The European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) publishes today the Compendium of Promising Practices on Access to Nationality for Stateless Children, following its adoption at its 105th plenary meeting (18-20 November 2025).  This compendium was prepared by the CDCJ’s Limited Working Group on Migration (CDCJ-MIG), with active contribution of observers such as UNHCR, the European Migration Network (EMN) and the European Network on Statelessness (ENS).

Child statelessness deprives children of their basic right to a nationality and legal identity, hampering their enjoyment of fundamental rights such as the right to education, healthcare, legal protection, and housing. It also increases children's vulnerability to poverty, exploitation, and crime.

This compendium covers prevention measures against statelessness amongst children, child-friendly nationality and statelessness determination procedures (including legal aid, access to information, and justice), birth registration and awareness-raising and training of relevant actors. By highlighting promising legal and administrative practices from across Europe, the compendium provides concrete national examples that can be replicated or adapted in other member states and beyond. Stakeholders are encouraged to use this resource to drive reform to end child statelessness.

The Council of Europe has joined the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, launched by UNHCR in 2024, and this compendium contributes to the general goal of eradicating statelessness.