The Council of Europe plays a crucial role in developing a coordinated response to new challenges posed to human rights in European societies. In recent years, standard-setting work has addressed a wide range of issues, including human rights and the environment, human rights in situations of crisis, human trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation, human rights and business, and civil society and national human rights institutions.

Building on the common minimum standards set out in the European Convention on Human Rights, as interpreted through the caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights, the Steering Committee for Human Rights prepares reports and studies on new and emerging challenges to human rights and develops binding and non-binding instruments intended to harmonise national law and practice and ensure that full and effective enjoyment of individual rights is maintained.