The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly was held in Vienna at the Austrian Parliament on Friday 22 November 2013 under the Austrian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. After the opening of the meeting by PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, the President of the Austrian National Council, Reinhard Todt, gave a … Read more

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  The PACE Standing Committee meets in Sarajevo on 22 May, ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s six-month chairmanship of the Council of Europe. The parliamentarians will hold an exchange of views with Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak on his country’s priorities, and are also due to debate children’s rights, the criminalisation of irregular migrants and cultural … Read more

Using its powers under the founding Statute, the Assembly can: Demand action from 47 European governments, who must jointly reply Conduct probes to uncover new facts about human rights violations Question Presidents and Prime Ministers on any topic it chooses Observe elections and send delegations to mediate in crisis hot-spots Negotiate the terms on which … 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 … Read more

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter” – Martin Luther King The world is becoming increasingly connected: persons, goods, capitals, services and ideas travel more and more freely. Migration is an asset and an opportunity for both countries of origin and host countries. Diaspora communities contribute to … Read more

Political Affairs and Democracy News New guidelines for fair referendums 11/12/2018 Political Affairs and Democracy Political Affairs Committee unanimously adopted a draft resolution aimed at updating the Venice Commission’s Code of Good Practice on Referendums, following, in particular, the increasing use of referendums. More A PACE delegation at the UN ponders how to uphold common … Read more

  Jean-Claude MIGNON “The Parliamentary Assembly was the instigator of many initiatives which have made the Council of Europe what it is today, from the European Convention on Human Rights to the integration of the new democracies in central and eastern Europe as a result of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the establishment … Read more

The Museum of Communication (Bern, Switzerland) wins 2019 Museum Prize Strasbourg, 07.12.2018 – The 2019 Council of Europe Museum Prize has been awarded to the Museum of Communication (Bern, Switzerland). The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at a meeting in Paris today. According … 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 22/01/2018 AS/PRO 001 AS/PRO 001 09/03/2018 AS/PRO 002 AS/PRO 002 24/04/2018 AS/PRO 003 AS/PRO 003 15/05/2018 AS/PRO 004 AS/PRO 004 2017 24/01/2017 AS/PRO 001 AS/PRO 001 13/03/2017 AS/PRO … Read more

The committee’s public documents and declarations. 1. Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (open) Date Document title 30/05/2016 AS/Soc (2016) PV 03 add2 Minutes of the joint hearing of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons and the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development on “Missing unaccompanied migrant children” held … Read more

Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons News New walls against migrants ‘morally unacceptable’, says committee 17/12/2018 Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons On the eve of International Migrants’ Day (18 December), the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced persons, in a statement, called for the respect of migrants’ fundamental rights. More Slavery Abolition Day: ‘Europe must do … Read more

  Culture, Science, Education and Media   News The Museum of Communication (Bern, Switzerland) wins 2019 Museum Prize 07/12/2018 Culture, Science, Education and Media The 2019 Council of Europe Museum Prize has been awarded to the Museum of Communication (Bern, Switzerland). The museum was selected by the Culture Committee of the PACE at a meeting … Read more

Lluís Maria de Puig Biography Historian and politician (Báscara on 29 July 1945 – Girona, 12 December 2012) Lives in Girona. Married with two children. Education Studied in Girona, Barcelona and Paris (Sorbonne). History lecturer at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the University of Girona. Activities, present and previous main functions An active member … 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 2017 23/01/2017 AS/POL 001 AS/POL 001 09/03/2017 AS/POL 002 AS/POL 002 24/04/2017 AS/POL 003 AS/POL 003 14/06/2017 AS/POL 004 AS/POL 004 26/06/2017 AS/POL 005 AS/POL 005 06/09/2017 AS/POL 006 … Read more

Monitoring News PACE monitors express concern at conviction in Turkey of honorary PACE member 20/12/2018 Monitoring PACE monitoring co-rapporteurs for Turkey Marianne Mikko and Nigel Evans have expressed their deep concern at the conviction of honorary PACE member Ertuğrul Kürkçü to two years in prison. More Albania: co-rapporteurs call on ruling majority and opposition to … Read more

  Special guest status In order to facilitate the process of accession of the countries from Central and Eastern Europe, the Assembly introduced in 1989 a so-called special guest status, applicable to all national legislative assemblies of European non-member states, which have signed the Helsinki Final Act (1975) and the Charter of Paris for a … Read more

The committee’s public documents and declarations. Date Document title 20/05/2015 AS/Cult/Inf (2015) 03 Contributions by experts to the work of the Committee on “Freedom of religion and living together in a democratic society” 12/03/2015 AS/Cult/Inf (2015) 05 Contributions to the hearings held on 12 March 2015 during the meeting held in The Hague, the Netherlands … Read more

Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development News ‘Blow the whistle’ to end child sexual abuse in sports 19/11/2018 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development “One in five children are victims of sexual abuse or violence, and in the field of sport, children are particularly vulnerable,” Liliane Maury Pasquier said today, at an event organised by … Read more

(January 2018) The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Right promotes the rule of law and defends human rights. It is also responsible for a whole variety of activities that make it, de facto, the Assembly’s legal adviser. The Committee (AS/Jur) comprises 86 members and their alternates. It deals with a wide range of legal … Read more