17/12/2023
Belgrade - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the early parliamentary elections of 17 December 2023 in Serbia.
The delegation took part in joint briefings with other international organisations, before and after the elections, and observe the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
15/12/2023 - 16/12/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - On 15-16 December 2023 the Venice Commission held its 137th Plenary Session in Venice. During this session the Commission adopted eight opinions and amicus curiae briefs concerning Armenia, Georgia, Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine (see link below).
79th meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections
14/12/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
12/12/2023
Strasbourg – Bulgaria made a voluntary contribution of €10 000 in support of the Venice Commission to promote the development of democratic institutions based on the respect of the rule of law and human rights.
07/12/2023 - 08/12/2023
Cologne, Germany – The Venice Commission and the Academy for European Human Rights Protection held an international conference entitled “Money and democracy – an uneasy relationship”.
The event brought together Venice Commission members, politicians, academics, representatives of international organisations and journalists from various countries. The conference explored ways in which undue influence of big money on democratic decision-making may be exposed, monitored, contained or even prevented.
The following topics were on the programme:
• The... read more
04/12/2023
Kyiv, 4 December 2023 – The second meeting under the High-Level Dialogue “Good Democratic Governance in Ukraine: achievements, challenges and the way forward in post-war period” brought together key national stakeholders who discussed perspectives for good democratic governance reforms in Ukraine and reach broad agreement to improve legal framework on multi-level governance and elections in light of European standards, good practice and Ukraine’s status of the EU candidate country.
The opening addresses were delivered by Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Chairperson of the Parlia... read more
04/12/2023 - 05/12/2023
Rome, Italy – Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, participated in the meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, hosted by the Italian Parliament at the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome.
Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie intervened during the public meeting of the Monitoring Committee, held on 4 December 2023 and entitled: “The strategies and tools of the Council of Europe to ensure the respect of human rights, rule of law and democracy obligations in the resolution of conflicts".
04/12/2023 - 06/12/2023
Mexico City/online – From 4 to 6 December 2023, the National Electoral Institute of Mexico (INE), supported notably by the Venice Commission, the Centre for Electoral Assistance and Promotion (CAPEL), the International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), International IDEA, and the Organization of American States (OAS), hosted the Second Summit for Electoral Democracy entitled: “Electoral authorities facing disinformation” in Mexico City and online. The main aim of the Summit was to discuss the role of electoral authorities in combating misinformation and fake news, with the aim of benefi... read more
28/11/2023 - 29/11/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – The Council of Europe organised a conference on the following topic “Improving electoral processes and elections: the role of electoral training centres”.
The event was organised in order to strengthen cooperation between electoral training centres and electoral management bodies in the field of training and capacity building of election administration and other electoral stakeholders.
Mr Pierre Garrone, Secretary of the Council for Democratic Elections, will represent the Venice Commission at this event and will participate in the sessio... read more
24/11/2023
Kyiv/online - the Council of Europe and the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional and Urban Development organised the 1st Expert discussion on Electoral rights in context of transitional justice.
The event is one of the steps of the elaboration of the Action plan for the Roadmap on good democratic governance in Ukraine, notably as concerns preparation to and conduct of first post-war elections in Ukraine.
Mr Kaarlo Tuori, Honorary President of the Venice Commission presented a general overview of key recommendations c... read more
24/11/2023
It is with deep regret that the Venice Commission announces the death of its former longstanding member Mr Aivars Endziņš in respect of Latvia which occurred on 21 November 2023.
Mr Endziņš was a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 1995 to 1996 and as the Head of the Latvian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.
Mr Endziņš was the 1st President of the Constitutional Court of Latvia where he served from 1996 to 2007. He became the 1st member of the Venice Commission in respect of Latvia in 1995 and worked in the Commission t... read more
22/11/2023 - 24/11/2023
Following the request by the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova dated 27 October 2023, the Venice Commission and ODIHR are preparing jointly a draft follow-up opinion to the Joint Opinion on amendments to the Electoral Code and other related laws concerning ineligibility of persons connected to political parties declared unconstitutional (CDL-AD(2023)031).
The rapporteurs conducted a series of online meetings with the following interlocutors:
• The Vice-President of the Parliament and the Chair and other members of the Legal Committee on Appointments and Im... read more
21/11/2023 - 22/11/2023
Rabat - The Venice Commission organised the 17th UniDem Med Seminar entitled "Digital transformation and artificial intelligence : rules and applications", in co-operation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Reform of the administration of the Kingdom of Morocco. The seminar took place on 21-22 November 2023 in a hybrid format : online and face-to face in Rabat, Morocco. Around 50 senior public officials from the Southern Mediterranean (Jordan, Lebanon Morocco, Palestine*) attended this event and exchanged their experience with experts from European countries (Germany, Spain, and ... read more
16/11/2023
Tbilisi, 16 November 2023 – A delegation of the Venice Commission headed by Mr Michael Frendo, Vice-President of the Commission and also composed of Ms Simona Granata-Menghini, Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission and Mr Eirik Holmøyvik, Member of the Commission, was in Tbilisi to conduct high level meetings with the Georgian authorities.
Meetings were held with the President of Georgia, the Chairman of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Georgian parliamentary Delegation to PACE, the Leader of the parliamentary... read more
15/11/2023 - 17/11/2023
Tbilisi – The rapporteurs of the Commission conducted a country visit to Georgia and held meetings with stakeholders in the framework of the preparation of three opinions concerning notably the Election Code and the Rules of Procedure of the Georgian Parliament, the Special Investigation and Personal Data Protection Services, and the Anti-Corruption Bureau. These opinions were requested by the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia on 22 September 2023.
All rapporteurs met with the Head of the Georgian delegation to PACE, the parliamentary majority and opposition, as well as with rep... read more
12/11/2023
Lviv, Ukraine, 12 November 2023 - The Advisory Group of Experts (AGE), set up to assist the Ukrainian authorities in evaluating the moral qualities and professional competences of candidate judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, held its first official meeting on 12 November 2023 in Lviv, Ukraine.
At its first meeting, the AGE elected its Chair and Secretary and adopted its Regulations. It also discussed the draft Assessment Methodology, which will be adopted at the next meeting, enabling the AGE to start fulfilling its main task of assessing the moral qualities and profess... read more
10/11/2023
Brussels - The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, delivered an opening speech at the Conference of the Presidents of Constitutional Jurisdictions of EU member states, organised in Brussels by Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders.
09/11/2023
It is with deep regret that the Venice Commission announces the death of Professor Ergun Özbudun, former and long-lasting member of the Venice Commission (1990-2014).
