Statelessness remains an issue of concern both in Europe and globally. The causes of statelessness are manifold and are often the result of intricate conflicts in nationality laws, state succession, forced displacement, historical and contemporary migration, structural birth registration problems, access to nationality and related administrative practices.
The right to a nationality is recognised in widely ratified international treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Nationality (ETS No. 166), and is considered a gateway to the enjoyment of a range of other rights. It also constitutes part of a person's social identity as highlighted by the European Court of Human Rights. Yet, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) latest estimates of 2022, there are some 442 000 stateless persons, including those with undetermined nationality, living in Europe. The lack of nationality has a serious impact on their lives, their enjoyment of the full range of human rights, including access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, and freedom of movement.
The Council of Europe considers as a priority the need to ensure the effective enjoyment of human rights by the most vulnerable, including those faced with nationality and statelessness issues.
At its 103rd plenary meeting (19-21 November 2024), the CDCJ examined a feasibility study for a non-binding legal instrument on access to nationality for stateless children. It agreed to revise Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)13 on the nationality of children, and complement it with a checklist for policy makers by the end of 2026. In parallel, the CDCJ has prepared a Compendium of promising practice in respect of legal aid and representation, access to information and to justice for children in procedures relating to the determination of nationality or statelessness, adopted at the 105th plenary meeting of the CDCJ (18-20 November 2025).
This study examines key issues such as preventing childhood statelessness, child-friendly nationality determination procedures, age assessments, awareness-raising measures and training of relevant actors. It also reviews existing international standards and national practices and examines what appropriate standard-setting follow-up could be given to address the difficulties faced by stateless children in procedures connected with access to nationality.
On 2 March 2026, from 10:15 to 11:45 am CET, a hybrid side-event will take place during the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, addressing the issue of child statelessness. Co-organised by UNHCR and Child Identity Protection (CHIP), and co-sponsored by the Council of Europe and...
The CDCJ co-organised, in the framework of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, the first Inter-Regional Network Lab titled "Regional Action, Global Impact: Leveraging Regional Approaches and the Role of Inter-Governmental Organizations in Addressing Statelessness". It was held online on 20...
A multistakeholder meeting on “Statelessness and children”, jointly organised by the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) and the European Migration Network (EMN), was held on 6 June 2024 in Luxembourg and online. The meeting served as an opportunity to share good practices and...
The CDCJ organised jointly with the UNHCR, a technical meeting of experts and an international conference (23-24 September 2021) to raise awareness and promote the accession of all its 47 member States to International and European conventions relating to nationality and statelessness, and their...
Bearing in mind the Council of Europe Action Plan on protecting refugee and migrant children for 2017-2019, an ad hoc meeting was held in June 2019 to review the protocols and procedures used by member States. The outcome of their work was taken into account in an detailed analysis of current...
