The fight against organ trafficking was a key focus at the 17th World Conference on Bioethics, Medical Ethics and Health Law (Ljubljana, Slovenia, 24 - 27 November 2025), including a presentation on the Santiago de Compostela Convention.

This participation was supported by the World Medical Association (WMA), which joined the Committee of the Parties to the Convention as an official observer. The WMA's involvement, championed in particular by Dr. Otmar Kloiber, strengthens cooperation in promoting ethical standards for organ donation and transplantation.

In a session entitled  “Ethical Organ Procurement: The Santiago de Compostela Convention of the Council of Europe”, the treaty's unique role as the first and only legally binding international instrument specifically designed to combat the trafficking of human organs was highlighted. The presentation detailed the Convention's crucial framework for protecting donors, supporting victims and strengthening international cooperation to prosecute this transnational crime.

The conference brought together experts and stakeholders from around the world to discuss ethical, bioethical, health law and societal challenges and promote the Convention's adoption. This awareness-raising effort is a key priority for the Convention's Committee of the Parties, aiming to build robust national frameworks worldwide to prevent and prosecute organ trafficking.

The participation of the Committee of the Parties in these events form part of its broader efforts to raise awareness of the Santiago de Compostela Convention, promote adherence to its standards and support the development of robust national frameworks to prevent and prosecute organ trafficking, efforts now powerfully supported through the collaboration with the WMA and figures like Professor Rui Nunes, Co-President of the Conference, uniting the legal and medical communities in a shared ethical cause.