Mr Özbudun was a renowned expert of constitutional law and has a significant record in teaching and publishing. He held teaching and researching chairs of constitutional law at Ankara University (1959-1994), Bilkent University (1994-2012) and Istanbul Şehir University (2011-2014). Apart from his work in Türkiye , he was a researcher at Harvard University (1963-1966, 1971-1973), and taught at Chicago University (1973),... read more
08/11/2023
Strasbourg, 08/11/2023 - On 8 November, the President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, held the first exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers, specifically devoted to the impact of the Commission's work.
President Bazy Malaurie provided an overview of the follow-up opinions and follow-up activities of the Venice Commission which have increased in 2023, accompanied by a substantial increase of media interest and references to the Commission in the press in Council of Europe member states. She also recalled that at the 4th Council of Europe Summit in Reyk... read more
08/11/2023
On 8 November a delegation of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe held online discussions with the Armenian authorities and other stakeholders on the Concept Paper concerning the reform of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the General Assembly of Judges.
This follows a request for an opinion on the above Concept Paper by the Minister of Justice of Armenia on 26 September. This opinion is prepared jointly with the DGI of the Council of Europe and will be submitted for adoption at the 137th Plenary Se... read more
07/11/2023
By letter dated 3 November 2023, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova requested an amicus curiae brief on the ineligibility of persons connected to political parties declared unconstitutional.
The draft amicus curiae brief will be submitted for adoption during the 137th plenary session of the Commission (15-16 December 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.
03/11/2023
Barcelona - The University of Barcelona and the Venice Commission held the 4th round of the Scientific Electoral Experts Debates. The theme was “The stability of electoral law”, a principle which ensures that the “game” (the electoral process) be played according to the rules, and not manipulated by the rules of the game (the electoral legislation).
The event has been initiated by the Council for Democratic Elections – the tripartite body of the Council of Europe in charge of electoral matters, including representatives of the Venice Commission, the Parliamentary Assembly and the C... read more
26/10/2023
Strasbourg - the Government of Japan made a voluntary contribution of €25 000 in support of Venice Commission to promote the development of democratic institutions based on the respect of the rule of law and human rights.
25/10/2023
It is with deep regret that the Venice Commission announces the death of a renowned electoral expert from the United Kingdom, Mr Owen Masters, on 6 October 2023. Mr Masters contributed personally to advancing the work of the Council of Europe in the field of elections and election observation in particular.
Mr Masters served as the Head of the Council of Europe Election Observation Mission in Kosovo in 2001. From the beginning of the 2000s for almost a decade, he was one of the major experts contributing to the Venice Commission opinions relating to electoral legislation on such ... read more
25/10/2023 - 27/10/2023
Syracuse, Italy - On 25-27 October Mr Martin Kuijer, substitute member in respect of the Netherlands, represented the Venice Commission at Judges@europe Forum which took place in Syracuse, Sicily, delivering the keynote speech at the opening of the conference.
The conference was organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) and brought together judges from 25 EU member states, as well as a large number of high-level speakers from key European and international institutions, including the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights, the C... read more
24/10/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – Today the President of the Venice Commission Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie addressed the 45th plenary session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
In her statement, the President welcomed the good cooperation between the two institutions notably in the framework of the Council for Democratic Elections, and highlighted the synergies in their respective work.
While presenting the work of the Venice Commission including with regard to matters related to local democracy, Ms Bazy Malaurie stressed the importance of... read more
24/10/2023
The Venice Commission member Mr Tuomas Ojanen participated in the14th Warsaw Human Rights Seminar entitled “Human Rights in situations of crisis”. Mr Ojanen delivered a speech on “Legal and institutional safeguards for human rights during times of crisis”.
23/10/2023
By letter of 22 September 2023, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament requested the Venice Commission to examine the following legal texts:
- Draft amendments to the Election Code and the Rules of Procedure of the Georgian Parliament;
- Law on the Special Investigation Service;
- Provisions of the Law on Personal Data Protection on the Personal Data Protection Service;
- Provisions of the Law on the Fight against Corruption on the Anti-Corruption Bureau;
The relevant draft opinions will be submitted for adoption by the 137th plenary session of the Venic... read more
23/10/2023 - 26/10/2023
Arusha, Tanzania - the Southern and Eastern African Chief Justices’ Forum (SEACJF) held its conference and annual general meeting to mark the 20th anniversary since the establishment of the Forum. The topic of the conference was : "the Role of the National Judiciaries in Dispute Resolution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): application of Modern Technologies for High Efficiency in Justice Dispensation".
Mr Gianni Buquicchio, President Emeritus and Special Representative of the Venice Commission, and Ms Simona Granata-Menghini, Secretary of the Venice Commissi... read more
20/10/2023
Bishkek - The Venice Commission organised, in co-operation with the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic, an international conference entitled “Criminal Justice and Human Rights - Emerging Trends and Challenges”. The conference, which took place on 20 October 2023 in Bishkek, gathered senior representatives of the Supreme and lower instance courts from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office, other relevant authorities and academia of Kyrgyzstan as well as Venice Commission experts.
The conference aimed to analyse the perspective of the tra... read more
17/10/2023
By letter dated 17 October 2023, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine requested an amicus curiae brief relating to additional sanctions for committing an administrative offence.
The draft amicus curiae brief will be submitted for adoption during the 137th plenary session of the Commission (15-16 December 2023).
17/10/2023
By letter of 26 September 2023 Mr Grigor Minasyan, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission’s on the Concept Paper concerning the reform of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the General Assembly of Judges.
The draft opinion will be prepared jointly with the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe and submitted for adoption at the 137th plenary session of the Commission (15-16 December 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/... read more
13/10/2023 - 16/10/2023
Warsaw - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the parliamentary elections of 15 October 2023 in Poland. They took part in joint briefings with other international organisations, before and after the elections, and observe the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
08/10/2023
It is with deep regret that the Venice Commission announces the death of Professor László Sólyom, former President of the Republic of Hungary (2005-2010) and former member of the Venice Commission (1997-2005).
Mr. Sólyom was a member (starting in 1989) and then President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary between 1990 and 1998 and, in this capacity, participated in the work of the Venice Commission on constitutional revision in his country. Under his presidency, the Constitutional Court established itself as an institution with a determining role in the establishment of parliam... read more
06/10/2023 - 07/10/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - the Venice Commission has published several opinions concerning ten states that were adopted and endorsed at is latest plenary session last week.
