CoE : Protecting NGO Work in Support of Refugees and Migrants

The Expert Council on NGO Law has adopted Guidelines on Protecting NGO Work in Support of Refugees and Other Migrants. These guidelines have been developed to help Council of Europe Member States, the European Union and international organizations to ensure, when taking action against trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling and responding to the presence of refugees and other migrants, that their laws, policies and practices are consistent with standards relating to the treatment of non-governmental organisations and the protection and promotion of civil society space in Europe.  The guidelines are designed to accompany the study produced last December by the Expert Council on NGO Law, entitled “Using Criminal Law to Restrict the Work of NGOs Supporting Refugees and Other Migrants in Council of Europe Member States”.