The directorate has overall responsibility for the development and implementation of the human rights and rule of law standards of the Council of Europe, including the promotion of democracy through law, the operation of relevant treaties and related monitoring mechanisms and the development and implementation of cooperation activities in these fields.

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Gianluca Esposito, Director General »

Latest news

The CPT discusses human trafficking and global torture prevention, and adopts five visit reports

The CPT discusses human trafficking and global torture prevention, and adopts five visit reports

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) held its Autumn plenary meeting from 2 to 6 November 2026. During the meeting, the...

06/11/2026

Our activities

Standard-setting, monitoring and cooperation
Standard-setting, monitoring and cooperation
Security, Integrity, and Rule of Law
Security, Integrity, and Rule of Law
Social Rights, Health and Environment
Social Rights, Health and Environment
Constitutional and legal assistance
Constitutional and legal assistance
Migration and Refugees
Migration and Refugees
Register of Damage for Ukraine
Register of Damage for Ukraine

Stay connected

Events

10 Dec 2026

Human Dignity and Equality: Challenges in the Realization and Protection of Human Rights

09 Dec 2026
10 Dec 2026

3rd Law Enforcement Conference on Drug Trafficking, Organised Crime Networks and International Co-operation

Mexico City, Mexico
08 Dec 2026

Regional Thematic Seminar on Emerging Synthetic Drug Trends and Challenges

Mexico City, Mexico
Friday 4th december 2026

High-Level Conference on Health Literacy and Human Rights

08:00 - 17:30 Rome, Italy
17 Nov 2026
18 Nov 2026

73rd meeting of Ad Hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA)

Strasbourg
09 Nov 2026

Discussion on the draft Methodology for the investigation of allegations of illtreatment, focusing on prosecutors

04 Nov 2026
06 Nov 2026

6th meeting of the Drafting Group on Eradication of Impunity for Serious Human Rights Violations (CDDH-ELI)

Strasbourg
03 Nov 2026
05 Nov 2026

16th Plenary Meeting of the Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP)

Strasbourg
03 Nov 2026

Plenary meeting of the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC)

14 Oct 2026
15 Oct 2026

38th Session of the Co-operation Group of Drug Control Services at Airports and Mail Centres - Pompidou Group

Athens, Greece
13 Oct 2026
14 Oct 2026

2nd meeting of the Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV)

09:30 - 17:30 Strasbourg
24 Sep 2026
25 Sep 2026

HF 10 - Second capacity-building session for the Prison Police Intervention Teams (24-25.09.2026)

Skopje, North Macedonia
13-14 July 2026

Capacity building session for prison police senior officials

Skopje, North Macedonia Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje
07 Jul 2026
09 Jul 2026

European Sports Charter Support and Follow-up visit to Armenia

Yerevan, Armenia
01 Jul 2026
02 Jul 2026

Strengthening Police responses to trafficking in human beings: Applying Council of Europe Standards in practice

Strasbourg, France
28 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026

HF 10 - Study visit focusing on prison police intervention teams, in Warsaw, Poland

18-19 June 2026

CEPEJ 46th plenary meeting

08:00 - 17:00 Sibenik, Croatia
11 Jun 2026
12 Jun 2026

Annual meeting of the Pool of International Experts on Safe Sport

Strasbourg
10 Jun 2026
11 Jun 2026

7th meeting of the Expert Group on General Aviation (Pompidou Group)

Strasbourg, France
10 Jun 2026
11 Jun 2026

Multilateral Meeting on Provision of healthcare in prisons: presentation of the updated 2025 CPT standard

Strasbourg, France
04 Jun 2026

12th meeting of the Macolin Convention Follow-up Committee (T-MC)

Lausanne, Switzerland
01 Jun 2026
03 Jun 2026

98th meeting of Pompidou Group Committee of Permanent Correspondents

Vienna, Austria
28 May 2026

Conference on “Limiting the Availability of Doping Substances in Europe: A Shared Responsibility”

Paris
Wednesday 27 of May 2026

"Better Justice Through Data" 1rst Join meeting of the CEPEJ Pilot Court and National Correspondants networks

09:30 - 17:30 Palais de l'Europe - Strasbourg
27 May 2026
28 May 2026

Youth event and annual plenary meetings of the EPAS Governing Board and Consultative Committee

Strasbourg
19 May 2026
20 May 2026

Meeting of the Drafting Committee on Human Rights and Drug Policies (DH-PDA)

