Monitoring States’ compliance with their obligations and commitments is important to assess progress, identify good practices and address shortcomings through recommendations. Monitoring work is carried out in different ways:

  • Intergovernmental bodies (such as the Steering Committees) follow the implementation of a number of treaties and review the implementation of recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers.
  • A monitoring mechanism composed of independent experts is created to assess progress on a specific issue (for instance, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance or ECRI).
  • Monitoring bodies established by treaties, whose primary role is to ensure that State parties (who have ratified the convention) comply with the relevant treaty in law and in practice in their country. These mechanisms provide concrete recommendations indicating where a State needs to strengthen its compliance with the provisions of the convention and offering individual and collective guidance to help State parties to meet their international legal obligations.

 Action against trafficking in human beings (GRETA)

The Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings contains provisions obliging states to prevent and prosecute human trafficking in all its forms, protect the rights of all victims, and cooperate with civil society and other states. The Convention set up a monitoring mechanism composed on an independent group of anti-trafficking experts (GRETA) and a Committee of the Parties which issues recommendations on the basis of GRETA’s reports.

 

 Action against violence against women and domestic violence (GREVIO)

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women. The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.

 

 Protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse (Lanzarote Committee)

The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, (Lanzarote Convention), requires criminalisation of all kinds of sexual offences against children. It requires States to adopt specific legislation and take measures to prevent sexual violence, to protect child victims and to prosecute perpetrators. The Committee of the Parties to the Lanzarote Convention (Lanzarote Committee) is the body established to monitor whether Parties effectively implement the Lanzarote Convention. The Committee is also charged with identifying good practices, in particular during capacity-building activities (study visits, conferences, etc.).

 

 Protecting regional or minority languages (COMEX)

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is a Council of Europe treaty designed to protect and promote States parties’ traditional regional or minority languages in all fields of public life: education, judicial authorities, administrative authorities and public services, media, cultural activities and facilities, economic and social life, and transfrontier exchanges. The charter is the only internationally binding instrument focused on the protection of regional and minority languages. It benefits its states parties by offering a common and internationally recognised framework for their language policies. Regular monitoring of how states apply the charter is carried out by a committee of independent experts.

 

 Protecting national minorities (FCNM)

The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities is a comprehensive treaty protecting the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in key areas such as equality and non-discrimination, education, media or access to effective participation in public life. The Advisory Committee, composed of independent experts, is responsible for evaluating the implementation of the Framework Convention and for advising the Committee of Ministers. In addition to country-specific opinions, the committee publishes thematic commentaries on specific issues, such as education, scope of application, linguistic rights and participation.

 

 Combatting racism and intolerance (ECRI)

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is the Council of Europe’s expert body responsible for monitoring action against racism, intolerance, and related discrimination in Europe, from the perspective of the protection of human rights. It is composed of 46 independent members, carries out regular country monitoring work and adopts general policy recommendations. ECRI’s country reports are published following a confidential dialogue with the national authorities. ECRI also adopts conclusions on the implementation of its country-specific priority recommendation