Access to official documents

In May 2025, the Committee of Ministers (CM) adopted a Transparency Framework to ensure that the Council of Europe operates with transparency, allowing for open access to information, while safeguarding privacy rights, legitimate interests of member States and the security of the Organisation. It recognises that transparency of public authorities is fundamental to building trust, combating corruption, and empowering citizens to actively engage in matters of public interest. The Thematic Co-ordinator on Information Policy (TC-INF) is actively following the implementation of the Transparency Framework (CM/Del/Dec(2025)1530/1.6).

Most documents relating to the work of the CM are initially classified as "restricted" and are accessible only to member and observer States' governments and the Council of Europe Secretariat. These documents are typically declassified immediately after the meeting at which they are examined by the CM, although some remain classified for one year. 

Documents prepared by the Ministers’ Deputies' subsidiary groups (GR-C, GR-DEM, etc.) are usually declassified after one year.

The texts currently in force on access to documents are CM/Del/Dec(1998)641/1.3 and CM/Del/Dec(2000)735/1.5a, para. 7.