In 2001 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 at 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.

Concerning the activity on consent by States to be bound by a treaty, an analytical report was prepared under the aegis of the CAHDI by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law on the basis of the contributions provided by the Committee member and observer States. This report was subsequently published.

The Committee also held exchanges of views concerning the following issues: implementation of international instruments protecting the victims of armed conflicts; developments concerning the International Criminal Court (in this connection, the CAHDI organised jointly with the CDPC a second multilateral consultation meeting on the implications of the ratification of the Rome Statute in the legal order of member States); implementation and functioning of the Tribunals established by UN Security Council Resolutions 827 (1993) and 955 (1994); protection of Cultural Heritage in times of War; the activity of the General Assembly of the United Nations, of the Sixth Committee, and of the International Law Commission (ILC).

The Committee undertook the implementation of a Pilot Project of the Council of Europe on State practice regarding State immunities.

The CAHDI held exchanges of views with Mr Guillaume, President of the International Court of Justice and Professor Crawford, member of the ILC and Special rapporteur on State responsibility.