Members of the Bureau as of 1 January 2026 (right to left, front to back):

Signe Öhman (Sweden): Chair 
Alexandra Terés Erich (Andorra): Member
Guillaume Vieillard (France): Member
Lennart Houmann (Denmark): Vice-Chair
Christoph Henrichs (Germany): Member
Matija Vidmar (Slovenia): Member
João Arsénio de Oliveira (Portugal): Member
Gerald Dunn: Secretary to the CDCJ
 
 

The Bureau

The Bureau is composed of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and five members. They are elected in their personal capacity and in accordance with the rules of procedure for Council of Europe committees.

Functions and tasks

• The key functions of the Bureau are:

- Assist the Chair in conducting the committee’s business;

- Supervise the preparation of the meetings of the committee;

- Ensure continuity between plenary meetings of the committee;

- Execute other additional specific tasks as delegated by the committee.

• Its role in preparing plenary meetings of the committee includes, inter alia:

- Examining the texts of draft instruments and draft publications completed by drafting groups before consideration by the CDCJ in plenary, and in the light of comments received from CDCJ delegations after formal consultation on the text;

- Approving the draft agenda of plenary meetings, including the order of business and timetable.

• Other specific tasks of the Bureau include:

- Reviewing the progress of working/drafting groups and of other activities of the Committee;

- Preparing proposals for future activities, in consultation with CDCJ delegations;

- Appoint CDCJ members to represent the Committee in the work of other Council of Europe bodies and committees, where entrusted by the CDCJ to do so.

   Members of the CDCJ Bureau (as of 1st January 2026)