Council of Europe

Under its co-operation programme to strengthen the Rule of Law, the Council of Europe works with member and applicant States in particular to:

- assist in the preparation of legislation and administrative procedures tailored to the country’s specific needs and consistent with the international rules governing nationality
- ensure that laws and regulations in the field of nationality are implemented as intended by the legislators and in accordance with fundamental principles and standards of the Council of Europe
- provide advice in the process of preparing accession to the European Convention on Nationality

More concretely, these co-operation activities have involved expert opinions on existing or new draft legislation in the field of nationality, expert meetings, seminars and workshops on nationality legislation and on implementation of legislation, study visits for officials working in the field of nationality to nationality authorities of other European States, advice on the setting up of administrative procedures and computerisation of such procedures as well as staff training in the field of nationality. As a result of the efforts and progress made under the bilateral legal co-operation programme in the field of nationality the number of State parties to the European Convention on Nationality has increased significantly.

Many of the activities with States at the bilateral level are carried out in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with whom there has been a close working relationship in the field of nationality for a number of years. In 1999, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees signed a Memorandum of Understanding in view of maximising the efficiency of the co-operation between the two organisations in all fields of mutual interest and concern.