Church groups in Europe have welcomed the entry into force of a pan-European convention against human trafficking, and described it as a major step in ensuring the protection of the human rights of trafficked persons in Europe.

In June 2007 the Christian think-tank Ekklesia and the British Humanist Association wrote to the new Schools, Children and Families minister, Ed Balls MP, urging him to make progress on combating creationism in British schools. The government has subsequently issued its promised guidelines.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is the latest body to condemn attempts to propagate the teaching of creationism in school science lessons, following guidelines on the subject issued recently by the British government.

Geneva's International Museum of the Reformation has been awarded the Council of Europe Museum Prize for 2007. The president of the council's parliamentary assembly prsented the award earlier this week.