
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 - Culture, heritage and landscape - "Eurimages" - Cultural routes - History Teaching - Sport and integrity - Youth - Youth Card - Environment - North-South Centre - EUR-OPA - Conferences of specialised ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-DEM - Democracy
Main activities: Fulfilment of statutory obligations and commitments - Cooperation activities and action plans - Democratic governance - Strengthening democratic dialogue - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


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


GR-H - Human Rights
Main activities: Enhancing the effectiveness of the ECHR system - Biomedicine and health - Prevention of torture - National minorities - Death penalty - Anti-discrimination, diversity and inclusion - Gender equality - Media and information society - Racism and intolerance - Conferences of specialised ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations


GR-J - Legal Co-operation
Main activities: Venice Commission - Common standards and policies - Independence and efficiency of justice - Crime problems, prisons and police - Counter-terrorism - Group of States against Corruption - Anti-money laundering - Accession to conventions/partial agreements - Artificial intelligence - Regional or minority languages - Conferences of specialised 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 and annual oversight reports - Reports from technical bodies - Financial regulations - Staff regulations and remuneration - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations
GR-SOC - Social and Health Questions
Main activities: European Social Charter, European Code of Social Security, Social rights - Children’s rights - Social cohesion - European Pharmacopoeia - Pomidou Group - Council of Europe Development Bank - Conferences of specialised ministers - Replies to Assembly and Congress recommendations

Thematic Co-ordinators

TC-INF - Information Policy
Terms of reference: to follow closely the co-operation between the Council of Europe and Internet and telecommunications companies and the implementation of the Council of Europe digital agenda 2022-2025