- Armenia: the joint Opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on the draft amendments to the Electoral Code and related legislation ;
- Bulgaria: the Opinion on the draft amendments to the Constitution;
- Chile: the Opinion on the 2023 Process of Constitutional Reform;
- Georgia: the follow-up Opinion to previous opinions on the amendments t... read more
05/10/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - The 78th meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections was held on 5 October 2023 in Venice, Italy. During this meeting, the Council approved three draft opinions drawn up jointly by the Venice Commission and the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
These draft opinions relate to amendments to the Electoral Code of Armenia and related legislation, a draft law of Ukraine restricting the participation of persons associated with certain political parties, and amendments to the Electoral Code of the Re... read more
29/09/2023 - 30/09/2023
Nicosia – The Venice Commission was invited to participate in the Cyprus Forum 2023 entitled “Transparency”, held on 29-30 September 2023 in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Mr James Hamilton, former member of the Venice Commission in respect of Ireland, represented the Commission and participated in the panel on the role of the Attorney General and checks and balances.
26/09/2023
Spain has made a voluntary contribution of €20 000 to the Venice Commission concerning its action to support rule of law-compliant and human rights-respectful democratic institutions (2024-2028).
25/09/2023 - 26/09/2023
Santiago - a delegation of the Venice Commission carried out a mission to Chile and held discussions with authorities and other stakeholders on the ongoing constitutional reform in the country.
The visit was organised in the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the 2023 constitutional reform process, requested by the President of the Senate of Chile. The delegation met with:
- President of the Senate
- President of the Chamber of Deputies
- The Committee on Legal, Constitutional and Legislative Affairs of the Senate
- President and Vice... read more
21/09/2023 - 22/09/2023
Vienna - Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission participated in the 3rd thematic discussion of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) on the implementation of the Kyoto Declaration, held on 21-22 September 2023 in Vienna and online.
The event focused on the Pillar III of the Kyoto Declaration “Promoting the rule of law”.
The President contributed to an exchange of views during Thematic Session 2 on the “Effective, accountable, impartial and inclusive institutions; effective anti-corruption efforts; social, educational and... read more
21/09/2023 - 28/09/2023
Rome - The Venice Commission contributed to the organisation of the International Ombudsman Conference on "The role of Ombudsman institutions in the world: between realities and possibilities", held in Rome, on 21-22 September 2023.
This conference with more than 250 registered participants, organised by the President of the National Coordination of Ombudsmen, the Ombudsman of Lazio, brought together more than 60 Ombudsmen from all continents.
The Conference provided an opportunity to present the Principles for the Protection and Promotion of the Institution of Ombudsman... read more
18/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft follow-up opinion concerning the amendments of 13 June 2023 to the Organic Law of Georgia “On Common Courts”, the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission held online consultations with the Deputy Chairman of the Faction “Georgian Dream”, the Chairman of the Legal Issues Committee and the Chairman of the Human Rights and Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, the MPs of the parliamentary opposition, the representatives of the civil society organisations and the international community present in Georgia.
The draft opinion wi... read more
18/09/2023 - 19/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion concerning the draft Constitutional Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On the Akyikatchy (Ombudsman) of the Kyrgyz Republic”, the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission held online consultations with the Ombudsman, experts of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) the representatives of the civil society organisations and the international community present in Kyrgyzstan.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 136th Plenary Session of the Venice Commission (6-7 October 2023).
14/09/2023 - 15/09/2023
A delegation of the Venice Commission carried out a mission to Sofia and held discussions with the authorities and other stakeholders on the draft amendments to the Constitution of Bulgaria.
The delegation met in particular with the following interlocutors: the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, representatives of the Office of the President, members of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the Acting Prosecutor General and Deputy Prosecutors General, representatives of the Supreme Judicial Council and representatives from independent regulatory and controll... read more
14/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft urgent follow-up opinion on the draft law on national minorities (communities), the Venice Commission rapporteurs held online consultations with:
• members of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine,
• the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics (DESS),
• the General Director of the Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, and
• representatives of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
The draft urgent follow-up opinion will be submitted for endorsement at ... read more
14/09/2023 - 15/09/2023
Madrid - Under the auspices of the Latvian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission in cooperation with the Centre for Constitutional and Political Studies (CEPC) held an international seminar entitled “Constitutions and War”.
The relationship between constitutions and wars encompasses various dimensions, including:
• the prevention of wars,
• the protection of democratic governance and human rights during times of conflict, and
• the promotion of post-war reconciliation and rebuilding.
The round table d... read more
13/09/2023 - 14/09/2023
Yerevan – In the framework of the preparation of the draft joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR on the draft amendments to the Electoral Code and related legislation of Armenia, the rapporteurs met with representatives of the following institutions:
• the Ministry of Justice, including the Deputy Minister of Justice,
• the Central Election Commission (CEC), including the Oversight and Audit Service of the CEC,
• several parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties, the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the Parliament,
• the Corr... read more
12/09/2023
By letter dated 6.09.2023 the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Ms Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the Law No. 252 of 17.08.2023 “On the external assessment of judges and prosecutors and amending some normative acts”.
The Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe will prepare this opinion jointly as a follow-up opinion to their previous joint opinions concerning this law.
The draft joint follow-up opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 136th... read more
11/09/2023
By letter dated 5.09.2023 the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Mr Ruslan Stefanchuk, requested follow-up opinions of the Venice Commission on the following:
- the Law “On Amending the Law of Ukraine “On National Minorities” (opinion CDL-AD(2023)021);
- the draft law on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on improving the procedure for the selection of candidates for the position of judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on a competitive basis (draft law no. 9322 of 25 May 2023) (opinion CDL-AD(2023)022).
The urgent opinions will be submitted ... read more
11/09/2023 - 12/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft follow-up opinion to the previous opinions concerning the Law on the Prosecutorial Council, the Venice Commission’s rapporteurs met online with the following interlocutors:
- Deputy Ministers of Justice and other representatives of the Ministry;
- representatives of the Assembly;
- the Acting Chief State Prosecutor and the Chairman of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council;
- representatives of the international community and civil society organisations.
