Council of Europe Treaties (ETS and CETS)

Under Article 15.a of the Statute, the Committee of Ministers considers the action required to further the aim of the Council of Europe, including the conclusion of conventions or agreements and the adoption by governments of a common policy with regard to particular matters.

Decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers (CM/Del/Dec)

If you want to know what action the Committee of Ministers (CM) has taken on a particular topic, start your search with the decisions adopted by the CM.

The decisions contain links to the related adopted texts (for example, Recommendations, Resolutions …) and to the working documents which provide the background to the decision.

Decisions include any texts adopted at a meeting of the Committee of Ministers.

Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to member states (CM/Rec)

Article 15.b of the Statute, provides for the Committee of Ministers to make recommendations to member states on matters for which the Committee has agreed "a common policy".

Recommendations are not binding on member States. However, the Statute permits the Committee of Ministers to ask member governments "to inform it of the action taken by them" in regard to recommendations (Article 15.b).

There are several types of recommendations:

Since 2001, explanatory memoranda, which are drawn up under the Secretariat's responsibility to make Council of Europe conventions and recommendations easier to understand, are declassified at the same time as the conventions and recommendations they accompany.

Replies from the Committee of Ministers (CM/AS and CM/Cong)

Replies to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

Parliamentary Assembly Recommendations contain proposals addressed to the Committee of Ministers, the implementation of which is within the competence of governments.

The Rules of Procedure of the Assembly provide that “Representatives and substitutes may at any time address to the Committee of Ministers, or to its Chairperson-in-office, written questions bearing on matters within the competence of the Committee of Ministers.”

Parliamentary Assembly recommendations and written questions should receive a reply from the Committee of Ministers within 6 months whenever possible.

Replies to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (Congress)

A recommendation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is a proposal by the Congress addressed to the Committee of Ministers and/or the Parliamentary Assembly and/or European and international institutions and organisations.

Resolutions (CM/Res)

Administrative decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers sometimes take the form of resolutions. Recommendations adopted before 1979 were issued in the "Resolutions" series of adopted texts.

There are several types of resolutions:

In accordance with Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights as amended by Protocol No. 11, the Committee of Ministers supervises the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee of Ministers' essential function is to ensure that member states comply with the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The Committee completes each case by adopting a final resolution. In some cases, interim resolutions may prove appropriate.

  • CM/ResDH - Resolutions adopted in the context of the supervision of execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights

Terms of reference of reference for Council of Europe intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies

Under Article 17 of the Statute , the Committee of Ministers may set up advisory and technical committees or commissions for such specific purposes as it may deem desirable.