State of Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Europe – A security imperative for Europe. Report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, 2016

The past 12 months (2015-2016) have seen a gear shift in Europe’s security concerns. Recent terrorist attacks have sent a shockwave through our societies. Unco-ordinated responses to the migrant crisis have sustained chaos at our borders. Combined with economic uncertainty, this is creating fertile ground for nationalists and xenophobes who seek to exploit public anxiety. Such developments are posing serious problems for our shared security.

This is the third annual report of the Secretary General on the state of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The report assesses the extent to which the Council of Europe’s member states are able to make the building blocks of democratic security a reality and exposes Europe’s democratic shortcomings, which require immediate attention. The report also highlights pan-European trends and areas for joint action, where key recommendations have been made.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland: 'Europe in biggest human rights crisis since Cold War' http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-secretary-general-thorbjorn-jagland-europe-in-biggest-human-rights-crisis-since-cold-war/

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