One of a independent successes of a Council was the European Convention on Human Rights in 1950, which serves as a basis for the European Court of Human Rights.

A seat of the Council of Europe is inside Strasbourg on the Franco-German border. Originally meeting around Strasbourg's University Palace, these are nowadays domiciled in the Palace of Europe on the outskirts of the city center.

A Council of Europe is does'nt to exist as confused by using a Council of the European Union or the European Council, as these are the separate organisation & non a share of the European Union.

Founding

the Council of Europe was founded resulting a speech from Winston Churchill at the University of Zurich on 19 September, 1946 ([http://www.peshawar.ch/varia/winston.htm text of speech]) calling for a "United States of Europe", similar to the United States of America, in the wake of the cases of World War II.

A Council was officially founded in 5 May, 1949 by the Treaty of London when a decade original members signed the legislative act of Westminster. This accord is okay, called a Legislative act of the Council of Europe.

Aims
Article One(the) of the Legislative act states:

A Council revolve about the ensuing areas: Protection of democracy and the rule of law Protection of human rights, notably: Social rights, sustaining a European Social Charter Linguistic rights, using a European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages Promotion of Europe's cultural identity and diversity; Addressing problems facing European society including discrimination, xenophobia, environmental degradation, AIDS, drugs and organised crime Encouraging popular stability via reform.

Institutions
A institutions of the Council of Europe come:

The Secretariat The Committee of Ministers [http://assembly.coe.int/defaultF.asp The Parliamentary Assembly] The European Court of Human Rights [http://www.coe.int/T/E/Commissioner_H.R/Communication_Unit/ The Commissioner for Human Rights]

There's besides a European Commission for Democracy across Law, better referred to as a Venice Commission.

Symbols
Independent article: European symbols A Council of Europe is responsible the notable European flag with 12 golden stars (upward pointing) ordered in circles in the blue background since 1955, and a anthem based on the Ode to Joy in the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's ninth symphony since 1972. Around 1964, it established the day of remembrance of its originatiin on 5 May 1949 as Europe Day. (Europe Day has since been moved to May 9. View European Symbols.)

To keep away from confusion by having a European Union, which utilizes the equivalent flag, the Council typically uses a limited version sustaining a conventionalized lower-experience 'e' in a centre of the stars which is known as the 'Council of Europe Logo' [http://www.coe.int/02/Logo/Pictures/LogoCoE/LogoCoe.jpg].

Membership
Council of Europe membership

Dark green: ten original members
Light green: joined subsequently
Yellow: observer at the Parliamentary Assembly
Orange: observer at the Committee of Ministers
Red: official candidate In todays world, there are 46 member states, including about each European state. Upin foundation on May 5, 1949 there were ten members:

Members by using late admission dates (sorted by date of admission) :

(9 August 1949) (9 August 1949) (9 March 1950) Federal Republic of Germany (13 July 1950) (16 April 1956) (24 May 1961) (6 May 1963) (29 April 1965) (22 September 1976) (24 November 1977) (23 November 1978) (16 November 1988) (5 May 1989) (6 November 1990) (26 November 1991) (7 May 1992) (14 May 1993) (14 May 1993) (14 May 1993) (30 June 1993) (30 June 1993) (7 October 1993) (10 October 1994) (10 February 1995) (13 July 1995) (13 July 1995) (9 November 1995) (9 November 1995) (28 February 1996) (6 November 1996) (27 April 1999) (25 January 2001) (25 January 2001) (24 April 2002) (3 April 2003) (5 October 2004) A Parliament of held favorite guest status sustaining a Parliamentary Assembly from either September 1992 to January 1997, however this hwhen been suspended following of a November 1996 constitutional referendum & parliament by-elections which the CoE uncovered to exist as unpopular, besides as restricts in democratic freedoms like freedom of expression (cf. Belarusian media) under the authoritarian regime of President Lukashenko. A constitution changed per referendum "does not respect minimum democratic standards and violates the principles of separation of powers and the rule of law." [http://press.coe.int/cp/97/11a(97).htm]. Belarus applied for fully membership in 12 March 1993 (still open).

applied for observer status at a Parliamentary Assembly in 1999. A official response of PACE was that Kazakhstan can use for fully membership, because these are partly located in Europe, however that it would non become granted any status whatsoever at CoE until their democracy and human rights records improved.

A has observer status at a Committee of Ministers since 1970.

A select few non-European states as well own observer status at Council of Europe institutions: