There are six organised political groups within the Assembly: the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CD) the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group (SOC) the European Conservatives Group (EC) – New site under construction, thank you for your patience the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) the Group of the Unified European … 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 history, … Read more
The Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly will meet in Paris (Assemblée nationale) on 7 March 2014. Members of the Standing Committee will hold an exchange of views with Ranko Krivokapić, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE. This will be followed by debates on “Migrants and refugees and the fight against AIDS”, “Europe’s … Read more
The Parliamentary Project Support Division was created in 2012. Its aim is, in co-operation with the general Committees, to assist with the implementation of specific co-operation involving parliamentarians and staff of national parliaments, so as to increase the visibility and impact of the PACE’s work. It is intended to ensure that the PACE’s key recommendations … Read more
Pedro Agramunt: Biography Born in Valencia, 12 September 1951. Married, two children. Education: Bachelor in Law, University of Valencia. Political positions: President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, elected on 25 January 2016 for a one-year term, renewable once. President of the European People’s Party group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the … Read more
Strasbourg, 28 September-2 October 2015 A joint debate on the humanitarian and political response to the migration and refugee crisis in Europe, the challenges for countries of transit, and the urgent need for a real European asylum system, with the intervention of the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Laura Boldrini, will be among … Read more
Bureau and Presidential Committee News Next step in the Assembly reform process 29/06/2018 Bureau Proposals aimed at maintaining, changing or supplementing the rules governing the ratification or challenge of credentials, and participation rights of national delegations, have been referred to PACE’s Rules Committee. More Ad hoc Committee on the role and mission of PACE 13/06/2018 … Read more
European Conference of Presidents of Parliament The European Conference of Presidents of Parliament brings together Speakers and Presidents of the parliaments of the 47 member States of the Council of Europe; of parliaments enjoying observer and partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and of international parliamentary assemblies. … Read more
Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs News Rules Committee proposes to strengthen PACE’s decision-making process on credentials and voting 20/09/2018 Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs The Committee on Rules of Procedure proposes to amend some of the Assembly’s Rules on challenges to the credentials of national delegations, including as regards the majorities … Read more
The Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence is composed of parliamentarians, engaged at national level in the fight against violence against women. They belong to delegations of member and observer States with the Parliamentary Assembly, as well as delegations of partners for democracy. The Network has been active since 2006, when it contributed to the … Read more
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
