Instruments of the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe was created to provide European societies with long-lasting legal and social improvements.
To this end, the organisation puts together expert bodies, launches campaigns, establishes platforms for discussions, organises conferences, seminars and forums, publishes papers and promotes human rights, democracy and the rule of law through various other activities.
Purpose: Promoting Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law
Entity: Intergovernmental Organisation
Founding year: 1949
Member states: 46
Based in: Strassburg/France
Working languages: EN, FR
Secretary General: Alain Berset
Decision-making body: Committee of Ministers (=Foreign ministers of the member states)
Consultative bodies: Parliamentary Assembly; Congress of Local and Regional Authorities; Conference of INGOs; Commissioner for Human Rights
Main legal instrument: European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
Legal basis: European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) plus more than 200 Conventions, Additional Protocols and Partial Agreements
Ordinary annual budget: € 385mio
(of which Court: € 85 mio)
