CDDH Report on the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2021)2 on measures against the trade in goods used for the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
In 2021, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2021)2 to member States on measures against the trade in goods used for the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The Recommendation responded to the pressing need to establish “multilaterally agreed common international standards on the trade in inherently cruel, inhuman or degrading equipment, as well as law-enforcement equipment and weapons and other relevant goods which can be misused for the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”Nearly five years after its adoption, the Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) undertook a review of the implementation of the Recommendation. The review drew on a range of sources, including replies to a CDDH questionnaire received from 25 Council of Europe member States, the discussions and conclusions of the CDDH Workshop on “Strengthening multilateral efforts to curb trade in torture and death penalty goods,” held during the CDDH Plenary Meeting in November 2024 in Strasbourg, and information provided by European, international, and civil society organisations active in this field.This publication presents the report adopted by the CDDH at its June 2025 Plenary Meeting in Strasbourg. The report reviews the implementation of each measure contained in Recommendation CM/Rec(2021)2, and sets out conclusions and recommendations for possible further actions by the Committee of Ministers. These include a potential revision of the Recommendation’s appendices listing prohibited and controlled goods, to reflect evolving international developments and address emerging risks.
I. Introduction II. Examination of the implementation of CM/Rec(2021)2
1. Regular review of national legislation and practice and wide dissemination of the principles set out in the Appendix [Recommendation, paragraphs 1 and 2]
i. Review of national legislation and practice [Recommendation, paragraph 1]
ii. Wide dissemination of the principles set out in the Appendix [Recommendation, paragraph 2]
2. On measures regarding the trade in inherently abusive goods and equipment [Recommendation, Appendix, 1]
i. List of prohibited goods and equipment
ii. Destruction of stock of prohibited goods and equipment
iii. Prohibition of advertising of prohibited goods and equipment
iv. Prohibition of provision of technical assistance and training related to prohibited goods and equipment
v. Effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions
3. On measures regarding the export and transit of certain pharmaceutical chemicals [Recommendation, Appendix, 2]
4. On measures regarding the trade in law enforcement goods and equipment [Recommendation, Appendix, 3]
5. On information exchange, dissemination, and co-operation [Recommendation, Appendix, 4]
6. On support for non-member States [Recommendation, Appendix, 5]
7. On action in other international organisations [Recommendation, Appendix, 6]
III. Conclusions and recommendations
1. Conclusions
2. Recommendations for possible further action
