, terrorism must be combated, but this fight must be waged with due regard for the values which unite … Read more
The Assembly has a framework for ensuring the transparency of its work and the accountability and integrity of its members, in place for many years. This was significantly improved in 2017 and is regularly updated, ensuring that members act in line with the highest ethical standards. The Code of Conduct spells out what is expected … Read more
In today’s world, many men face challenges with erectile dysfunction (ED), a common condition that affects both physical and emotional well-being. Generic Cialis, a treatment based on the active ingredient Tadalafil, has emerged as a reliable and affordable solution for managing ED. Offering the same therapeutic effect as branded Cialis, generics provide long-lasting benefits at … Read more
Detail of decisions taken by the Committee at each meeting Détail des décisions prises par la Commission à chacune de ses réunions Date English Français 2016 25/01/2016 AS/SOC 001 AS/SOC 001 15/03/2016 AS/SOC 002 AS/SOC 002 17/03/2016 AS/SOC/CSE 001 AS/SOC/CSE 001 18/04/2016 AS/SOC 003 AS/SOC/003 02/06/2016 AS/SOC 004 AS/SOC/004 21/06/2016 AS/SOC 005 AS/SOC/005 08/07/2016 AS/SOC/PRIX … Read more
Detail of decisions taken by the Committee at each meeting Détail des décisions prises par la Commission à chacune de ses réunions Date English Français 2018 12/01/2018 AS/CDH 001 AS/CDH 001 24/01/2018 AS/CDH 002 AS/CDH 002 12/04/2018 AS/CDH 003 AS/CDH 003 15/06/2018 AS/CDH 004 AS/CDH 004 27/09/2018 AS/CDH 005 AS/CDH 005 2017 13/01/2017 AS/CDH 001 … Read more
When is it appropriate for government members, civil servants or parliamentarians to accept gifts? How often are judges offered bribes? When does legitimate lobbying cross the line into undue influence? What role can investigative journalists play in revealing corrupt practices? What should parliaments be doing to root out corruption? Corruption is theft. It also subverts … Read more
Diary Print version December 2018 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Year 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 … Read more
Did you know? The Joint Committee is the organ of co-ordination of the Council of Europe. Secretariat – 6.229 – +33/3 88.41.2370 Reference texts Resolution (51) 30 C, Statute of the Council of Europe Functioning Terms of reference The functions of the Joint Committee are: to examine the problems which are common to the Committee … Read more
Strasbourg, 30 September-4 October 2013 Strasbourg, 05.09.2013 – Addresses by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin will be among highlights of PACE’s forthcoming autumn plenary session (30 September-4 October). Also on the agenda are debates on national security and access to … Read more
The most recent completed plenary part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) took place in Strasbourg from 29 September to 3 October 2025 and placed a strong emphasis on the safety of journalists and broader democratic resilience. Key political outcomes included urgent debates and follow-up texts on: (i) the humanitarian … Read more
Anne Brasseur “I am proud to be the president of an Assembly which brings together 324 parliamentarians from 47 European countries, representing 820 million people. To benefit from this diversity, we must not only foster permanent dialogue and mutual respect but also make the effort to understand others, taking account of their backgrounds, their … Read more
Political groups In order to develop a non-national European outlook, the formation of political groups in the Parliamentary Assembly has been promoted and from 1964 onwards they were granted certain rights within the Rules of Procedure. At present the Assembly counts six political groups: the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD); the Socialists, Democrats … Read more
