Foreword I n the past, the CPT carried out ten periodic visits per year. Since 2018, the Committee has reduced the number of periodic visits to eight in order to increase its capacity to carry out ad hoc visits. Thus, for the first time in its history, the CPT carried out more ad hoc visits than periodic visits, and also spent more time on ad hoc visits. This trend is likely to continue in future as it should make the Committee’s activities better geared towards addressing the most challenging issues and increase its capacity to react to events promptly. In addition to the scheduled periodic visits, the CPT carried out a number of ad hoc visits focused on specific topics such as immigration detention (visits to Bulgaria, France, Germany and Greece), prisons (Lithuania, Republic of Moldova), social care homes and/or psychiatric establishments (Greece, Russian Federation, Turkey). Further, two ad hoc visits dealt with certain regions (Catalonia in Spain and Scotland in the United Kingdom). It is standard practice for CPT visiting delegations to hold talks with the national authorities, at both the outset and the end of the visit. The end-of-visit talks usually involve the participation of Ministers and are the occasion for the delegation to present its preliminary observations. During 2018, CPT visits also provided an opportunity to discuss other matters of ongoing concern with the authorities in Hungary, the Russian Federation and Turkey. Specific meetings at ministerial level were held on several occasions, including as regards Azerbaijan and Belgium. As the CPT has repeatedly emphasised, authorising publication of documents related to visits is seen as an important means of co-operating with the Committee. In 2018, both Denmark and Norway informed the CPT of their decision to authorise in advance the publication of all future CPT visit reports and related government responses concerning their countries, bringing the total number of states agreeing to be committed by an “automatic publication procedure” to ten. Further good news on publications concerns Azerbaijan. In the course of 2018, seven CPT reports on its visits to Azerbaijan were published, together with the responses of the Azerbaijani authorities. Azerbaijan’s decision to publish all the reports which have so far remained confidential is a major breakthrough and a clear indication of the authorities’ resolve to enhance their dialogue with the Committee. I sincerely ► Page 5