Nyt fra E u r o p a r å d e t
Opdatering november og kalender december
Pressemeddelelse DK 14/06, 30. november 2006
Launching Conference of the Council of Europe Campaign to combat violence against women including domestic violence:
Speech by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Madrid, 27 November 2006 - Women suffering from domestic violence are not only victims of abuse, they are also victims of silence, victims of indifference and victims of neglect. They are not helpless and weak, but they are often let down. This is what the Council of Europe Campaign is determined to change. The key words are inform, help and empower.
The slogan of the Campaign is Stop Domestic Violence. This is the message to governments, who must meet their political, legislative and administrative obligations to prevent domestic violence, help the victims and punish the perpetrators.
It
is a message to the public – to all of us – to stop looking the other way and
to stop minimising the scale and the gravity of this problem.
It is also a message to men, who should be considered as essential actors in
preventing the violence. Our Campaign is not about women protecting women; it
is about men protecting women as well.
Most importantly, the message of the Campaign must reach the victims and tell them that they are not alone. Women suffering from abuse must be told that they are entitled to protection and help, and they must be told where it is and how they can get to it.
When it comes to the role of governments, we should start by recalling the nature of their obligations. Every Government has a responsibility to protect the human rights of all its citizens and everyone else in the country. A Government must therefore take all reasonable measures to prevent, investigate and punish all forms of violence against women, including violence within the family.
This Campaign will build on the existing Recommendation by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on the protection of women against violence – the Recommendation which was adopted in 2005. This Recommendation covers all forms of gender-based violence, and it is the first international call for a global strategy to prevent violence and to protect its victims.
The Recommendation is a non-exhaustive compendium of measures which have already been adopted by some, but not all 46 member states of the Council of Europe.
The first objective of our campaign is therefore to make sure that governments go through this check-list of measures and implement them if they have not already done so. By adding new measures, every government can also help to create a collection of good practices, which should allow our member states to learn from each other’s successes and mistakes.
The Campaign has, of course, a very strong parliamentary dimension as well, and the role of parliamentarians and representatives of local and regional authorities is essential in making sure that the results of the Campaign are implemented through policy decisions and appropriate legislative and administrative measures at the national and local level.
Finally, an effective fight against domestic violence requires the broadest possible public action. We all have a role to play in stopping the violence and helping the victims, from civil society to teachers, and from social workers to medical staff, but the fact remains that violence against women is a violation of human rights and a particularly devastating form of criminal offence. Our governments do not have an option - they must act effectively and they must act now.
This Campaign is not launched merely to talk about domestic violence; it is meant to do something about it. Its ultimate success will not be measured by the number of seminars or declarations, but by the positive and quantifiable changes which our campaign helps to bring about in the lives of women suffering from abuse, through better laws, more shelters, better counselling, more help and above all by prevention. Eighteen months from now, we must be able to look back and say we have made a difference. We must not let down these victims of a widespread abuse of human rights.
San Marino presents its priorities for the next six months of the Committee of Ministers chairmanship
Strasbourg, 15.11.2006 – Fiorenzo Stolfi, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of San Marino, presented the priorities fixed by his country today as it took up the chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers for the next six months.
The three main priorities are:
-
promoting intercultural and inter-religious dialogue,
- defending and developing human rights and fundamental freedoms, particularly
through enhanced effectiveness of the monitoring mechanism of the European
Convention on Human Rights,
- strengthening cooperation with the other international organisations.
The San Marino chairmanship backs the work on preparing the White Paper on intercultural dialogue and will emphasise the role of education in this sphere, particularly education for “plural European citizenshipâ€.
In order to guarantee effectiveness of the monitoring mechanism of the European Convention on Human Rights, San Marino will firmly commit itself to implementing Protocol No. 14 to the Convention and following up the report which the "Group of Wise Persons" has just forwarded to the outgoing Russian chairmanship.
The San Marino chairmanship will attach great importance and give its backing to the various campaigns currently run by the Council of Europe: ''Stop domestic violence", “Europe for and with childrenâ€, "All different, all equal" and the campaign against trafficking in human beings.
In order to guarantee complementarity and synergy between the main European organisations, San Marino will support regular consultation between representatives of all the organisations concerned. The chairmanship will also make efforts to finalise the Memorandum of understanding with the European Union and is committed to strengthening cooperation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations.
Events to be noted
2 conferences to be organised by the San Marino chairmanship:
· in
February/March: a seminar on "The future of the European Court of Human
Rights, in the light of the Wise Persons’ report"
· on 23-24 April: Conference on Inter-religious and Intercultural dialogue in
Europe.
