Legal instruments

Council of Europe Treaties
- Convention for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data: ETS No.108, 28 January 1981 (Entry into force: 1.10.1985) and Explanatory Report
- Amendment to Convention ETS No.108 allowing the European Communities to accede: Adopted 15 June 1999 (Entry into force: after acceptation by all Parties) and Explanatory Memorandum
- Additional Protocol to Convention ETS No.108 on Supervisory Authorities and Transborder Data Flows: ETS No. 181 (Opened for signature on 8 November 2001) and Explanatory Report
Resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly
- Resolution 2045, Mass surveillance (2015)
- Resolution 2060, Improving the protection of whistle-blowers (2015)
- Resolution 1986, Improving user protection and security in cyberspace (2014)
- Resolution 1843, The protection of privacy and personal data on the Internet and online media (2011)
- Resolution 1797, The need for a global consideration of the human rights implications of biometrics (2011)
- Resolution 1604, Video surveillance of public areas (2008)
- Resolution 721, Data processing and the protection of human rights (1980)
Recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly
Resolutions of the Ministers of Justice
Declarations of the Committee of Ministers
- Declaration by the Committee of Ministers on the 40th anniversary of Convention 108 – Safeguarding the right to data protection in the digital environment (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 20 January 2021)
- Declaration CM(2005)56 of the Committee of Ministers on human rights and the rule of law in the Information Society
- Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Risks to Fundamental Rights stemming from Digital Tracking and other Surveillance Technologies (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 June 2013)
Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2020)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the human rights impacts of algorithmic systems
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of health-related data ► Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on Guidelines to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of the child in the digital environment
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the roles and responsibilities of internet intermediaries
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)8 of the Committee of Ministers to the member States on the processing of personal health-related data for insurance purposes, including data resulting from genetic tests
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on protecting and promoting the right to freedom of expression and the right to private life with regard to network neutrality
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the processing of personal data in the context of employment and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on a Guide to human rights for Internet users (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 16 April 2014 at the 1197th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the protection of human rights with regard to social networking services
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)3 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the protection of human rights with regard to search engines
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)13 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data in the context of profiling (23 November 2010) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(2002) 9 on the protection of personal data collected and processed for insurance purposes (18 September 2002) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(99) 5 for the protection of privacy on the Internet (23 February 1999)
- Recommendation No.R(97) 18 on the protection of personal data collected and processed for statistical purposes (30 September 1997) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(97) 5 on the protection of medical data (13 February 1997) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(95) 4 on the protection of personal data in the area of telecommunication services, with particular reference to telephone services (7 February 1995) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(92) 1 on the use of analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) within the framework of the criminal justice system (10 February 1992)
- Recommendation No.R(91) 10 on the communication to third parties of personal data held by public bodies (9 September 1991) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(90) 19 on the protection of personal data used for payment and other related operations (13 September 1990) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(87) 15 regulating the use of personal data in the police sector (17 September 1987) and evaluation reports: First report (1994), Second report (1998), Third report (2002), Fourth report (2013), Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(86) 1 on the protection of personal data for social security purposes (23 January 1986) and Explanatory memorandum
- Recommendation No.R(85) 20 on the protection of personal data used for the purposes of direct marketing (25 October 1985) and Explanatory memorandum
- Resolution 29 on the protection of individuals vis-à-vis electronic data banks in the public sector (1974)
- Resolution 22 on the protection of privacy of individuals vis-à-vis electronic data banks in the private sector (1973)