OTHER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON THE DEATH PENALTY Article 8 – Depositary functions The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify all the member States of the Council of Europe of: a. any signature; b. the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval; c. any date of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with Articles 4 and 7; d. any other act, notification or communication relating to this Protocol. EUROPEAN UNION Extract from the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union Article 2 Right to Life 1. 2. Everyone has the right to life. No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed. Guidelines on EU Policy Towards Third Countries on the Death Penalty (extracts) III Minimum standards paper Where states insist on maintaining the death penalty, the EU considers it important that the following minimum standards should be met: (i) Capital punishment may be imposed only for the most serious crimes, it being understood that their scope should not go beyond intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave consequences. The death penalty should not be imposed for non-violent financial crimes or for non-violent religious practice or expression of conscience. (ii) Capital punishment may be imposed only for a crime for which the death penalty was prescribed at the time of its commission, it being understood that if, subsequent to the commission of the crime, provision is made by law for the imposition of a lighter penalty, the offender shall benefit thereby. 63