Pompidou Group’s Joint Expert Group (OC-DT) tasked with developing policy guidelines on combating organised crime relating to drug trafficking based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights convened its fourth meeting in Strasbourg on 7–8 July 2025.

Building on previous sessions, the meeting focused on advancing the examination and review of the Background Study prepared by two independent experts from the academia, which shall inform the work on the development of the future Policy Guidelines by the Joint Expert Group.

Members of the Joint Expert Group had the opportunity to be presented from the respective Secretariats on three important Council of Europe standard setting developments:

• Third Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters;
• draft Additional Protocol to supplement the Council of Europe Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime and on the financing of terrorism;
• Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. 

Further, OC-DT members were invited to proceed to a first discussion and exchange on the draft-zero version of the Policy Guidelines. Discussions focused on reviewing the content and ensuring practical applicability across diverse legal systems.

Looking ahead, the Group deliberated on working methods and the programme for upcoming meetings, including the preparation of deliverables for the 19th Pompidou Group Ministerial Conference scheduled for 27-28 November 2025.

• Meeting agenda
• Abridged Report