For more information, see http://www.coe.int/CM-Chairmanship/
PACE Standing Committee calls for better treatment of non-citizens in Latvia
San Marino, 17.11.2006 – The Standing Committee of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) meeting today in San Marino, called for non-citizens in Latvia to be granted at least the same rights as other EU nationals living in the country.
In a resolution, the parliamentarians called for automatic naturalisation of non-citizens who are elderly or born in the country, as well as those who have made “a worthwhile contribution to the establishment of the newly independent Latvian stateâ€. More flexible naturalisation procedures should be considered, and those applying should not be asked to express convictions that are “contrary to their reading of the history of their cultural community or nationâ€.
Minorities should also be able to use their language in relations with administrative authorities “in areas where they live in substantial numbers†while all permanent residents should be able to vote in at least local elections, in line with Assembly recommendations.
In the long term, such measures could help the Russian minority in Latvia to serve as “a bridge†to the nearby culture and market of the Russian Federation, the parliamentarians said.
However, they also warned against various Latvian political players exploiting inter-community tensions for purely political purposes.
Around one-fifth of Latvia’s resident population still possesses neither Latvian nor any other nationality, according to the report, although many of them were living in Latvia – with Soviet nationality – when the country became independent.
Vedtagne tekster under mødet i Forsamlingens Standing Committee (San Marino, 17 November 2006)
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21/11/2006 |
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RES. 1524 | Resolution |
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21/11/2006 |
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REC. 1771 | Recommendation |
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21/11/2006 |
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REC. 1772 | Recommendation |
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21/11/2006 |
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RES. 1525 | Resolution |
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21/11/2006 |
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RES. 1526 | Resolution |
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RES. 1527 | Resolution |
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21/11/2006 |
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REC. 1774 | Recommendation |
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21/11/2006 |
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REC. 1775 | Recommendation |
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21/11/2006 |
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REC. 1773 | Recommendation |
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21/11/2006 |
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RES. 1528 | Resolution |
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RES. 1529 | Resolution |
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REC. 1776 | Recommendation |
The Council of Europe paves the way for more efficient and speedier pan-European co-operation in criminal matters
Moscow, 10.11.2006 - At the end of their discussions at their Moscow conference of 9 and 10 November, the Ministers of Justice and the Interior of the 46 Council of Europe member states called on the Organisation to modernise and simplify the workings of the main European Conventions regulating international co-operation in criminal matters, particularly those relating to extradition and mutual legal assistance, and to take a number of practical steps.
The Ministers inter alia expressed support for the development of a network of national contact points to facilitate relations between those responsible for international co-operation relating to the fight against terrorism, corruption and organised crime, the trafficking of human beings and cybercrime. They also backed the creation of a database making it easier to access information about the forms that co-operation takes between member states.
The Russian Ministers of Justice and the Interior, Vladimir Ustinov and Rashid Nurgaliev, President Putin's Representative, Viktor Ivanov, and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Maud de Boer Buquicchio, addressed the conference. Mrs de Boer Buquicchio said that a firm but fair attitude needed to be taken to crime in order to make the action taken effective.
The Ministers said that the Council of Europe could be the place for resolving any practical problems arising in the context of international co-operation in criminal matters. The Council should also continue to facilitate transfers of sentenced persons and to follow closely the relevant developments in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and in the European Union.
The Ministers also expressed support for the Council of Europe's work on a European Convention against the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, due to be published in 2007, and observe with interest the preparatory work for a possible legal instrument on counterfeit medicines and pharmaceutical crimes.
To read the conclusions adopted at the end of the conference, visit www.coe.int/minint.
CoE, EU and OIE agree on a joint declaration on animal welfare in Europe
Strasbourg, 24.11.2006 – The Council of Europe (CoE), the European Union (EU) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) today adopted a joint declaration entitled “Animal Welfare in Europe: achievements and future prospectsâ€. The Declaration, which commits to greater cooperation on all aspects of animal welfare, was adopted at the close of a one-and-a-half day international workshop aimed at bridging the gap between animal welfare legislation and its practical application.
Senior government and veterinary representatives from 50 countries in the European region took part in the workshop, which was hosted by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, in cooperation with the European Union and the OIE. They had the opportunity to exchange best practice solutions and discuss ways to overcome social, legal, and economic obstacles that hinder the effective implementation of animal welfare guidelines throughout Europe. The workshop also allowed the CoE, EU and OIE to consider how their existing activities could complement each other, with a view to maximising the efforts being made to improve animal welfare in Europe.
