The Jurisconsult and Legal Advice Department provide legal assistance to the Secretary General, Council of Europe organs and Secretariat departments, especially on the drafting of treaties and recommendations, institutional matters, contracts, privileges and immunities, and staff matters. They represent the Secretary General before the Council of Europe’s Administrative Tribunal and in any ligitation with third parties.  		 
The Treaty Office exercises, for the Secretary General, depositary functions with respect to more than 200 Council of Europe treaties. It keeps the originals of all treaties and registers signatures and ratifications, as well as declarations and reservations, and any withdrawals or modifications thereof. It notifies all legal acts relating to the treaties to all the member States and any other States or Organisations mentioned in the treaty concerned. It may also give information and advice on treaty issues. [ Go to website]
 

Within two months of the terrorist attacks in the United States, the Council of Europe began to implement a plan of action, which resulted in the adoption of an important set of international instruments. Activities in this field are carried out by Organisation's main institutions and a number of intergovernmental committees. The Committee of Experts on Terrorism (CODEXTER) coordinates the implementation of the Organisation's action against terrorism. [ Go to website]		  
In a climate of increasing interdependence between states, international law is developing and becoming a key factor in the organisation of inter-state relations. Accordingly, the Council of Europe is endeavouring to co-ordinate its member states’ activities in this field, essentially through its Committee of Legal Advisers on Public International Law (CAHDI). This intergovernmental committee brings together the legal advisers of the Ministries for foreign affairs of the member States of the Council of Europe as well as of a significant number of observer States and Organisations. [ Go to website]