Council of Europe

Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

A Strasbourg-based intergovernmental organization founded in 1949 to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across its 46 member states.
Is the Council of Europe part of the European Union?
What is the difference between the Council of Europe and the European Council?
Can individuals bring cases against their government to the Council of Europe?

Updated June 22, 2026

Go beyond the definition

Research Council of Europe like a delegate

Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students.

Timeline

5 May 1949
The Council of Europe (CoE) was established by the Treaty of London on by ten founding states, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, the Net…
16 March 2022
The CoE is headquartered at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg and currently has 46 member states following the expulsion of the Russian Federation on in…
4 November 1950
The CoE's most influential instrument is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), opened for signature in Rome on and entered into force in 1953.

Research it like a delegate

Research on modeldiplomat.com

Ask a follow-up about Council of Europe

Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers.

Start research on Council of Europe

Example

On 16 March 2022, the Committee of Ministers expelled the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the first such expulsion in the organization's history.

Keep learning

Go deeper than the definition

Explore all Global Affairs lessons Test yourself with a quiz

Take Council of Europe beyond the glossary

Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.

Timeline

5 May 1949

The Council of Europe (CoE) was established by the Treaty of London on by ten founding states, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, the Net…

16 March 2022

The CoE is headquartered at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg and currently has 46 member states following the expulsion of the Russian Federation on in…

4 November 1950

The CoE's most influential instrument is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), opened for signature in Rome on and entered into force in 1953.

Research it like a delegate

The Council of Europe (CoE) was established by the Treaty of London on 5 May 1949 by ten founding states, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Ireland. Its statutory aim, set out in Article 1 of its founding Statute, is to achieve greater unity among its members for safeguarding the ideals and principles which are their common heritage—principally pluralist democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

The CoE is headquartered at the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg and currently has 46 member states following the expulsion of the Russian Federation on 16 March 2022 in response to its invasion of Ukraine. It should not be confused with the European Council or the Council of the European Union, which are EU institutions.

Its principal organs include:

The Committee of Ministers, composed of member states' foreign ministers, which is the decision-making body.
The Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), made up of delegations from national parliaments.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
The Secretariat, led by the Secretary General.

The CoE's most influential instrument is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), opened for signature in Rome on 4 November 1950 and entered into force in 1953. The ECHR is enforced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), also seated in Strasbourg, whose judgments are binding on states parties. Other significant treaties drafted under CoE auspices include the European Social Charter (1961), the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995), the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention, 2001), and the Istanbul Convention on violence against women (2011).

The CoE works closely with bodies such as the Venice Commission (formally the European Commission for Democracy through Law) on constitutional matters and standards for elections.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Council of Europe part of the European Union?

No. The Council of Europe is a separate intergovernmental organization with 46 members, while the EU has 27. All EU states are CoE members, but membership and institutions are distinct.

What is the difference between the Council of Europe and the European Council?

The European Council is an EU institution composed of EU heads of state or government. The Council of Europe is a wholly separate body created in 1949, focused on human rights and rule of law.

Can individuals bring cases against their government to the Council of Europe?

Individuals cannot petition the Council of Europe itself, but they can bring applications against member states to the European Court of Human Rights once domestic remedies are exhausted.