Council of Europe: The “Other” European Organization Duncan Alford Princeton University Library.
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Transcript of Council of Europe: The “Other” European Organization Duncan Alford Princeton University Library.
Council of Europe:Council of Europe:The “Other” European OrganizationThe “Other” European Organization
Duncan Alford
Princeton University Library
COE - BackgroundCOE - Background
International organization created by treatyBegan in 1949Original members – Belgium, Denmark,
France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK
Currently 45 members– All EU members and accession countries
Goals of the COEGoals of the COE
Achieve greater unity among its membersSafeguard the ideals and principles of their
common heritageDefend human rights, parliamentary
democracy and the rule of lawCreate a common legal spaceTools used include treaties, conventions,
and agreements
Major Policy AreasMajor Policy Areas
Human RightsAnimalsBioethicsCultural AffairsEconomic Affairs and DevelopmentEnvironmentSocial and Public Health
What the COE is NotWhat the COE is Not
The Council of Europe is NOT the EUSeparate, distinct organizations with
separate institutionsEU has 15 members, soon to be 25COE has 45 members
Reasons for the ConfusionReasons for the Confusion
Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly Strasbourg, France European Court of
Human Rights Same flag
European Union European Parliament
(formerly Parliamentary Assembly)
Strasbourg, France European Court of
Justice
COE Institutional StructureCOE Institutional Structure
Committee of MinistersParliamentary AssemblyEuropean Court of Human RightsCongress of Local and Regional Authorities
Committee of MinistersCommittee of Ministers
Decision-making and policymaking bodyComposed of the foreign ministers of the
member countriesMeets 2 times per year; deputies monthly Adopt treaties which are later ratified by the
member countries
Parliamentary AssemblyParliamentary Assembly
313 members (plus 313 alternates) Appointed or elected from the parliaments of the
member countries 2 – 18 members per country, roughly proportional
to population Advises the Committee of Ministers 4 plenary sessions per year Has a committee structure President and Secretary General
Congress of Local and Congress of Local and Regional AuthoritiesRegional Authorities
Two chambers – local and regional313 members in eachBrings local democracy to COE activitiesAdvises the Committee of Ministers;
consultative body only
European Court of Human European Court of Human RightsRights
Established in 1959 pursuant to the European Convention on Human Rights
Same number of judges as member countries; more than one judge from single member
Elected by the Parliamentary Assembly 6 year terms Decisions are binding on member countries, their
citizens, and their national courts
How Cases are Brought to the How Cases are Brought to the CourtCourt
Previously Human Rights Commission was required to approve cases to go to the court
Beginning in 1999, individuals can file applications
Court became full-time in 1999 As a result, the court’s case load has increased
Lustig-Prean and Beckett v. United Kingdom (1999).
Major PublicationsMajor Publications
Activities of the Council of Europe Texts Adopted …
(formerly Official Gazette of the Council of Europe) European Treaty Series / European Conventions
and Agreements Human Rights Information Bulletin Science and Technique of Democracy
– Monographic series Press releases
European Court of Human European Court of Human Rights PublicationsRights Publications
HUDOCS (Web database) Reports of Judgments and Decisions Decisions and Reports of the European
Commission for Human Rights (ceased 1999) European Human Rights Reports (E. H. R. R.) –
on LexisNexis Commercial/ Westlaw Yearbook of the European Convention on Human
Rights
European Commission for European Commission for Democracy Through LawDemocracy Through Law
Also known as the Venice CommissionGoal: encourage development of democracy
in Central and Eastern EuropeBulletin of Constitutional Case-Law
– Summaries of constitutional court decisions
CODICES database (web and CD)– Constitutional court decisions
Web ResourcesWeb Resources
Official Web Site http://www.coe.int/def
aultEN.asp
News on front page Institutions A-Z Index
StatisticsStatistics
COE has limited statistical informationDemography, population studiesEuropean Audiovisual ObservatoryCriminologyCase law statistics
COE Blanket OrderCOE Blanket Order
Princeton University Library has a blanket order for all COE publications through Manhattan Publishing (Voyager Order No. 78949) http://www.manhattanpublishing.com/
Contact: Tom Johnson 914-271-5194 About $3500 per year Exempt from Blanket Order
– Pharmacopia – European Audiovisual Observatory– COE internal documents
COE Research GuidesCOE Research Guides
University of Georgia Law Library– http://www.llrx.com/features/coe.htm
Duke University Law Library– http://www.law.duke.edu/lib/ResearchGuides/c
ouncilEurope/councilEurope.html
Why Should I Care?Why Should I Care?
Rich source for European informationhttp://www.coe.intPrinceton owns most COE publications
– In OPAC– NOT depository items
Major policy areas– Human Rights– Cultural property, etc.