Mission, Roles & Responsibilities

The Directorate of Security, Integrity and Rule of Law monitors and supports the implementation of the Council of Europe’s standards on criminal law, corruption, terrorism, cybercrime, data protection, AI, internet governance, money laundering, asset recovery, and other topical issues related to crime, new technologies, human rights protection, and upholding the rule of law. The aim is that the rights protected in the Council of Europe’s standards are effectively implemented, and that new standards are developed as the needs and complexities of our societies evolve.

The Directorate’s efforts in these sectors are closely aligned with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Furthermore, the EU, UNODC, the FATF and other intergovernmental organisations, as well as civil society and industry, are important partners and collaborators. 

Throughout its work, the Directorate puts into practice the Organisation's unique strategic triangle of setting new standards, carrying out monitoring, and offering technical co-operation and advice to interested beneficiary states.

 Digital Development & Governance

The Digital Development and Governance Department supports the development and implementation of the Council of Europe’s standards concerning privacy, action against cybercrime, artificial intelligence and internet governance. It also provides support to and coordinates the implementation of the Council of Europe Digital Agenda.

The Cybercrime Division supports the implementation of the Convention on Cybercrime (ETS 185, "Budapest Convention") and its Protocols on xenophobia and racism (ETS 189) and on electronic evidence (CETS 224) worldwide. It serves as the Secretariat to, and ensures the functioning of, the Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY), including its assessments; and through the capacity building programmes of the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) in Bucharest, Romania, it assists criminal justice authorities in all regions of the world in the implementation of this Convention and its Protocols in line with human rights and rule of law requirements.  

The Digital Development Unit is responsible for preparing the standard-setting and policy-making of the Council of Europe in relation to new and emerging digital technologies, including AI. The Unit also provides for the coordination of AI-related activities across the sectors of the Organisation to ensure coherence and compatibility. It functions as the liaison office with international and supra-national organisations, as well as external partners.

The Data Protection Unit ensures the functioning of the Conventional Committee established under Convention 108/108+, and provides the Secretariat for the Council of Europe Data Protection Commissioner. Legislative advice and technical capacity support is provided to the data protection authorities of Council of Europe member States, as well as other States under the cooperation programmes.

The Department also coordinates the elaboration and implementation of digital governance policies through dialogue with international organisations, and coordinates the work with digital companies that have joined the Digital Partnership of the Council of Europe.

 Secretariat of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)

The Secretariat of GRECO is responsible for the functioning of the monitoring mechanism set up by the Enlarged Agreement establishing the Group of States against Corruption, whose aim is to improve the capacity of its member States to fight corruption by monitoring, through a dynamic process of mutual evaluation and peer pressure, compliance with their commitments in this area.

It assists GRECO in fulfilling its mandate by providing support, guidance and technical and legal advice to the 48 member States participating in GRECO's monitoring activities (47 European States, and the United States of America).

The Secretariat supports the evaluation and compliance procedures and GRECO’s work programme. It also ensures effective synergies with other international organisations, other treaty-based anti-corruption mechanisms, anti-corruption networks and civil society.

The Secretariat services the GRECO Plenary, Bureau, Statutory Committee and Evaluation Teams and is responsible for the management of the budget of the Enlarged Agreement.

 Economic Crime and Corruption

The Department makes available detailed monitoring input, support, guidance and capacity-building aimed at helping states prevent and address economic and financial crime.

It provides the Secretariat to two monitoring bodies: the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) and the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Council of Europe “Warsaw” Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (CETS No. 198).

MONEYVAL is an independent monitoring body which assesses compliance with, and effective implementation of, the principal international standards to counter money laundering, terrorist financing (AML/CFT), and proliferation financing (CPF). MONEYVAL is an associate member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and an FATF-Style Regional Body (FSRB) within the global network of AML/CFT assessment bodies.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Council of Europe “Warsaw” Convention is responsible for monitoring the provisions of that Convention. This international treaty, open to non-member States, significantly reinforces and adds value to the global AML/CFT standards assessed by MONEYVAL and the FATF, and the COP usefully complements action in this area by addressing areas not covered by other monitoring bodies.

The Department is also responsible for co-operation and technical assistance activities aimed at supporting the efforts of beneficiary countries and jurisdictions to combat corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing, strengthening their asset recovery systems and  enhancing their capacity to provide international co-operation. A wide range of tailor-made interventions focus on the implementation of international and European standards and/or address recommendations made by monitoring bodies such as GRECO and MONEYVAL, and where applicable , the FATF or other FSRBs. 

 Counter-Terrorism 

The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-terrorism (CDCT) identifies priority issues for intergovernmental legal co-operation and proposes to the Committee of Ministers areas for action in the field of counter-terrorism, by developing standard setting instruments, providing technical and analytical advice, collecting information, conducting activities and advising the Committee of Ministers on all questions within its area of competence. The Council of Europe Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2023-2027) takes into account the fact that the terrorist threat in Europe has evolved: in addition to addressing acts of terrorism emanating from Al-Qaeda, ISIL (Daesh) and affiliated entities, international and regional counter-terrorism tools and mechanisms are now set up also to face the threat from a multiplicity of ideological movements, including violent political fringes and emerging terrorist movements. Other priorities identified by the Strategy relate to the growing abuses of technology for terrorist purposes, the return and relocation of foreign terrorist fighters, the disengagement and reintegration of women and children with ties to terrorist groups/networks, and the interaction between terrorism and the laws of armed conflict.

 Criminal Law

Set up in 1958, the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) is overseeing and coordinating the Council of Europe’s activities in the field of criminal law, crime prevention and crime control. The CDPC identifies priorities for intergovernmental legal co-operation in these fields, makes proposals to the Committee of Ministers on the elaboration of binding or non-binding instruments related to criminal law and procedure, criminology and penology, and oversees their implementation by the national authorities.

To date, over 40 criminal law Conventions have been developed under the authority of the CDPC, many of which are also open to non-member States, as well as a large number of Recommendations and declarations. The CDPC has provided key legal and technical guidance and oversight to many high-profile Council of Europe Conventions, including the Convention on extradition, the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, the Lanzarote Convention against Child Sexual Abuse, and the MEDICRIME Convention.

In its work the CDPC is assisted by two subcommittees:  (1) the Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC)  which, since 1981, develops ways to improve international co-operation in criminal matters and identifies solutions to practical problems encountered in the application of the Council of Europe Conventions in this field; and (2) The Council for Penological Co-operation (PC-CP) which develops Council of Europe standards and principles in the field of execution of custodial and non-custodial penal sanctions and measures. It holds annual Conferences of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) and collects the Annual Council of Europe penal statistics SPACE.

The CDPC also orients and oversees the activities carried out by other committees, such as the Committee of Experts on the Protection of the Environment through criminal law (PC-ENV), the Committee of Experts on Criminal Asset Recovery (PC-RAC) and, jointly with the Gender Equality Commission, the Committee of Experts on combating technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (GEC/PC-DIG).