Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION Brussels, 13.5.2025 COM(2025) 246 final 2025/0118 (NLE) on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence on the adoption of recommendations and conclusions addressed to 10 State Parties on their implementation of that Convention, with regard to matters related to judicial cooperation in criminal matters, asylum and non-refoulement EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 1. SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PROPOSAL This proposal concerns the decision establishing the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf, at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the Parties (‘CoP’) of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (‘the Istanbul Convention’ or ‘the Convention’) on 5-6 June 2025, in connection with the envisaged adoption of eight draft recommendations and two draft conclusions addressed to 10 Parties on their implementation of the Convention. 2. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 2.1. The Istanbul Convention The Istanbul Convention lays down a comprehensive and harmonised set of rules to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence in Europe and beyond. The Convention entered into force on 1 August 2014. The EU signed the Convention in June 2017, and completed the accession...