Professor Veronika Bílková Receives Council of Europe Distinction for Her Contribution to Human Rights Protection

The Pro Merito Distinction was awarded to Professor Bílková by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in recognition of her outstanding contribution to advancing the values and objectives of the organisation.

The award also symbolically marked the conclusion of her sixteen years of service on the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, of which she had been a member since 2010 and had served twice as Vice-President. The Venice Commission is the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters, bringing together independent legal experts and providing member states with expert opinions and recommendations on constitutional and legislative reforms.

Professor Bílková received the distinction on 9 October 2026 during the 148th Plenary Session of the Venice Commission, held on 9–10 October at the historic Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista di Venezia in Venice.

Professor Bílková has long specialised in international law, international humanitarian law and the protection of human rights in armed conflicts. From 2020 to 2025, she served on the Management Board of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which provides expert analysis and advice to EU institutions and member states on fundamental rights issues.

In June this year, she was also elected to the UN Human Rights Committee for the 2027–2030 term. This independent body of experts monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and assesses how States parties fulfil their international human rights obligations.

Another significant aspect of her international work has been her participation in expert missions of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Between 2022 and 2025, she took part in five missions conducted under the so-called Moscow Mechanism, which examined violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in connection with the war in Ukraine.

In November 2024, she was also awarded the Medal for Merit in Diplomacy by the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs in recognition of her outstanding contribution to international law and the protection of human rights.

We warmly congratulate Professor Veronika Bílková on receiving this distinction and wish her continued success in her academic and international work.