Council of Europe2020-05-05T22:36:46+02:00

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is a human rights organisation, based in Strasbourg (France), whose stated aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it has 47 Member-States, including the 27 EU Member-States. Unlike the EU, the Council of Europe cannot make binding laws, however it has the power to enforce international agreements reached by European states on various topics.

Since 2001, FAFCE has been granted a participatory status to the Council of Europe, and supports the rights of the family in the different institutions of the Council of Europe:

  • European Court of Human Rights: composed of judges from each Member-State, it ensures the respect of the obligations of Member-States under the European Convention on Human Rights (1950). The Court rules on individual or State applications alleging violations of the civil and political rights set out in the Convention.
  • Committee of Ministers: composed of the Foreign Affairs Ministers, usually represented by Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors, it is the decision-making body of the Council of Europe.
  • Parliamentary Assembly: composed of parliamentarians from all Member-States, it adopts resolution and recommendations to governments.
  • Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe: composed of political representatives from local and regional authorities, it issues opinions on fundamental rights affecting regions and cities.
  • Conference of INGOs:  composed of NGOs with a participate status, it produces opinions based on the ground expertise of NGOs.
2505, 2018

New Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023 of the Council of Europe

May 25th, 2018|Categories: Council of Europe, Latest News|Tags: |

Brussels, 25 May 2018 The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the decision-making body of the organisation, adopted its Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023, which is built upon the results of the Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017.  The

102, 2017

The Use of New Genetic Technologies in Human Beings

February 1st, 2017|Categories: Council of Europe, Human dignity, Latest News|Tags: , |

The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe hosted on 24 January, a hearing about a report named “The Use of New Genetic Technologies in Human Beings”, presented

2401, 2017

Press Release | European Court of Human Rights rules against surrogacy arrangements

January 24th, 2017|Categories: Council of Europe, Human dignity, Press Release|Tags: |

Grand Chamber Judgment clarifies that there is no obligation to recognise parental ties if there is no biological link Strasbourg, 24 January 2017 Today the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that “the authorities’ removal of

712, 2016

The European Social Charter in the Context of Implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

December 7th, 2016|Categories: Council of Europe, European Union, Latest News|Tags: |

Brussels, 7 December 2016 The European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs published a paper on “the European Social Charter in the Context of Implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights” that analyses how the European Social

1110, 2016

Press release | Surrogacy stopped again at the Council of Europe

October 11th, 2016|Categories: Council of Europe, Human dignity, Press Release|Tags: |

Strasbourg, 11 October 2016 There is no room for ambiguity on the practice of surrogacy. Today the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), during a plenary sitting, rejected a draft recommendation on surrogacy presented by the Belgian Senator Dr. Petra De Sutter

2109, 2016

Press Release | Surrogacy: which recommendation from the Council of Europe?

September 21st, 2016|Categories: Council of Europe, Human dignity, Press Release|Tags: |

The Committee rejected the draft Resolution and proposed a draft recommendation to the Committee of Ministers Paris, 21 September 2016 Today the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) rejected again

906, 2016

Press release | Reserving marriage to a man and a woman is not discriminatory, says the European Court of Human Rights

June 9th, 2016|Categories: Council of Europe, Parenthood & Children education, Press Release|Tags: , |

Brussels, 9 June 2016 Reserving marriage to a man and a woman is not discriminatory. This was confirmed by a ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) published today. In the case Chapin and Charpentier v. France (known in France