Morocco takes part in Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly autumn session

Monday 28 September 2026 - 14:39

By: Azzat Manal

Morocco takes part in Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly autumn session

The autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) opened in Strasbourg on Monday, with Morocco taking part in the final plenary session of the Assembly’s 2026 calendar. The session is being held from September 28 to October 2 at the Council of Europe’s Palais de l’Europe.

The five-day meeting brings together parliamentarians to discuss a broad range of political, democratic and human rights issues affecting Europe and its partners. Among the subjects on the agenda are growing threats to media pluralism and media independence, implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the role of diasporas and migrants in strengthening social cohesion and democratic participation.

The programme also includes discussions on developing coherent European policies for veterans, as well as the role of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in assessing the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work. Climate policy is another major theme, with the Assembly examining ways to accelerate action as Europe faces increasingly significant environmental pressures.

The session comes at a time when European institutions are paying increasing attention to the impact of technological change on employment, democratic institutions and fundamental rights. The debate on artificial intelligence is expected to examine how governments can assess its effects while addressing the challenges created by rapidly evolving technologies.

Migration and social cohesion are also prominent on the agenda. The Assembly is scheduled to examine the contribution of diasporas and migrants to democratic participation and social integration, while an urgent debate has also been requested on developments involving Ceuta and migration.

Morocco participates in PACE activities as a Partner for Democracy, a status it has held since 2011. This framework allows the Moroccan Parliament to engage with the Assembly and its committees on issues related to democratic governance, human rights and parliamentary cooperation.

The Moroccan delegation’s participation comes as Rabat and European institutions continue to maintain parliamentary and institutional dialogue on a range of issues, including migration, democratic governance, human rights and regional cooperation.

The autumn session is also expected to feature several high-level addresses. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Portuguese President António José Martins Seguro and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul are among the figures scheduled to address the Assembly during the week.

The opening day also includes the presentation of the 14th Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, which recognises outstanding contributions to the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond.

PACE holds four ordinary plenary sessions each year, bringing together parliamentarians from the Council of Europe’s 46 member states, alongside representatives of partner and observer delegations. The fourth and final part-session of 2026 will conclude on October 2.

Morocco’s participation in the Strasbourg meetings provides another platform for parliamentary dialogue with European institutions, particularly on issues that extend beyond national borders. The discussions on democracy, migration, media freedom, artificial intelligence and climate change reflect the broad range of challenges currently addressed within the Council of Europe framework.