On 1 October 2021, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on Migration and Refugees, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, hosted a webinar with Terezija Gras, State Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Croatia. The aim of the webinar was to address Council of Europe standards, discuss the challenges Croatia faces and to find channels for practical co-operation in the context of migration and asylum. The event also focused on how the Council of Europe can provide assistance to Croatia in the field of migration and asylum, including through the activities of the Special Representative. The participants discussed co-operation possibilities as a result of fruitful exchanges between the office of the Special Representative and the Ministry of Interior of Croatia. In this regard, the Special Representative presented the new Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).

On 7 October 2021, the Special Representative was invited to represent the Council of Europe at the 72nd session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme in Geneva. As this year marks the 70^th anniversary of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, in his address, the Special Representative emphasised its importance in the context of the numerous challenges associated with migration and asylum. He also underlined the complementarity of the Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe. The key message of the Special Representative was to present the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable people in the context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025), whose implementation he is tasked to co-ordinate. The Special Representative was also invited for an informal exchange of views with the members of the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, to find possible ways of co-operation on issues of common interest. On that occasion, the Committee launched the General Comment No. 5 (2021) on “migrants´ rights to liberty, freedom from arbitrary detention and their connection with other human rights”. In addition, the Special Representative had a series of bilateral meetings, including with UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, and the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya.

On 26 October 2021, the Special Representative addressed the 41st session of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in connexion with the debates related to migration issues: "Regions and Diaspora" and "Migration: Continuing Challenges for Cities and Regions". During his fact-finding missions, the Special Representative has observed that the local and regional authorities situated at the frontline have a major role to play in the reception and integration of refugees and migrants, as he said in his speech. While Ambassador Štefánek acknowledged the challenges related to the pandemic, new difficulties constantly arise, such as the situation in Afghanistan. Another challenge is the instrumentalisation of migrants, resulting in new migratory routes and provoking an increase of human rights violations against asylum- seekers and migrants at member state´s borders. He also presented the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).

On 27 October 2021, the Special Representative organised and hosted the 7th meeting of the inter-secretariat Co-ordination Group on Migration at the Council of Europe. Representatives from some 26 different administrative entities of the Council of Europe dealing with migration-related issues discussed updates, co-operation and common action. The Special Representative presented his recent activities and progress and the concrete achievements related to the implementation of the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).