The PC-OC Mod is a restricted group of the PC-OC, Council of Europe’s Committee on international cooperation in criminal matters. Its 39th meeting was held in Strasbourg on 17-19 March 2026 and covered a range of topics, including the relationship between asylum and extradition procedures and confidentiality requirements when cooperating on the basis of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.

The Group also examined the replies to a questionnaire on the application of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. During the meeting, delegates discussed a draft paper setting out the views of the PC-OC on core international crimes and the interplay between Council of Europe conventions and the Ljubljana-the Hague Convention, exchanged experiences relating to judicial cooperation and shared best practices.

The PC-OC Mod also took note of information provided by the Secretary of the Council of Europe Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) regarding the topic of migrant smuggling and held an in-depth exchange of views on this topic.

The group reviewed progress on its workplan, noted areas for future focus, such as digital assets, e-evidence and electronic signatures, and highlighted the importance of in-person meetings for practitioners involved in international cooperation.

The list of decisions of the meeting can be consulted here.