
Texts recently adopted by the Committee of Ministers
Recommendation on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation to member States on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration.
Migration puts children, especially unaccompanied or separated from their parents, in a very vulnerable position. Children are forced to flee or migrate from their homes for various reasons: to escape from conflict, violence, for the purpose of family reunification, as a result of changes in the environment that affect their lives, or the search for better economic, social or cultural conditions. Such a journey increases the risk of violating their fundamental rights and freedoms.
This Recommendation seeks to ensure that unaccompanied and separated children’s rights and their best interests are respected in line with international and European standards. It also seeks to ensure that guardianship is effectively provided and is appropriate to the rights and specific needs of the children concerned.
Recommendation on developing and promoting digital citizenship education
Recommendation on developing and promoting digital citizenship education
The Committee of Ministers has adopted a set of guidelines to its 47 member States asking them to develop and promote digital citizenship education and make it a priority for policy makers.
According to the Recommendation, the digital environment provides an unprecedented means for people to express themselves, to assemble and participate, and opens new opportunities to improve access and inclusion.
Digital citizenship education can contribute to raising awareness of discrimination and bias based on gender stereotypes and their effects on the online and offline world. It may also contribute to creating greater educational opportunities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields for girls and women, and ensure that all citizens benefit fully from the digital revolution.
The text underlines the importance of empowering “learners” by providing the means to acquire the skills and competences for democratic culture, and by enabling them to tackle the challenges and risks arising from the digital environment and emerging technologies.

The Committee of Ministers
The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe’s statutory decision-making body. Its role and functions are broadly defined in Chapter IV of the Statute. It is made up of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of member States. The Committee meets at ministerial level once a year and at Deputies' level (Permanent Representatives to the Council of Europe) weekly. The conduct of meetings is governed by the Statute and Rules of Procedure. The Ministers’ Deputies are assisted by a Bureau, rapporteur groups, thematic coordinators and ad hoc working parties.
- Ministerial level
Sessions of the Committee of Ministers - Deputy level
Meetings of the Ministers' Deputies - Deputy level: Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
Human Rights (DH) meetings of the Ministers' Deputies

Bureau of the Ministers' Deputies
The Bureau assists the Ministers' Deputies. It consists of six members in the English alphabetical order: the current President, the two previous Presidents and the three future Presidents. The Bureau has no decision-making power on questions of substance and may not substitute itself for the full Committee.

Subsidiary groups
Rapporteur groups, thematic coordinators and ad hoc working parties are informal working structures of the Ministers' Deputies and have no decision-making power. They prepare decisions for adoption by the Committee of Ministers.

Rapporteur Groups

GR-C - Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment
Main activities: Education for democratic citizenship - Exchanges on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue - Youth for Democracy - Sport and integrity - Valuing Culture, Nature and Heritage - Conferences of Ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-DEM - Democracy
Main activities: Fulfilment of statutory obligations and commitments - Cooperation activities/Action plans/Pre-electoral assistance/Confidence building measures - Democratic governance - Strengthening democratic dialogue - Conferences of Ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-EXT - External Relations
Main activities: Co-operation with the EU - Co-operation with the OSCE - Co-operation with the UN - Co-operation with neighbouring regions - Co-operation with observer states - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-H - Human Rights
Main activities: Enhancing the effectiveness of the ECHR system at national and European level - Implementation of the Brighton, Brussels and Copenhagen Declarations - Prevention of Torture: CPT elections - Equality and diversity - Racism and intolerance: ECRI elections - Minorities - National Minorities - Bioethics - Media and Information society - Conferences of Ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-J - Legal Co-operation
Main activities: Regional or Minority Languages - Independence and efficiency of Justice - Crime problems, prisons and police - Fight against corruption - Development and Implementation of common standards and policies - Counter-Terrorism - Artificial intelligence - Requests of non-member States to accede to conventions/partial agreements - Conferences of Ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-PBA - Programme, Budget and Administration
Main activities: Programme, Budget and Administration - Reform of the Council of Europe - Financial statements; annual reports of the External Auditor, Oversight Advisory Committee, Internal Auditor - Reports from technical bodies: Budget Committee, Management Board of the Pension Reserve Fund - Financial regulations - Staff regulations, Co-ordinating committee on remuneration - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations

GR-SOC - Social and Health Questions
Main activities: European Social Charter and European Code of Social Security - European Social Cohesion Platform - Promoting social inclusion and respect for human rights: Roma, Migrants - Rights of persons with disabilities - Children’s rights - Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare - Conferences of Ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations

Thematic Co-ordinators

TC-INF - Information Policy
Mandate: to follow the Council of Europe Strategy on Internet Governance
