Council of Europe

Human rights information bulletin

The “Bulletin”, under different titles, was published from 1978 to summer 2012, with the aim to summarise events in the field of human rights from the perspective of the Council of Europe. Each issue has sections devoted to different developments in the field of human rights : cases before the organs of the European Convention on Human Rights, social rights, prevention of torture, protection of national minorities, gender equality, media, etc.

Download back issues (available in PDF format - click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Practical impact of the Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms
in improving respect for human rights and the rule of law in member states

This document describes the way in which the Council of Europe mechanisms pertaining to human rights and rule of law have worked towards definite improvements in legislation, practice and the situation of individuals in the member states. The second part of the document brings together a selection of recent examples of situations where the Council of Europe member states have taken measures to improve the position regarding human rights, and also against corruption and money laundering, whether directly or indirectly, wholly or partially, as a result of the action of one of the Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms.
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Annual reports of the monitoring mechanisms
(latest versions)

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

European Social Charter (ESC)

Execution of the Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (CM-EXEC)

Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA)

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM)

Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL)

Human rights files
A series of monographs covering specific aspects of human rights

The “Human rights files” series is aimed at specialists in European law: lawyers, practitioners and research students. It also constitutes a useful resource for the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in the signatory states.
Titles in the series from the on-line catalogue of the European Court of Human Rights (with links to downloadable versions in PDF format where available).

Human rights handbooks
Practical guides to the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights

Written by experts in the field, each handbook deals with one aspect of the European Convention on Human Rights or its protocols.  The handbooks are intended as a very practical guide to how particular articles of the European Convention on Human Rights have been applied and interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. They were written with legal practitioners, and particularly judges, in mind, but are accessible also to other interested readers.
All handbooks can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format.
Titles in the series from the on-line catalogue of the European Court of Human Rights

Yearbook of the European Convention on Human Rights
From the beginnings of the Convention to the present, the definitive annual record of the European Convention on Human Rights

Using official Council of Europe sources, the Yearbook is published by Brill Academic Publishers. Each volume presents the developments and significant events concerning the Convention.
To order the latest Edition (bilingual)

Leaflets
European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ)
Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE)
Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE)

Evaluation report of European judicial systems
Thanks to a new evaluation cycle, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) aims to provide policy makers and justice professionals a practical and detailed tool to better understand the operation of the public service of justice in Europe in order to improve its efficiency and its quality in the interest of 800 million Europeans.
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Handbook for conducting satisfaction surveys aimed at court users in Council of Europe member States
The CEPEJ's working group on the quality of justice (CEPEJ-GT-QUAL) proposed to draft a methodological handbook for central court authorities and individual courts wishing to develop user satisfaction surveys. This tool was due to be based in particular on the experience of certain member states and relevant best practices to be highlighted.
Link to the document

CEPEJ Studies
The role of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), through development of concrete tools and measures for decision makers and legal professionals, is to promote the efficient functioning of a justice of quality in public services of the member States, while taking into account user's expectations, in full respect of fundamental principles of independency and impartiality of judges.
CEPEJ Studies

CCJE and CCPE Opinions
The Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) and the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE) advise the Committee of Ministers and the member States on questions concerning the status and the functions of judges and prosecutors, in conformity with the fundamental principles of Rule of Law.
CCJE Opinions
CCPE Opinions

Pompidou Group - Drug abuse and drug Trafficking

The Pompidou Group's publications can be downloaded on its website or acquired on the Council of Europe online bookshop. Those marked with a star have been published with the Pompidou Group's support and can be acquired as described..

Pompidou Group’s publications

Bulletin on Constitutional Case-law and CD-Rom CODICES

The Bulletin on Constitutional Case Law reports on the most significant decisions of constitutional courts and courts of equivalent jurisdiction in Europe and other continents, as well as those of the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Communities. CODICES is also a publication of the Venice Commission: it's the electronic counterpart of the Bulletin. CODICES represents approximately 100 000 pages of printed text.

Venice Commission website

Science and technique of democracy

The Science and Technique of Democracy collection reports on the transnational topics considered by the Venice Commission. All the titles of Science et technique collection can be ordered at the web-site of Council of Europe Publishing

Venice Commission website

Other publications of the Venice Commission

Annual Reports of Activities: available from 1993 onwards
Studies
Information brochure "The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe"
Services provided by the Venice Commission to Constitutional Courts and equivalent bodies, 2007
Revised Statute of the European Commission for Democracy through Law, bilingual version, 2002
See more on the Venice Commission website
These publications are available, free of charge, from venice@coe.int