The 4th meeting of the Committee of the Parties of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence was held in Strasbourg on 30 January 2018.

For the first time, the Committee adopted recommendations under the first baseline evaluation of the Convention. These are addressed to the Governments of Austria, Monaco, Albania and Denmark.

In accordance with Rule 4 of its Rules of Procedure, the Committee elected its new Bureau, for a term of office of one year starting on 30 January 2018 and renewable once:

• Ms Elisabeth WALAAS, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Norway to the Council of Europe, elected as Chair;
• Mr Gilles HEYVAERT, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Belgium to the Council of Europe, elected as First Vice-Chair; and
• Mr João Maria CABRAL, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Council of Europe, elected as Second Vice-Chair;