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On 12 February, in Strasbourg, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the Council of Europe Neris Germanas signed three Conventions of the Council of Europe:  the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the Council of Europe Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level and the Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses.

During the signing ceremony, the Council of Europe was represented by Deputy Secretary General of this Organisation Maud de Boer-Buquicchio.

In 2005 the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings was adopted. It is a fundamental Convention, the main purpose of which is the protection of victims of trafficking and the safeguard of their rights. This Convention sets up mechanisms to prevent trafficking in human beings, as well as to prosecute traffickers. In order to ensure effective implementation of its provisions by the Parties, this Convention has set up an independent monitoring mechanism.

The purpose of the Council of Europe Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at Local Level, which was adopted in 1992, is to foster the general integration of foreigners into the life of the communities.

The Convention will apply to all persons, who are not citizens of the Parties to the Convention, legally residing in their territory. The Parties to the Convention undertake the obligation to guarantee that legally residing foreigners will have the same possibilities as citizens at the local level, i.e., the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of assembly, including the right to form and to join trade unions. However, in conformity with the national law stipulations, those rights can be limited.

The Convention provides a possibility for legally residing foreigners to set up consultative bodies to represent legally residing foreigners at the local level. The Convention also sets up a possibility for the Parties to grant to every foreign resident the right to vote and to stand for election in local authority elections, provided that he has been a resident for 5 years in their territory.

The Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses of 1973 simplifies formalities relating to the international transfer of corpses, accompanied by a special document (laissez-passer for a corpse). The Agreement sets out the maximum conditions that a Party can require for the dispatch, transit and admission of corpses on its territory.