Council requests the consent of the European Parliament to conclude the Istanbul convention

The Council requested the consent of the European Parliament to adopt the decisions on the conclusion by the EU of the convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul convention).

One in three women in the EU have experienced physical or sexual violence. As long as this heinous situation persists, we will not be able to make gender equality a reality. The EU’s accession to the Istanbul convention is a strong sign of our commitment to end this violence and will play an important role in prevention and prosecution of these acts.

Paulina Brandberg, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Employment

By pledging to implement the convention the EU will be confirming its commitment to combatting violence against women within the EU and globally. The conclusion of the convention will contribute to achieving equality between women and men in all areas. It will also reinforce the existing legal framework in the area of criminal procedural law.

The Istanbul convention is the first international instrument aiming to eliminate violence against women by setting out comprehensive legal and policy measures to prevent such violence and protect and assist victims. These include measures on data collection, awareness-raising, the criminalisation of violence against women, and the provision of support services. It also addresses the gender-based violence dimension in matters of asylum and migration.

It entered into force on 1 April 2014 and was signed by the EU on 13 June 2017.

The Istanbul convention covers matters falling both within EU competence and within the competence of member states. The decision on the conclusion by the EU covers only those matters falling within exclusive EU competence.