Christophe Poirel, Director of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and Christoph Henrichs, Vice-Chair of the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ), engage with lawyers by taking part on 25 October in the virtual round table organised by the CCBE on the occasion of the European Lawyers’ Day 2021, dedicated to the theme "No justice without independent lawyers".

The Council of Europe attaches a particular importance to the fundamental role lawyers and lawyers' professional associations play in ensuring the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need to promote the freedom of exercise of the profession in order to strengthen the Rule of Law in which lawyers participate. The conclusions of the recently published feasibility study carried out by the CDCJ are unequivocal on the real need to adopt a new European legal instrument, binding or non-binding, on the profession of lawyer and on the added value of such an instrument.

This new instrument should, according to Christoph Henrichs, "set out the standards in a manner that is both more precise and more comprehensive. This, binding or non-binding, legal instrument would be a step forward for both lawyers and their clients provided that the level of law and protection is higher than the existing one and that Member States agree to its application".

During his speech, Christophe Poirel recalled that "the  freedom of exercise of the profession of lawyer is indispensable for the full implementation of the fundamental right to a fair trial as guaranteed by Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is undeniable that the adoption of a future legal instrument in this field, allowing for a better protection of lawyers in the exercise of their profession, would contribute to the strengthening of democracy, the rule of law and human rights which are the very essence of the Council of Europe".