In the Declaration adopted today, the Council of Europe, the OIE and the European Union commit to providing mutual support and cooperating on all aspects of animal welfare, from the elaboration of legislation, to the training of veterinary professionals and para-professionals, to raising public awareness of the societal value of animal welfare. The important link between animal welfare and the need for adequate scientific and veterinary expertise is stressed in the document.
Furthermore, the Declaration commits to efficiently assisting countries to comply with, develop or enforce animal welfare laws, standards and guidelines at a national level.
Pompidou Group adopts “six-platform†anti-drug abuse programme, with focus on youth involvement
Strasbourg, 29.11.2006 – The Council of Europe’s Pompidou Group – created in 1971 to combat drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking at the suggestion of the late French President Georges Pompidou – transferred its three-year chairmanship from the Netherlands to Poland (Spain becoming vice-president), with a new “six platform†programme and focus on young people.
In her speech to ministers at the opening of the Strasbourg conference for the 35 Pompidou Group member states (27-28 November), Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio stressed that “young people should not only be considered as a target, but also as an actor of successful prevention.†She pointed out that “this approach is fully in line with the Council of Europe programme of Building a Europe for and with children, which is designed to promote policies not only for children, but with their active participation.â€
Putting individuals and their place in society at the centre of the drug policy debate is a theme running through many Pompidou Group activities. This is most evident in the expanding work on the ethical issues raised in many areas of drug programmes.
Recent developments were introduced for each of the six platforms in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking – prevention, treatment, ethics, airports, research and criminal justice – including the imminent launch of an online data base of European research on drugs.
Election of new European Court of Human Rights President
Strasbourg - 29.11.2006 - The European Court of Human Rights today elected Jean-Paul Costa (French) as its new President for a three-year term, beginning on 19 January 2007.
The President is elected by secret ballot by the Court’s 46 judges and may be re-elected.
Mr Costa replaces Luzius Wildhaber (Swiss), who has been the Court’s President since 1 November 1998. Mr Wildhaber will be 70 on 18 January 2007 and so must stand down on that date, under Article 23 § 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Court is composed of one judge in respect of each of the 46 States to have ratified the Convention. Judges work in five Sections - each with a Section President - from which Chambers of seven judges are constituted. The Court also sits as a Grand Chamber of 17 Judges.
Jean-Paul Costa was born in 1941 and studied in Paris at the Institute of Political Studies, the Law Faculty and the National School of Administration. From 1985 to 1986 he chaired the French delegation during the negotiations for the Treaty between France and the United Kingdom for the channel fixed link. From 1989 to 1993 he was Assessor of a Chamber in the Judicial Division of the Conseil d’Etat and from 1993 to 1998 he was the President of a Chamber. He was also Associate Law Professor at the Universities of Orléans and Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne). He has been a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights since 1 November 1998, Section President since 1 May 2000 and Vice-President since 1 November 2001.
Domme afsagt af Den Europæiske Menneskerettighedsdomstol i nordiske sager
7.11.06          Molander v. Finland (no. 10615/03): violation of Articles 6 §1 (length of proceedings)
9.11.06          Kaste and Mathisen v. Norway (no. 18885/04 and 21166/04): violation of Article 6 §§ 1 and                 3(d), (rights to a fair trial and right to obtain attendance and examinations of witnesses)
23.11.06        Grand Chamber:                                                                                                                             Jussila v. Finland (73053/01): no violation of Article 6, § 1 (right to a fair hearing).
Møder i december
(hvor intet andet er nævnt, holdes mødet i Strasbourg)
1.                  Europarådets Udviklingbanks 50 års jubilæum (Paris)
4.-5.              Seminar: The Participatory Element of Democracy: the role of NGOs
4.-6.              Konference (arrangeres af Europarådet og EU-Kommissionen): Roma Rights (Sarajevo)
5.-6               Ministerkomitéen
12.                Seminar: Promoting European Values at Citizen Level: the role of the Committee of Regions                (EU) and the Congress (CoE), (Bruxelles)
13.                Ministerkomitéen
Til orientering vedlægges en foreløbig mødekalender for 2007.
Redaktionen ønskes en Glædelig Jul og et Godt Nytår 2007
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â€Nyt fra EuroparÃ¥det†sendes til nyhedsmedierne i de nordiske lande 11 gange om Ã¥ret.
Nærmere oplysninger om tidligere og kommende møder kan fås ved henvendelse til:
Council of Europe Press Division, Tlf.: +33 3 88 41 25 60, Fax +33 3 88 41 39 11,
E-mail: [email protected], Internet: www.coe.int