This draft follow-up opinion will be prepared... read more
11/09/2023 - 12/09/2023
The Hague – On 11-12 September 2023 a delegation of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe conducted a visit to the Netherlands in the framework of the preparation of the draft joint opinion on the Judicial Act and the independence of the judiciary. The rapporteurs met with the following representatives of the authorities :
• the President of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands;
• the Vice-President of the Council of State and the Head of the Administrative Law Department;
• the President and ot... read more
11/09/2023 - 12/09/2023
Bishkek - On 11-12 September 2023, a delegation of the Venice Commission conducted a visit to Kyrgyzstan in the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law on media. The rapporteurs met, with the following representatives of the authorities :
- The Minister of Justice and other representatives of the Ministry;
- The Head of the Legal Department and staff members of the Presidential Administration;
- The Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy, as well as other representatives of the Ministry;
- The Deputy Akyikatchy (O... read more
07/09/2023 - 08/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of two draft opinions on the draft legislation regarding the effect of the suspension and/or prohibition of political parties in Ukraine, the Venice Commission’s rapporteurs met online with the following interlocutors:
• at the Verkhovna Rada:
- the 1st Deputy Chair of the Parliament,
- the Chair and members of the Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning,
- MPs, members of the parliamentary group “Platform for Life and Peace”;
• the Parliamentary... read more
07/09/2023 - 08/09/2023
Astana - The Council of Europe and the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan held on 7-8 September 2023 an international conference in Astana entitled “Constitutional Justice: Dignity, Freedom and Justice for all”. The event was dedicated to the Constitution Day of Kazakhstan and to the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
High-level representatives from Constitutional Courts from more than 20 countries across the world attended this conference along with the participants from international bodies such as UNDP, UN High Commissioner for Human ... read more
07/09/2023
In September 2023 the Government of the Netherlands made a voluntary contribution of €30 000 in support of the Venice Commission to promote the development of democratic institutions based on the respect of the rule of law and human rights.
06/09/2023 - 08/09/2023
Chisinau - On 6-8 September 2023 a delegation of the Venice Commission carried out a mission to Chisinau and held discussions with authorities and other stakeholders on the draft law regarding “the anti-corruption judicial system and on amending of some normative acts”.
The authorities met included the following: President of the Republic of Moldova, Minister of Justice, the Chief Prosecutor of the Anticorruption Prosecution Office, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Parliament’s Legal Committee on Appointments and Immunities, National Integrity Authority, the... read more
04/09/2023 - 05/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Moldova and other related laws concerning ineligibility of persons connected to political parties declared unconstitutional, the rapporteurs met with the following interlocutors:
• Minister of Justice and other representatives of the Ministry of Justice, Secretary of State;
• Chair, Deputy Chair and members of the Legal Committee on Appointments and Immunities, members of the Faction of the Party of Action and Solidarity of the Parliament;
• independ... read more
04/09/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft joint opinion on the draft law “On amending the Law of Ukraine 'On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges' as regards the introduction of additional procedures to enhance public trust in the judiciary” (draft law N° 9454), the rapporteurs met with the following interlocutors:
• the Chairman and members of the High Council of Justice,
• the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy of the Verkhovna Rada,
• the President of the Supreme Court and the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Supreme Court;
• the H... read more
30/08/2023
By letters dated 27 July and 10 August 2023, the Minister for Public Administration of Montenegro requested an opinion of the Venice Commission regarding the draft law on government of Montenegro.
The draft opinion will be submitted for discussion and adoption by the Venice Commission at its 136th Plenary Session (6-7 October 2023). It will be prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism (ECM) in the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey (Horizontal Facility II) 2019-2022 ”.
28/08/2023
By letters dated 9 and 22 August 2023, the President of the Senate of Chile Juan Antonio COLOMA CORREA requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on certain questions formulated by a group of Senators and related to the process of constitutional reform in Chile, with a view to assisting the Constitutional Council in deciding on the text prepared by the Expert Commission.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
21/08/2023
By letter of 28 July 2023, the President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Mr Glauk Konjufca, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the new version of the draft Law No.06/L-056 on amending and supplementing the Law on the Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo.
This draft follow-up opinion is prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility III”. It will be submitted for adoption at the 136th Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 06-07 October 2023).
21/08/2023
On 4 August 2023, the Chairman of the High Council of Justice requested a joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the Council of Europe’s Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DG-I) on the draft law “On amending the Law of Ukraine 'On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges' as regards the introduction of additional procedures to enhance public trust in the judiciary” (draft law n° 9454).
The Venice Commission and the DG-I will assess the draft law in the follow-up opinion to the Joint Opinion (CDL-AD(2020)022) on the draft amendments to the Law 'on the Judiciary... read more
17/08/2023
By letter of 4 August 2023 Mr Atanas Slavov, Minister of Justice of Bulgaria, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft amendments to the Constitution of Bulgaria.
The draft opinion will be submitted for discussion and adoption by the Venice Commission at its 136th Plenary Session (6-7 October 2023).
09/08/2023
By letter dated 30.06.2023, Ms Jamila JAMANBAEVA, Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft constitutional law “On Akyikatchy (Ombudsperson) of the Kyrgyz Republic”.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
09/08/2023
By letter dated 23 June 2023, the Minister of Justice of the Lebanese Republic requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on the Administrative Judiciary.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
09/08/2023
By letter of 24 July 2023, Mr Igor Grosu, Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the amendments to the Electoral Code of the Republic of Moldova and other related laws concerning ineligibility of persons connected to political parties declared unconstitutional.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, fund... read more
07/08/2023
By letter of 2 August 2023, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Ms Maia Sandu, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law “on the anti-corruption judicial system and on amending of some normative acts”.
The Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th Plenary session (6-7 October 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.
04/08/2023
By letter dated 28 April 2023, the Chairperson of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law amending certain legislative acts of Ukraine which restrict the participation in the state power of persons associated with political parties whose activities are prohibited by law.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
04/08/2023
By letter of 26 May 2023, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on amendments to Article 51 of the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada on political liability of Members of Parliament of Ukraine associated with political parties whose activities have been suspended.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
02/08/2023
By letter of 17 July 2023 the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova requested a follow-up opinion of the Venice Commission on the recently adopted Law on the Intelligence and Security Service and the Law on Counterintelligence and External Intelligence Activity.
This draft follow-up opinion will be examined, with a view to its adoption, by the Commission at its 136th Plenary Session (6-7 October 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, funded by the European ... read more
01/08/2023
By letter of 23 June 2023 the Committee on the Honoring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) requested a follow-up opinion of the Venice Commission on the amendments to the Organic Law on Courts in Georgia as adopted by the Georgian parliament on 13 June 2023.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft follow-up opinion for adoption at its 136th plenary session (6-7 October 2023).
26/07/2023 - 26/07/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – Today the Venice Commission issued its Urgent Opinion on the Law on the State Commission to Investigate Russian Influence on Internal Security in the Republic of Poland between 2007 and 2022.
The request for urgent opinion was made on 21 June 2023 by the President of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly.
