The CCPE Working Group met in Strasbourg on 19-20 February 2026 to discuss the draft structure of the CCPE Opinion No. 21 (2026) on providing efficient support and safeguards for prosecutors in order to enable an effective prosecution service.

The members of the Working Group discussed and finalised the draft structure of the Opinion prepared on the basis of previous Opinions of the CCPE, Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers, case law of the European Court of Human Rights, documents of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), as well as of other institutions within and outside of the Council of Europe.

The Working Group examined the scope and topics to be addressed by the Opinion No. 21 (2026) in the context of increasing challenges faced by prosecutors, and taking into account different legal systems and models in Europe. It agreed that the support and safeguards needed by prosecutors are necessary for their efficient work and facilitating an access to justice in the interest of the rule of law. This is especially important in order to respond to the challenges of evolving criminality and its new forms, proliferation of transborder crimes, and other contemporary challenges.

The Working Group developed and approved the final structure which will serve as a basis for drafting the Opinion No. 21 (2026).