In the framework of the follow up to the 4th Council of Europe Summit and based on a proposal by the Netherlands, at its 133rd Ministerial Session of May 2024, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided that: 

“18.  in pursuit of a relentless fight against corruption and organised crime, [the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe] invited the Pompidou Group to prepare policy guidelines in the area of combating organised crime relating to drug trafficking, based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.”   

Consequently, a Joint Expert Group (JEG) of 9 members was established. The Group is composed of three experts designated by the permanent correspondents of the Pompidou Group, three experts from the intergovernmental committees of the Council of Europe: the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC), the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) and the Committee of the Convention on counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes threatening public health (MEDICRIME Convention), one expert from the Council of Europe Secretariat (MEDICRIME), as well as two independent experts from academia. The Group is supported by Secretariat members from Pompidou Group and CDDH.  

These policy guidelines shall serve as the foundation for a future Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation to member States on combating organised crime in the form of, and linked to, drug trafficking.