In 2004 the Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI) held two meetings in order to examine questions of public international law, to exchange and, if appropriate, to co-ordinate the views of member States at the request of the Committee of Ministers, Steering Committees and Ad Hoc Committees and on its own initiative.

The CAHDI continued to operate as a European Observatory of Reservations to International Treaties and to consider outstanding reservations to international treaties concluded within and outside the Council of Europe. Moreover, following the decision taken by the CAHDI at its 23rd meeting, the CAHDI considered reservations to international treaties applicable to the fight against terrorism and submitted a list of possibly problematic reservations to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Furthermore, the Committee held exchanges of views concerning the following issues: national implementation measures of UN sanctions, and respect for Human Rights; organization and functions of the Office of the Legal Adviser of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implementation of international instruments protecting the victims of armed conflicts; developments concerning the International Criminal Court (ICC); implementation and functioning of the ad hoc criminal tribunals established by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 827 (1993) and 955 (1994); the activity of the General Assembly of the United Nations namely the Sixth Committee and of the International Law Commission (ILC); developments concerning the fight against terrorism. In addition, the Committee was also informed on the proposals for a new procedure of notification of acts related to the Council of Europe's treaties.

The CAHDI held exchanges of views with Mr Moreno Ocampo, the Chief prosecutor of the ICC, Professor Gaja, member of the ILC and Mr Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The Committee adopted an opinion on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation No. 1602 (2003) on Immunities of members of the Parliamentary Assembly and has examined the Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1650 (2004) - Links between Europeans living abroad and their countries of origin.

The Committee pursued the implementation of the Pilot-Project of the Council of Europe on State practice regarding Immunities of States. To this end, it commanded the preparation of an analytical report to the University of Vienna, British Institute of International and Comparative Law and Graduate Institute of International Studies.

The CAHDI admitted the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) and Interpol as observers to the Committee.