The Urgent Opinion will be submitted for endorsement by the October plenary session of the Commission (Venice, 6-7 October 2023).
Between 7 and 19 July 2023, the rapporteurs had had online meetings with repre... read more
20/07/2023
On 12 July 2023 the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia requested the Venice Commission’s opinion on the draft amendments to the Electoral Code and related legislation. The opinion will be prepared jointly with the OSCE/ODIHR.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 136th plenary session of the Commission (6-7 October 2023). It will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Eu... read more
05/07/2023
The Venice Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the issue 2022/3 of the e-Bulletin on Constitutional Case-Law with 247 new precis of key judgments from some 31 national and two international courts.
The e-Bulletin reports three times a year on the case-law of constitutional courts and courts with equivalent jurisdiction, including case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
The e-Bulletin is sent to liaison officers of these courts and to subscribers by e-mail thr... read more
30/06/2023
The Venice Commission will hold its plenary sessions in 2024 in Venice, at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, on the following dates:
• 138th plenary session: 14-16 March 2024;
• 139th plenary session: 20-22 June 2024;
• 140th plenary session: 10-12 October 2024;
• 141stplenary session: 5-7 December 2024.
30/06/2023
By letter of 2 June 2023 the Chairperson of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the Judicial Act and the independence of the judiciary in the Netherlands.
The draft opinion will be prepared jointly with the Directorate General of Human Rights and the Rule of Law of the Council of Europe (DG-I) and examined, with a view to its adoption, by the Venice Commission at its 136th Plenary S... read more
21/06/2023 - 22/06/2023
Issyk-Kul - The Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Venice Commission held an international conference entitled “The Constitution as a foundation for building a democratic state under the rule of law”. The conference took place on 21-22 June 2023 in the Issyk-Kul region and was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The participants discussed different topics related to the constitutional legacy and the significance of constitutional justice in establishing a democratic and lawful state. They also explored the responsibilities ... read more
21/06/2023 - 22/06/2023
Stockholm - The Stockholm Symposium, organised by the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, convened experts from member States, EU Institutions, enlargement countries, EFTA member States, international organisations, media, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders. It provided an opportunity for stocktaking and constructive dialogue on how the EU uses the instruments to navigate towards a stronger rule of law and to counter democratic backsliding.
Ms Herdis Thorgeirsdottir, Vice President of the Venice Commission, represented the Commission at this event.... read more
20/06/2023 - 21/06/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe - Mr Nicos Alivizatos, member of the Venice Commission in respect of Greece, participated in two hearings, organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, that took place in Strasbourg on 20 and 21 June 2023.
Mr Alivizatos made a presentation at the hearing of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy on “The challenge of far-right ideology to democracy and human rights in Europe” (20 June) and intervened during the joint hearing of this Committee and the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member Stat... read more
20/06/2023 - 21/06/2023
Mexico City/online – The Venice Commission, in cooperation with the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary of Mexico (Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación) held an international congress on effective political participation and fundamental rights entitled “Digital Technologies: Democracy and Regulation in Europe and America” in Mexico City and online. The main aim of the Congress was to develop further the ongoing debates on the regulatory process of digital technologies, social media, and artificial intelligence currently taking place in Europe and Latin America.... read more
16/06/2023
The Venice Commission is seriously concerned about a call for resignation issued by the Assembly of Republika Srpska to the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia, Mr Zlatko Knežević, who is one of the two judges elected by the National Assembly of RS - and also a member of the Venice Commission in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is a fundamental guarantee of independence of a constitutional court that its members may not be recalled nor replaced, nor asked to resign on political grounds by those who appointed them.
In agreement with and in support ... read more
18/06/2023 - 19/06/2023
Stockholm – The Swedish Parliament organised a conference on “Democracy in Europe : How can parliamentarians help safeguard and strengthen democracy and the rule of law?”. This conference is a part of the parliamentary dimension of Sweden’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union of 2023.
The overall objective of the conference was to provide an opportunity to discuss how parliamentarians can contribute to safeguarding and strengthening democracy and the rule of law.
Ms Herdis Thorgeirsdottir, Vice President of the Venice Commission, represented the Commission a... read more
16/06/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe - The Democratic Governance Division in cooperation with the Division of Elections and Participatory Democracy of the Directorate General DG-II of the Council of Europe organised a Conference on “E-voting and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in elections: taking stock and moving forward”. The aim of the conference was to:
• Take stock of the current implementation of the Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on standards for e-voting and the use of the Committee of Ministers’ Guidelines on th... read more
14/06/2023 - 15/06/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – A representative of the Venice Commission intervened before the representatives of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova, the Centre for Continuous Electoral Training and the Central Electoral Council of ATU Gagauzia, who are on a study visit to the Council of Europe.
The topic of his presentation was “The role and activities of the Venice Commission in the field of the electoral reform in the Republic of Moldova, including political parties financing. “
12/06/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, the President of the Venice Commission, held a constructive meeting with Mr Grigor Minasyan, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. The meeting served as a platform for a comprehensive exchange of perspectives and ideas, focusing primarily on pursuing the fruitful cooperation between Armenia and the Venice Commission. The pending electoral and constitutional reforms were notably addressed in the discussions.
11/06/2023
Podgorica - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the early parliamentary elections of 11 June 2023 in Montenegro.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
09/06/2023
Venice – The Director for International Relations and European Affairs of the Regione del Veneto, Ms Annalisa Bisson, and the President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, informed the plenary session of the Venice Commission about the signature of a 3-year (cooperation) Agreement.
The agreement ensures structural funding of the plenary sessions of the Venice Commission for the total sum of 135 000€.
09/06/2023 - 10/06/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - The Venice Commission:
• Adopted the joint opinion of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR on the draft Law of Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organisations;
• Decided to make a public statement in support of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Held an exchange of views with Mr Thomas Godmez, Secretariat General of the Government of France, and adopted the interim opinion on Article 49.3 of the Constitution of France, ... read more
77th meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections
08/06/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
31/05/2023
By letter of 19 May 2023 the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the compatibility of the draft law on the mass media with relevant international standards and best practices.
The Venice Commission will prepare the draft opinion for adoption at the 136th Plenary Session (6-7 October 2023).
28/05/2023
Ankara - A representative of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the 2nd tour of the presidential election of 28 May 2023 in Türkiye.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the election.
26/05/2023
Strasbourg - The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, participated in the meeting of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council on the following theme "The examination of the legitimacy and legality of the ad hominem derogation from the term of office of the outgoing President of the Russian Federation".
