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European Council
Trends
- 1
The Council of the EU is raising the question of whether Europe needs its own payment system, prompting discussion about reducing reliance on foreign card networks and payment providers. The debate touches on European strategic autonomy, the future of the euro in digital payments, and initiatives such as a potential European payment solution that could compete with dominant international schemes.
- 2PACE Awards Nasrin Sotoudeh Václav Havel Human Rights Prize●PACE Awards Iranian Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has awarded Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Sotoudeh, known for defending women's rights activists and opponents of mandatory veiling in Iran, has faced repeated imprisonment for her work. The award recognises her longstanding defence of civil liberties and is expected to draw criticism from Tehran.
- 3Greece plans EU deportation centre in Africa for 2027 Council presidency●Griechenland will während EU-Ratsvorsitz Abschiebezentrum in Afrika einrichten Im Sommer 2027 übernimmt Griechenland den
Greece has announced plans to establish a European deportation centre in Africa during its EU Council presidency, which begins in summer 2027. The government says preparations are reportedly already underway. The proposal revives long-debated plans to process returns and deportations outside Europe, a highly contentious idea among EU member states, human rights groups and migration experts.
- 4GRECO publishes compliance reports on Denmark, Hungary, Türkiye and Ukraine●Anti-corruption body GRECO publishes summaries of reports on Denmark, Hungary, Türkiye and Ukraine evaluating compliance with its recommendations
The Council of Europe's anti-corruption body GRECO has published summaries of compliance reports evaluating how Denmark, Hungary, Türkiye and Ukraine have implemented its anti-corruption recommendations. The assessments cover areas such as judicial independence, prevention of corruption among public officials, and transparency, offering the latest picture of each country's progress in meeting the group's standards.