Directorate General of Legal Affairs

Steering Committees
Ad hoc Committees
Convention-based committees

Steering Committees 

Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, intergovernmental activities are carried out by steering committees, comprising experts from the member States, who monitor the work of specialised sub-committees:

European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) identifies priorities for intergovernmental legal co-operation, makes proposals to the Committee of Ministers on activities in the fields of public and private law, and implements these activities.

European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) identifies priorities for intergovernmental legal co-operation, makes proposals to the Committee of Ministers on activities in the fields of criminal law, criminology and penology, and implements these activities.

Steering Committee on Bioethics (CDBI) plays a similar role with regard to the legal protection of human beings in the fields of bioethics and biotechnology.

Steering Committee on Local and Regional Democracy (CDLR) seeks to improve the legal, institutional and financial basis on which local and regional authorities operate, and to promote citizenship and democratic participation at local and regional level.

Ad hoc Committees 

There are also ad hoc committees on public international law (CAHDI) and the protection of asylum-seekers and refugees (CAHAR).

Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI) brings together the Legal Advisers of the Ministers for foreign affairs of the forty-three member States of the Council of Europe as well as of a significant number of observer States and Organisations.

Committee of Experts on Legal Aspects of Territorial Asylum, Refugees and Stateless Persons (CAHAR) serves as an intergovernmental forum on law and policy in these areas, particularly for member States, but also for the United Nations and other international organisations and agencies, both global and regional. It meets regularly to discuss all these issues, with a view to helping member States to adopt a common stance, and suggesting solutions to their practical and legal problems.

Convention-based committees 

Lastly, mention should be made of the work done by the convention-based committees, most of them set up directly by conventions and comprising representatives of the contracting parties. Their job is to monitor compliance with conventions on regional and minority languages, data protection, the use of animals, and judicial co-operation in criminal proceedings.