Council of Europe
The euro Europe (English Council of Europe, French Conseil de l'Europe ) is a company established by the Treaty of London on 5 May 1949 and today 47 states, thus 820 million citizens comprehensive European international organization.
He is a forum for debate on common European issues. Its statute provides for a general cooperation between Member States to promote economic and social progress.
" The euro Europe has the task to achieve a greater unity between its members. "
The seat of the Council of Europe is the Euro Palais in Strasbourg. On May 5 is celebrated each year to the founding of Europe as Europe.
The Euro Europe is not institutionally linked to the European Union, even though both use the European flag and the European anthem. The Euro Europe is also not to be confused with the European Council ( the organ of state and government ) and the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers ).
EU and euro Europe signed in May 2007 as a political statement, a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU).
History
The Euro Europe received on 5 May 1949 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom in London Ten Pact his formal statute. He is the oldest original political organization of Europe. It was founded by the European Conference on Federation, at the instigation of the American Committee for a United Europe. As early as 1946, the British politician Winston Churchill had called for a " United States of Europe".
Besides the economic OEEC and the military cooperation in NATO took with the Euro Europe the political unification of the continent to take shape.
The Federal Republic of Germany joined the Board on 2 May in 1951, Austria became 1956, Switzerland 1963die membership. Three exceptions already among all European countries in the Euro Europe. The Holy See has only observer status in the Committee of Ministers. Belarus is a candidate country since 1993. The inclusion of Kosovo is only considered once its status is clarified by international law.
Objective
The Euro Europe is a forum for debate on common European issues. Within this framework, intergovernmental, international legally binding agreements ( Europe conventions, such as the European Convention on Human Rights ) will be completed with the aim to preserve the common heritage and to promote economic and social progress.
Since 1993, the Euro Europe has dedicated himself to the preservation of democratic security. This includes in particular:
- The commitment to human rights
- Securing democratic principles and
- Constitutional principles
- Fight against terrorism with the Committee of Experts of the Council of Europe on combating terrorism
- Promoting economic and social progress
- Promotion of cultural cooperation (eg by setting the legal framework for the recognition of higher education studies and diplomas for more than 50 years, the legal protection of cultural minorities and the creation of policies and guidelines of intercultural dialogue ) - an area on the EU does not have its own expertise and should therefore cooperate with the euro Europe pursuant to Article 165 ( 3) and 167 ( 3) of the TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).
Euro Europe Agreement
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR ) of 1950 is the most important multilateral treaty is the Council of Europe; added so far 14 Protocols to the ECHR. Overall, the Euro Europe has " individual concrete measures facing where the EGen / EU exert no activity."
More Euro Europe Agreements:
- European Convention on Establishment of 1955
- European Assistance Convention of 1953
- European Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes of 1957
- European Social Charter of 1961
- European Code of Social Security of 1964
- European Convention on State Immunity of 1972
- European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (European Convention against Torture ) 1987
- European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 1992
- Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of 1995
Younger Euro Europe Agreements:
- Data Protection Convention of 1981
- European Anti -Doping Convention of 1989
- European Convention on Nationality of 1997
Organs
Organizationally, followed by the Euro Europe largely the usual structural patterns of international organizations, but with the notable addition of a parliamentary body.
Committee of Ministers and Parliamentary Assembly
The two statutory posts in Council of Europe bodies are under Article 10 EuRatS:
- The Committee of Ministers, in which the Member States are represented by their Foreign Ministers or their permanent representative with the rank of ambassador, as well as
- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council, in which the parliaments of the Member States send representatives. President of the Parliamentary Assembly since January 2014 Anne Brasseur.
The Euro Europe is politically represented by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly.
Other bodies
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is next to the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the third column is an advisory body.
The Euro Europe has also established the position of Commissioner for Human Rights. This is elected by the Parliamentary Assembly and reports on relevant topics or the human rights situation in individual countries.
An important part of Europe is the European Court of Human Rights, which monitors compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. Almost half of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe works for the Court in Strasbourg.
There are also a number of partial agreement of the Council of Europe, which include the European Pharmakopeoia, the Partial Agreement in the sport, film funding body Eurimages, the European Centre for Modern Languages in Graz and the North -South Centre in Lisbon.
The Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe has a co-management system. This co-management system allows youth representatives from European youth organizations direct and equal participation in decisions of the Member States of the Council of Europe in the field of youth and sports.
Secretaries-General of the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe bodies are supported by a permanent secretariat, which is headed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. This is elected by the Parliamentary Assembly for five years. On 1 October 2009 the Norwegian Thorbjørn Jagland took over this office. Since 1 September 2002, the Dutch Maud de Boer- Buquicchio is the Deputy Secretary General.
Members
- Founding members
- Other members
- Candidate
- Observer status in the Parliamentary Assembly
- Observer status in the Committee of Ministers
The need for reform
The office since October 1, 2009 Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland announced a reform of Europe. The reform should be a stronger focus on its core tasks the Council of Europe human rights, democracy and rule of law as well as better use of synergies with other international actors, particularly the EU and the OSCE, be effected. It should be a renewal process across years, with a structural reform of the Council of Europe Secretariat and an increase in efficiency of the European Court of Human Rights.
Due to ongoing budget scarcity of Euro Europe looks from 2011 before drastic cuts in its activities. Are planned personnel reductions in Strasbourg, the cancellation of several projects and the closure of a number of foreign representations.
Financing
The Euro Europe " financed classic international law by contributions from Member States according to their respective population (Art. 38 EuRatS ) and gross national product ."