On 26 February 2025, the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted guidelines that aim to enhance the prosecution of violent extremism conducive to terrorism. The guidelines were developed by the Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) and are addressed to national criminal justice authorities to understand how far-right and far-left groups operate, which strategies they follow and how the elements of terrorist offences can effectively be examined/proven during the various stages of the criminal process. The guidelines stress the importance of combating terrorism and violent extremism in line with human rights standards, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Addressing the growing issue of threats and terrorist attacks by violent extremist groups is part of the 2023-2027 Council of Europe Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The guidelines build on the findings of the 2022 Council of Europe report on emerging terrorist threats.