The Council of Europe: Activities and Achievements [antikvár]

The Council of Europe an overviewA statute built on humán rightsAny European state can become a member of the Council of Europe provided it accepts the principle of the rule of law and guarantees humán rights and fundamentai freedoms to everyone under its jurisdiction.Aims The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organisation which aims:to protect humán rights, plurálist democracy and the rule of law;to promote awareness and encourage the development of Europe's cultural identity and diversity;to seek solutions to problems facing European society (discrimination against minorities, xenophobia, intolerance, environmental protection, humán cloning, Aids, drugs, organised crime, etc.);to help consolidate democratic stability in Europe by backing political, legislative and constitutional reform.43 member states Set up on 5 May 1949 by 10 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Francé, Ireland,Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom), joined by Greece and Turkey in August 1949, the Council of Europe now has 43 member states* : Iceland and Germany (1950), Austria (1956), Cyprus (1961), Switzerland (1963), Malta(1965), Portugál (1976), Spain (1977), Liechtenstein (1978), San Marino (1988), Finland (1989), Hungary (1990), Poland (1991), Bulgaria (1992), Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania (1993), Andorra (1994), Latvia, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine, " the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedónia " (1995), Russian Federation and Croatia (1996), Georgia (1999), and Armenia and Azerbaijan (2001).The Council of Europe should not be confused with the European Union. The two organisations are quite distinct. The 15 European Union states, however, are all members of the Council of Europe.Candidates Applications for membership from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal for membership Republic of Yugoslavia and Monaco are currently being examined.Observer status Canada, the Holy See, Japan, the United States of America and Mexico enjoyobserver status with the Council of Europe's intergovernmental bodies.