ongoing dialogue with the state concerned. Enhancing such a dialogue has become one of the key priorities for the CPT in recent years, through the organisation of high-level talks with Ministers of the country concerned and meetings with Permanent Representatives to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The Committee has also provided written feedback to governments regarding their responses and requested them to send, on a regular basis, follow-up information on their implementation of the CPT’s recommendations. In cases of failure to co-operate or to improve a serious situation, the CPT has the possibility to use its power under Article 10, paragraph 2, of the Convention to make a public statement. However, the CPT continues to believe that this power should be exercised only as a last resort. It much prefers that other ways and means be used to bring about the necessary changes. In particular, there should be no hesitation in requesting the expert assistance and other forms of targeted co-operation that the Council of Europe has to ofer its member states in many of the areas covered by the CPT’s mandate. The CPT stands ready to facilitate and accompany such eforts. Obviously, a speedy publication of CPT reports and responses by states parties will make it easier for potential benefciaries, donors and implementers to launch well-designed projects that efectively address the objective needs identifed in the Committee’s reports. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that after a quarter of a century and some 370 visits, the CPT has reached a certain level of maturity, in terms of accumulated experience and consolidated working methods. Maturity does not necessarily imply wisdom, however, and the Committee continues to welcome constructive criticism of its work and standards, as well as ideas and suggestions for its work in the future. It hopes that the Conference which will be held in Strasbourg on 2 March 2015 in the context of its 25th anniversary will provide a good opportunity for such a discussion. Finally, on the occasion of its anniversary, the CPT wishes to pay tribute to all those who over the years have contributed directly to the genesis, development and further consolidation of the monitoring system of the Convention: the initiators and drafters of the Convention, the CPT’s past members, those who have served in the Committee’s Bureau as President or Vice-President, the experts that have assisted the Committee, the Secretariat and in particular its Executive Secretary from 1989 to 2014, Trevor Stevens, and last but not least the NGO and academic communities. All these contributors would certainly agree that, when it comes to preventing ill-treatment, anniversaries or even achievements obtained so far cannot be allowed to lead to complacency. The fndings in the CPT’s own visit reports show how necessary it is to pursue this work vigorously, based on strong co-operation with the states parties. Reducing the risk of men, women and children being exposed to torture or other forms of ill-treatment, whether in Europe or other parts of the world, will be an enduring battle. The CPT is determined to play its part in that fght. 25 years of the CPT ► Page 7