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The Organisation
The Council of Europe is one of the oldest international organisations dedicated to fostering co-operation in Europe through the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Founded in 1949 by the Treaty of London, it was established by a group of national leaders to ensure that the horror and suffering of the 20th century’s two world wars would never be repeated.
Since then, the ten original members (Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom) have been joined by almost
all of Europe’s other countries, and the Council now has 47 member states.
History
Since its creation, the Council of Europe has successfully evolved in the pursuit of its goals. It has responded to major changes in Europe’s political and social landscape and to
the emergence of new threats to the human rights of the European population.
The Council of Europe was one of the first international institutions to open its doors to central and eastern European countries following the fall of the Berlin Wall and it has
introduced new treaties to tackle modern issues such as cybercrime, healthcare crime, international terrorism and people trafficking.
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The European flag
Against the background of blue sky, the stars form a circle, symbolising union. The number of stars is fixed, twelve being the symbol of perfection and completeness and bringing to mind the apostles, the sons of Jacob, the labours of Hercules, the months in the year, etc. |
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Council of Europe: Objectives |
The Council of Europe was established to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Council believes that these values form the basis of a tolerant and civilised society, and that they are indispensable in building a stable, functional and cohesive Europe.
The circumstances in which the Council of Europe operates have changed dramatically since its fouding in 1949. Technological, scientific, political, social and economic developments have brought new opportunities, but also new threats to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Central to its mandate is the role of co-operation as a means of meeting the challenges of modern European society. Nurturing Europe’s cultural identity and diversity, and achieving democratic stability through political, legislative and constitutional reform are at the heart of this process.
Human Rights... Democracy... Rule of Law
These values are the foundations of a tolerant and civilised society and indispensable for European stability, economic growth and social cohesion. On the basis of these fundamental values, we try to find shared solutions to major problems such as terrorism, organised crime and corruption, cybercrime, bioethics and cloning, violence against children and women, and trafficking in human beings. Co-operation between all member states is the only way to solve the major problems facing society today.
Objectives:
- to protect human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law;
- to promote awareness and encourage the development of Europe's cultural identity and diversity;
- to find common solutions to the challenges facing European society;
- to consolidate democratic stability in Europe by backing political, legislative and constitutional reform
Symbols
The symbols of the Council of Europe are its flag, anthem and logo.
The European flag, with its circle of 12 gold stars against a vivid blue background, is
one of the most famous in the world. Equally as illustrious is the European Anthem, the
prelude to the Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
The Council of Europe adopted these symbols of unity in 1955 and 1972 respectively,
with the European Union doing the same in 1986. They are now the emblems of a shared
European identity.
The e-shaped logo housing the European motif of 12 gold stars is the Council of Europe’s
own distinctive logo and was adopted on its 50th anniversary in 1999. |
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