26/05/2023
On 26 May 2023 the President of the Verkhovna Rada requested the opinion of the Venice Commission on Draft Law No. 9322 dated 25 May 2023 “On Amending Some Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding Improving the Procedure for Selecting Candidate Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on a Competitive Basis”, which was registered in the Verkhovna Rada. This draft law replaces draft law No. 9225 dated 19 April 2023, which has been withdrawn.
The draft follow-up opinion, which supersedes the urgent follow-up opinion on Draft law no. 9255, will be submitted for adoption at the 135... read more
25/05/2023 - 26/05/2023
Samarkand – The Venice Commission organised in co-operation with the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan an international conference entitled “Models of constitutional complaints in Central Asian countries”.
The conference took place on 25-26 May 2023 in Samarkand and gathered high-level representatives from the Constitutional Courts of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Venice Commission experts from France, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia participated in the event and contributed to the exchanges on best practices with their Central As... read more
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Forthcoming Joint Opinion – Online meetings
25/05/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft Joint Opinion on the Special Registry and Publicity of the Work of Non-Profit Organisations, a delegation of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR met on 19 and 24 May 2023 (online) with the representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Republika Srspka and local civil society.
The draft Joint Opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 135th Plenary Session, 09-10 June 2023.
24/05/2023 - 25/05/2023
Paris - In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion concerning article 49 of the Constitution of France, following the request by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission met with the following interlocutors:
• the Chairman of the Law Commission of the Senate,
• the Chairman of the Law Commission of the National Assembly and Vice-Chairmen,
• the Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament,
• the Secretary General of the Government,
• the Secretary General of the Constitutional Counc... read more
24/05/2023 - 25/05/2023
Paris - In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the composition of the Superior Council of the Magistracy and the status of magistrates in France, following the request by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission met with the following interlocutors:
• the Chairman of the Senate Law Commission,
• the Chairman of the National Assembly Law Commission and Vice Chairmen,
• the Director of the Keeper of the Seals Office, Ministry of Justice,
• representatives of the Council of State,
• the President ... read more
23/05/2023
Berlin - In the framework of the preparation of the draft joint opinion of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR on the amendments of the German Federal Election Act and their compliance with Council of Europe standards, a joint delegation of rapporteurs and experts met with the following interlocutors:
• MPs, representing the various political groups (CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP, Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen, SPD, die Linke) ;
• Representatives of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community:
- Directorate-General V “Public Law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law”
read more
18/05/2023 - 19/05/2023
Tbilisi - In the framework of the preparation of the final opinion on the draft law “on de-oligarchisation” of Georgia, a delegation of the Venice Commission met with representatives of the following interlocutors:
• Parliamentary majority and opposition;
• Government administration;
• National Security Council;
• Specialised agencies and institutions :
- National Anti-Corruption Bureau
- National Commission of Communications
- Financial Monitoring Service
- National Bank;
• Public Defender’s Office
• International... read more
16/05/2023 - 17/05/2023
Reykjavik, Iceland - Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, participated in the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe.
16/05/2023
On 15 May 2023 the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova requested a follow-up opinion to the Opinion on the draft law on the external assessment of judges and prosecutors, adopted during March 2023 plenary session of the Venice Commission.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 135th plenary session of the Commission (Venice, 9-10 June 2023).
15/05/2023
By letter dated 24 April 2023, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights invited the Venice Commission to prepare a joint opinion on the draft law of Republika Srpska on the Special Registry and Transparency of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations.
The draft opinion will be prepared jointly with the OSCE/ODIHR and submitted for adoption at the 135th plenary session of the Commission (09-10 June 2023).
14/05/2023
Ankara - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the presidential and parliamentary elections of 14 May 2023 in Türkiye.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
12/05/2023
By letter dated 28 April 2023 Mr Piero Fassino, Chairperson of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, requested two opinions of the Venice Commission on the French Constitutionregarding the following issues:
- Article 65 of the Constitution on the composition of the Superior Council of Magistracy and the "Ordinance n° 58-1270 of 22 December 1958 establishing an organic law on the status of the judiciary” on nominations, mutations, promotions and disciplinary procedures of magistrates;
- Article 49 of the Constitution, and the established practice of a... read more
12/05/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the Law on National Minorities (Communities) of Ukraine, the Venice Commission’s rapporteurs held a series of meetings with the Ukrainian stakeholders.
On 31 March 2023 the rapporteurs met in Strasbourg with:
• the Head and the Deputy Head of the State Service on Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience;
• the Deputy Minister of Education and the Head of Main Department of General Secondary and Preschool Education.
On 20 April 2023 online meetings were held with the representatives of the following inte... read more
04/05/2023 - 05/05/2023
Kyiv - As part of an official visit to Ukraine on 4 and 5 May 2023 to discuss the reform of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, legislation on de-oligarchisation and on national minorities, a delegation led by the President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, met with the President of Ukraine, Mr Volodymyr Zelensky.
During her visit to Kyiv, the President of the Venice Commission, accompanied by the Secretary of the Venice Commission, Ms Simona Granata-Menghini, the Vice-President of the Venice Commission, Ms Angelika Nussberger, and members of the Venice Commissi... read more
10/05/2023 - 12/05/2023
Madrid – The Venice Commission, in cooperation i.a. with the Complutense University of Madrid, the Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies, the Global Electoral Justice Network, and the Central Electoral Commission of Spain, held the IIIrd international conference entitled “Cybersecurity and Elections: Guarantees against information disorders in the digital arena - Democracy, rights and elections” in Madrid.
High level civil servants, academics, electoral and cybersecurity experts and journalists from Spanish speaking countries participated in the event. Such international ... read more
09/05/2023 - 10/05/2023
Bern - the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Swiss Parliament organised an international conference entitled “Elections in times of crisis – challenges and opportunities”. The event was organised in the framework of the 60th anniversary of the accession of Switzerland to the Council of Europe.
The organisers noted that in the last three years, the democracies of Europe have been hit by successive dramatic challenges to the functioning of their democratic institutions. Just as the world was emerging from the unprecedented global shocks of the ... read more
04/05/2023 - 05/05/2023
Strasbourg - The University of Strasbourg and the Marangopoulos Foundation for Human Rights organised an international conference entitled "European constitutional heritage: between progression and regression" on May 4-5, 2023. The following themes were addressed:
• The components of the European constitutional heritage
• The deconstruction of the European constitutional heritage?
