During the Spring plenary part-session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) which is being held in Strasbourg from 24 to 28 April 2017, the UEL chairman, Mr. Kox also spoke on behalf of the Group in the progress report. He underlined that “if we want to remain a relevant inter-parliamentary European body with regard to the protection and promotion of human rights, the rule of law and democracy – something that is so needed in these turbulent and dangerous times – we have to clean our own house as soon as possible”.