On 30 May to 1 June 2023, during its 100th plenary meeting, the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) is marking the 60th Anniversary of its establishment.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge emphasised that “the CDCJ has played a unique role in developing a pan-European legal framework, both in public and private law”. He also highlighted the crucial achievements of the Committee in the past six decades, including in the areas of data protection, independence of the judiciary and impartiality, child-friendly justice, as well as artificial intelligence and the protection of lawyers.

“Sixty years ago, the Council of Europe looked very different. It had just a dozen or so member states with no permanent European Court of Human Rights. Most of the tools and treaties that we have today, were not even imagined, much less drafted and ratified. The impact of this Committee’s efforts, over six long decades, has been transformative”, he concluded.

With about 60 international conventions or agreements and 90 recommendations, resolutions or guidelines, the CDCJ, as a steering committee, is providing a solid contribution to legal reform at pan-European level.  Reports and studies have been undertaken upon request of the CDCJ on various topics in the different fields of competence of the CDCJ, the publication of which has been approved by the committee. These reports and studies – of which the following are some of the most recent and significant – form a basis for the work and subsequent achievements of the CDCJ or its subordinate bodies.

More information of the CDCJ and its most recent achievements in this leaflet on the CDCJ (Edition May 2023).

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