The President of the Assembly presented to the Bureau the PACE activity report for the second half of 2020. The document details the five main priorities for the Assembly’s action during this period: completing its workplan despite the difficulties of the pandemic, making the case for the environment as a human right, reinforcing intra-institutional relations with the Council of Europe, and strengthening the links with national parliaments and international partners.
Among the priorities for 2021, the President highlights supporting the German Presidency in promoting EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, advocating for “a principled approach to the environment as a human right” and supporting the drafting of “a legally binding instrument governing the human rights aspects of the use of artificial intelligence”.
The Assembly shall continue to champion equality and promote the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence as “the most advanced and comprehensive legally binding treaty to end violence against women and girls”.