The work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) starts today in Strasbourg. The agenda features a debate on the ethical, legal and practical considerations of COVID-19 vaccines with the participation of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Other guest speakers at the meeting include the European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reyndersthe; the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Heiko Maas (within the framework of the German presidency of the Committee of Ministers); and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, who will present her communication. Other issues to be discussed include “restrictions on NGO activities in Council of Europe Member States” and discrimination against people affected by “chronic and long-term illnesses”. There will also be debates on the independence of judges in Poland and in the Republic of Moldova, on the implementation of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights, and on the progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure. The cases of Montenegro, which has recently been monitored, and of the parliamentary elections in Georgia will be presented. During the session, the Assembly will elect the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe (a position until now held by Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni), the Secretary General of the Assembly, and the judges to the European Court of Human Rights. The session will end on 28 January and members will be allowed to attend remotely or in person.