The Pompidou Group’s Joint Expert Group, tasked with developing policy guidelines on combating organised crime related to drug trafficking (OC-DT), based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, convened its fifth meeting online on 15 September 2025.

Building on progress from previous sessions, the meeting focused on important updates to the draft Policy Guidelines and the Background Study that was prepared by two academic experts. They have presented the final version of the Background Study, highlighting the latest revisions. This was followed by a peer review from Group members, ensuring the research behind the policies was in line with the Council of Europe’s standards and requirements.

The meeting centred on reviewing Version 2 of the draft Policy Guidelines, which integrated feedback from the previous session and additional expert input. The experts then held an in-depth discussion on the content and the practical application of the Guidelines across various legal systems.

Members also examined the implications of data protection frameworks, including a presentation on the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (108) and its Protocols and their relevance to the Policy Guidelines.

The meeting also addressed working methods and planned the programme for future sessions, including preparations for an Advisory Note intended for the upcoming 19th Pompidou Group Ministerial Conference scheduled for 27-28 November 2025.

• Meeting agenda