Andorra seeks three candidates for the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

The General Council has called for the selection of three candidates to form the national list for the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The call is published via the Edict of September 23, 2026, in the Official Bulletin of the Principality of Andorra (BOPA) no. 111, dated September 30, 2026, within the Public Job Offer section. The process is opened because the mandate of the CPT member representing Andorra ends on December 19, 2027.

The Principality of Andorra has been part of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of the Council of Europe since January 22, 1996. Article 1 of the Convention establishes the CPT, composed of a number of members equal to the number of States Parties, and Article 5.1 obliges the General Council to present a list of three candidates to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The call was agreed upon by agreement of the Syndicate on September 23, 2026.

Members of the CPT are elected for a four-year term and are eligible for re-election twice, according to Article 5.3 of the Convention. The position is unpaid: the reimbursement of expenses and the payment of per diems are regulated by the Council of Europe. The level of commitment amounts to approximately 40 days per year.

Requirements for candidates

• Hold Andorran nationality.
• Enjoy the highest ethical standing and possess competencies in human rights or professional experience in the areas covered by the Convention (Article 4.2).
• Active knowledge of one of the official languages of the Council of Europe (French and English) and passive knowledge of the other (paragraph 6.1.1 of Resolution 2160 (2017) of PACE).
• Good physical and mental condition and full availability to carry out travel and long-term visits (paragraph 7.5 of Resolution 1540 (2007) and paragraph 6 of Resolution 2160 (2017)).
• Not engage in any activity incompatible with the requirements of independence and impartiality of the CPT (paragraph 6.1.3 of Resolution 2160 (2017)).

A two-phase selection process

The first phase takes place before the General Council. A Selection Committee is formed, consisting of the members of the Legislative Commission on Justice, Interior and Institutional Affairs, as representatives of the parliamentary groups, or of the Permanent Commission in the event of the dissolution of the Chamber. This committee evaluates the merits of the CVs and interviews the candidates, and the shortlist of three is drawn up by unanimous agreement of the Delegation of the General Council to PACE, based on criteria of objectivity, publicity, and transparency.

The second phase corresponds to the PACE. The president of the delegation submits the list, in alphabetical order, before February 15, 2027. The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, with the assistance of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, sends a recommendation to the Bureau with the order of preference or requests a new list. The Bureau finally forwards the list to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which elects the members by absolute majority.

Deadlines and documentation

Interested persons must submit a cover letter addressed to the General Council and two curricula vitae in Word format, one in French and one in English, according to the models approved by PACE attached as an annex to the Edict. Applications must be delivered in a sealed envelope to the Reception of the General Council before 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2026. The Edict is signed by the Syndic General, Carles Ensenyat Reig, at the Casa de la Vall, on September 23, 2026.

The appointment determines Andorra’s ability to maintain its own voice in the Council of Europe mechanism that supervises detention conditions and the treatment of persons deprived of liberty. The required profile —competencies in human rights, proficiency in French and English, and availability for long-term visits— delimits who will be able to represent the country during the next four-year mandate.

Source: Official Bulletin of the Principality of Andorra, no. 111, September 30, 2026, Public job offer (official reference: Edict of 23-9-2026, General Council).