The European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) gathered on 3-6 December 2019 for its 77th plenary meeting. 

The CDPC finalised and approved the text of the revised and updated European Prison Rules (Recommendation Rec(2006)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member States) and sent these to the Committee of Ministers for adoption. The revision and updating reflected the most recent international standards in this area, including the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, the CPT standards and the 2015 UN revised Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). The delegates also approved a draft Recommendation on the practical application of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and the Additional Protocol thereto and sent it to the Committee of Ministers for adoption. The Recommendation updates and replaces the three existing Recommendations on the same subject. See also the Explanatory memorandum as approved by the CDPC.

The CDPC agreed on its priorities for the next two years, namely: (i) artificial intelligence, (ii) protection of the environment through criminal law, (iii) smuggling of migrants, (iv) prison overcrowding, (v) international co-operation in criminal matters.

The CDPC decided to organise a thematic session during its spring plenary meeting in 2020 on the development of international co-operation in criminal matters with third countries, focusing both on legal and practical issues and obstacles.