Board of Europe.

Board of Europe - Europe's oldest international political organization. Its main stated goal - building a united Europe, based on the principles of liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Despite the fact that the European flag more often associated with the EU, it was first used by the Council of Europe in 1955. Council of Europe should not be confused with the European Union: it soverienno two different organizations. One of the most significant achievements of the Council of Europe is the development and adoption of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. History Promotion Council of Europe and membership in the Organization Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe is the oldest on the continent, an international political organization. - Current members of the Council of Europe has 47 states, including 21 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. - Another State (Belarus) applied for membership in the Organization. - Observer status with the Council of Europe have 5 member (Vatican City, Canada, Mexico, United States of America and Japan). - Council of Europe should be distinguished from the European Union, which unites 25 countries, who before joining the EU were already members of the Council of Europe. - Headquarters of the Organization is in Strasbourg (France). The objectives of the Council of Europe "The purpose of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members ..." (Article 1 of the Charter of the Council of Europe) Council of Europe was created to: - Protection of human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law; - Achievement of pan-European agreements to facilitate the harmonization of social and legal practices of Member States; - Promote understanding of peoples of European identity and unity based on shared spiritual values and implied the preservation and promotion of multiculturalism. (more ...) The main organs of the Council of Europe - The Committee of Ministers - the decision-making body, which comprises foreign ministers of 47 member states of the Council of Europe, or their permanent diplomatic representatives in Strasbourg. - Parliamentary Assembly, comprising 636 members (318 representatives and 318 alternates) appointed by national parliaments. Currently chairman of the Assembly is Rene van der Linden (Netherlands, Group of the European People's Party). - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, consisting of the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions. President of the Congress is currently Halfdan Skard (Norway, SOC). - Secretariat, numbering about 1800 employees in September 2004 headed by Secretary general Terry Davis (United Kingdom), byviim Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the Socialist Group.