• The reconstruction of European constitutional heritage
The Venice Commission participated in the conference and intervene on the subjects as follows:
• "European constitutional... read more
PACE Monitoring Committee – exchange of views on Serbia
26/04/2023
Strasbourg, Council of Europe – The Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by member States of the Council of Europe held an exchange of views (online) on the legal situation and the functioning of institutions in Serbia with Mr Oliver Kask, Substitute Member of the Venice Commission in respect of Estonia.
24/04/2023 - 25/04/2023
Sofia - The 20th meeting of the Joint Council on Constitutional Justice of the Venice Commission was co-organized and hosted by the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria.
Liaison officers from 35 courts/members of the JCCJ and 7 representatives of 4 of the regional groups (AACC, CCJA, CJCPLP and UACCC) participated in the event.
On this occasion a mini-conference on the topic "Measures taken by States in response to the COVID-19 crisis and their impact on constitutional justice – constitutional case-law on emergency situations" was held.
19/04/2023
Council of Europe, Strasbourg - The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, presented the 2022 Annual Report of Activities of the Commission to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The presentation was followed by an exchange of views with the Ambassadors of the member and observer States of the Council of Europe.
International Justice Network - 5th meeting
12/04/2023
Paris - The Delegation for European and International Affairs of the Ministry of Justice of France organised the 5th meeting of the International Justice Network (RIJ) on "The rule of law and fundamental rights: a common European priority".
Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, participated, as the guest of honour, in the 1st panel on “the evaluation of judicial systems, an exercise of the rule of law”.
11/04/2023
Strasbourg - Mr Gianni BUQUICCHIO, President Emeritus and Special Representative of the Venice Commission, received a decoration "the Order of the Rising Sun, Golden Rays in Collar" from the Government of Japan "for his valuable contribution to the strengthening of relations and promoting mutual understanding between Japan and Europe”.
The decoration was presented to Mr Buquicchio by Mr UCHIDA Hiroyuki, Ambassador - Permanent Observer of Japan to the Council of Europe on Tuesday 11 April 2023 at the Consulate General of Japan in Strasbourg.
Japan joined the Venice Commis... read more
02/04/2023
Sofia - Representatives of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the early parliamentary elections of 2 April 2023 in Bulgaria.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the elections.
27/03/2023 - 28/03/2023
Bucharest – Upon invitation by the Constitutional Court of Romania, Mme Claire Bazy-Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, participated in the opening of the event devoted to the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 1923 Constitution of Romania.
The event, which was held at the Palace of the Parliament of Romania, brought together the highest offices of the state, as well as representatives of the judiciary of Romania, judges of the European constitutional courts, the European Court of Justice and the Association of the Francophone Constitutional Courts.
In t... read more
21/03/2023
Paris - On 21 March 2023 a delegation of the Venice Commission participated in the hearing on “Combatting undue influence: anti-oligarch legislation in Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova” organised by the Committee of the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Ms Angelika Nussberger, member of the Venice Commission, and Ms Grainne McMorrow, former substitute member of the Venice Commission, together with Ms Simona Granata-Menghini, Secretary of the ... read more
19/03/2023
Podgorica – A delegation of the Venice Commission accompanied the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) election observation delegation to advise on the legal framework of the presidential election of 19 March 2023 in Montenegro.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the election.
17/03/2023
By letter dated 3 March 2023 the President of the PACE, Mr Tiny Kox, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on the amendment of the German Federal Election Act.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 135th plenary session of the Commission (Venice, 09-10 June 2023).
15/03/2023
Lisbon (Portugal) - The 8th coordination meeting of the UniDem Med project (University for democracy for the Southern Mediterranean) took place on 15 March 2023 in Lisbon (Portugal) just after the launching event of the joint EU and Council of Europe programme "Protecting human rights, rule of law and democracy through shared standards in the Southern Mediterranean" (South Programme V).
The aim of holding the coordinators' meeting at the same time as the launch of the fifth phase of the Southern Programme wass to create new synergies between the coordinators and the beneficiaries... read more
10/03/2023 - 11/03/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - The Venice Commission:
- Held one minute of silence in commemoration of the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria;
- Adopted the joint opinion of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODHIR on the Law on Political Parties of Azerbaijan;
- Held an exchange of views with Ms Sanela Latić, Head of the Department for Cooperation with Domestic and International Judicial Bodies and Comparative Law at the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and adopted the opinion on the draft law on the courts of Bosnia... read more
76th meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections
09/03/2023
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
08/03/2023
The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Mr Shalva Papuashvili requested the Venice Commission to examine the draft laws on the "Transparency of Foreign Influence" and on the "Registration of Foreign Agents."
07/03/2023
The Government of Portugal has made a voluntary contribution of €170 000 to support:
- the European Court of Human Rights,
- the European Centre for global interdependence and solidarity of the Council of Europe (“North-South Centre”),
- the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026,
- the Council of Europe Neighbourhood Partnership with Tunisia 2022-2025,
- the activities of the Venice Commission, as well as
- the Strasbourg European Youth Centre renovations and improvements to the accessibility and ... read more
07/03/2023
The Venice Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the issue 2/2022 of the e-Bulletin on Constitutional Case-Law, including 15 of cases relating to Covid-19.
The e-Bulletin reports three times a year on the case-law of constitutional courts and courts with equivalent jurisdiction, including case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
The e-Bulletin is sent to liaison officers of these courts and to subscribers by e-mail three times a year, each mailing reports on the... read more
28/02/2023
Rabat - Mr Gianni Buquicchio, President Emeritus and Special representative of the Venice Commission, attended the international conference on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Mediator Institution Kingdom of Morocco entitled « Ensuring the development dimension of human rights effectiveness in public policies: What role for ombudsmen and mediators? ».
This activity was co-financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the latter in the framework of the South V Programme "Protecting human rights, the rule of law and democracy... read more
Newsletter no. 01/2023
24/02/2023
The Venice Commission published its Newsletter no. 01/2023, which provides information on membership, recent development, the plenary session, opinions under preparation, compilations and publication and activities of the Commission.
Interested readers can subscribe to the newsletter by sending an e-mail to the Secretariat.
24/02/2023
Paris - Today, the President of the Venice Commission Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie made the following statement:
“On behalf of the Venice Commission, I wish to convey my continued support for the Ukrainian people who for one year has been courageously and strenuously resisting the unprovoked aggression by the Russian Federation.