Strasbourg
19 May 2026

Plenary meeting of the Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC)

05 May 2026
06 May 2026

10th Meeting of the Advisory Group to the Macolin Convention Follow-up Committee (Group of Copenhagen)

Nicosia, Cyprus
28 Apr 2026
29 Apr 2026

9th meeting of the Committee of the Saint-Denis Convention (T-S4) and 3rd meeting of the T-S4 Ad Hoc Working Group on FIFA World Cup 26 (T-S4 FIFA 26) - CAN/MEX/USA

Strasbourg
28 Apr 2026

One-day evaluation session on the implementation of the National Strategy on the Development of the Penitentiary System in North Macedonia (2021-25)

15 Apr 2026

Conference to examine how emerging digital technologies create new challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule of law

Strasbourg Council of Europe
10 Apr 2026

Human Rights, Health and the Environment

10:00 - 11:30 Online
24 Mar 2026
25 Mar 2026

1st meeting of the Steering Committee on the Environment (CDENV)

23 Mar 2026

One-day session on revising the risk and needs assessment tool

19 Mar 2026

High-level conference on Social Rights and the European Social Charter

Chişinău (Republic of Moldova) Council of Europe
17 Mar 2026

Meeting of the PC-OC Mod

12 Mar 2026
13 Mar 2026

ON Forum: High-level Conference with Ombudsperson Institutions and National Human Rights Institutions

09 Mar 2026
13 Mar 2026

Participation of the Pompidou Group in the 69th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)

Vienna, Austria
06 Mar 2026

Breakfast Roundtable on Women in Sport, International Women's Day

Strasbourg
05 Mar 2026

Launch event of the "Active and Equal" joint European Union - Council of Europe project

Strasbourg
04 Mar 2026
05 Mar 2026

Meeting of the Ad Hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA)

Strasbourg
03 Mar 2026
04 Mar 2026

Meeting of the Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention (T-DO)

Strasbourg
27 Feb 2026

Second "Start to Talk" roundtable in Cyprus

Nicosia, Cyprus
24 Feb 2026

High level conversation from DOHA 2025 to Chisinau 2026

23 Feb 2026

Working group session for discussing the findings on telemedicine use in prison healthcare

28 Jan 2026

Article 3 of the ECHR and the External Oversight Mechanism – Awareness raising workshop

17 Dec 2025
18 Dec 2025

2nd meeting of the Drafting Committee on Human Rights and Drug Policies (DH-PDA)

Paris, France
17 Dec 2025

Effective investigations in the perspective of Article 3 of Convention and the External Oversight Mechanism

16 Dec 2025

Forum on Sport and Human Rights

Paris
12 Dec 2025
13 Dec 2025

Venice Commission plenary meeting

Venice (Italy) Venice Commission
11 Dec 2025

Group of States against Corruption (GRECO): publication of report on France

Strasbourg Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
10 Dec 2025

Council of Europe ministers to discuss migration and the European Convention on Human Rights

Strasbourg (Palais de l’Europe) Secretary General
10 Dec 2025

Council of Europe’s Access Info Group (AIG): publication of report on Spain

Strasbourg Council of Europe’s Access Info Group (AIG)
10 Dec 2025

Informal Ministerial Conference

Strasbourg
09 Dec 2025

Assessment mission on feasibility of introducing telemedicine in North Macedonia’s penitentiary healthcare

09 Dec 2025

Joint CEB/CoE Conference on Inclusive and Sustainable Care for Older Persons

Strasbourg, Palais de l'Europe, Room 10 & online
09 Dec 2025
10 Dec 2025

Plenary Session of the Committee of Parties to the Convention on the Counterfeiting of Medical Products and Similar Crimes Involving Threats to Public Health

Strasbourg
05 Dec 2025

Conference: Health Literacy and Human Rights - Listening and empowering people to build trust

11:00 - 16:00 Rome, Italy
04 Dec 2025
05 Dec 2025

45th plenary meeting of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ)

Strasbourg, Palais de l'Europe
04 Dec 2025
05 Dec 2025

Meeting of the Macolin Convention Follow-up Committee (T-MC)

Strasbourg

Latest publications

Financing the care gap: How multilateral development banks can help transform care for older persons

Human Rights and Competitiveness – Reframing the business case for human rights

TOWARDS A NEW DEMOCRATIC PACT FOR EUROPE - Secretary General's 2025 report

Review on “Social rights and the cost-of-living crisis”