The Venice Commission upholds the pursuit of peace based on justice and international cooperation, with full respect for the Council of Europe’s core values – democracy, human rights and the Rule of law - and resolutely condemns recourse to violen... read more
23/02/2023 - 24/02/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law of on the external assessment of Judges and Prosecutors (Law on full vetting) of the Republic of Moldova, the Venice Commission’s delegation met online with the representatives of the following interlocutors:
• Parliamentary majority and opposition parties,
• Ministry of Justice,
• Supreme Court of Justice, Chisinau Court of Appeal, Chisinau district Court,
• Superior Council of Prosecutors and General Prosecutor’s Office,
• Superior Council of Magistracy,
• Association of Judges and... read more
22/02/2023
On 22 February 2023 the Minister of Justice of Montenegro submitted to the Venice Commission the Revised draft amendments to the Law on the Judicial Council and Judges for a follow up opinion. The revision of the draft amendments took place following the Commission’s opinion CDL-AD(2022)050, adopted at its December 2022 plenary session.
This draft follow-up opinion is prepared under the Expertise Co-ordination Mechanism in the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility II”. It will be submitted for adoption at the 134th plenary session of... read more
22/02/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the follow-up opinion to four latest opinions concerning the Organic Law on Common Courts of Georgia, the Venice Commission’s delegation met online with the Chairman of the Legal Issues Committee of the Parliament, the representatives of the Parliamentary Majority and the Parliamentary Opposition, as well as the representatives of the international community.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption by the Venice Commission at its March 2023 plenary session (Venice, 10-11 March 2023). It is prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism... read more
20/02/2023 - 22/02/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the draft opinion on the draft law on courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the rapporteurs of the Venice Commission met online with representatives of the following interlocutors:
• Ministry of Justice,
• Parliamentary Assembly,
• High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council,
• Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Office of the High Representative,
• European Union Delegation,
• NGOs.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 134th Plenary Session (Venice, 10-11 March 2023).
This draft op... read more
20/02/2023
By letter dated 13/02/2023, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on the external assessment of judges and prosecutors.
The draft opinion will be prepared jointly with the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule or Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe and will be submitted for adoption at the March plenary session of the Commission (Venice, 10-11 March 2023).
15/02/2023
By letter dated 13 February 2023 the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law on limiting excessive economic and political influence in public life (de-oligarchisation).
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 134th plenary session of the Commission (Venice, 10-11 March 2023).
14/02/2023
Today, the President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, made the following statement:
"Israel has been a member of the Venice Commission since 1 May 2008.
The Venice Commission has consistently stated that in a democratic country governed by the rule of law and respectful of fundamental rights, meaningful judicial review of the compatibility of laws, especially those affecting individual rights, with fundamental principles should be carried out by independent courts, whose decisions must be upheld and respected by all. These courts should be shielded fro... read more
10/02/2023
On 10 February 2023 the Supreme Court of Malawi joined the World Conference on Constitutional Justice which now has 121 members.
08/02/2023
Baku - In the framework of the preparation of the joint opinion on the Law on Political Parties of Azerbaijan, a delegation of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR met online with representatives of several political parties, of the international community present in Baku and of civil society.
The joint opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 134th Plenary Session (Venice, 10-11 March 2023).
02/02/2023
Following the request by the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament dated 1 December 2022, the Venice Commission will prepare an opinion on the draft law of Georgia “On De-oligarchisation” to be submitted for adoption at the 134th Plenary Session of the Commission (10-11 March 2023).
This opinion will be prepared under the Quick Response Mechanism (QRM), in the framework of the EU/CoE joint programme Partnership for Good Governance, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.
02/02/2023
The Chairman of the PACE Monitoring Committee requested the Venice Commission to prepare an opinion the Law of Ukraine on "Prevention of threats to national security related to excessive influence of persons with significant economic or political weight in public life (oligarchs)".
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 134th Plenary Session of the Commission (10-11 March 2023).
02/02/2023
Following the request by the Chairman of the PACE Monitoring Committee dated 30 January 2023, the Venice Commission will prepare an opinion on the Law of Ukraine on National Minorities (Communities).
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 135th Plenary Session of the Commission (09-10 June 2023).
26/01/2023
On 17 January 2022 the Minister of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on
the Rules of Procedure of the Jogorku Kenesh ( the parliament) and on amendments to the Law on the Rules of Procedure of the Jogorku Kenesh concerning the procedure for ratification of international treaties.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption during the 134th plenary session of the Commission (10-11 March 2023).
This opinion will be prepared in the framework of the joint European Union – Council of Europe Central Asia Rule of Law Program... read more
25/01/2023
On 25 January 2023, Ms Claire Bazy-Malaurie, President of the Venice Commission, sent a letter to Mr Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, concerning follow-up to the opinion CDL-AD(2022)054 adopted by the Venice Commission at its 133rd plenary session (Venice, 16-17 December 2022).
23/01/2023 - 24/01/2023
In the framework of the preparation of the Urgent opinion on the Laws on Counterintelligence and External Intelligence Activity and on the Intelligence and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova, a delegation of the Venice Commission met (online) with representatives of the following interlocutors:
• the Security and Intelligence Service,
• the Sub-Committee for the exercise of parliamentary control over the work of the Intelligence and Security,
• the parliamentary majority and opposition,
• the office of the President of the Republic,
• the Ministry ... read more
23/01/2023
By letter dated 12 December 2022, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine requested an amicus curiae brief relating to the procedure for appointing to office and dismissing the Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation.
The draft amicus curiae brief will be submitted for adoption during the 134th plenary session of the Commission (10-11 March 2023).
18/01/2023
The Government of Spain has made a voluntary contribution of €150,000 to the budget of the Council of Europe. The part of the voluntary contribution earmarked for the Venice Commission activities constitutes €20,000.
Mr Manuel Montobbio, Permanent Representative of Spain to the Council of Europe, met with Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General, on this occasion.
17/01/2023
Strasbourg – The President of the Venice Commission Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie participated in the 10th Annual Meeting of the Secretary General with the Heads of the Monitoring and Advisory Bodies.
13/01/2023
On 09 January 2023 the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq joined the World Conference on Constitutional Justice which now has 120 members.
12/01/2023
By letter dated 15 December 2022, the President of the PACE Monitoring Committee requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the Law on Political Parties of Azerbaijan.
The draft opinion will be prepared jointly with the OSCE/ODIHR and submitted for adoption at the 134th plenary session of the Commission (10-11 March 2023).
11/01/2023 - 12/01/2023
Ankara - The Ombudsman institution of Türkiye organised an international conference on “The future of human rights in the 21st century”. Representatives of more than 30 countries took part in the event.
A representative of the Venice Commission delivered a speech on “the Ombudsman institution of the 21st century, the Venice Principles’ perspective”.
05/01/2023
On 27 December 2022 the Supreme Court of The Gambia joined the World Conference on Constitutional Justice which now has 119 members.