The Statute of the Council of Europe established the continent's principal human rights and democracy organisation, now encompassing 46 member states.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 5 May 1949
- Original signatories
- 10 European states
- Current member states
- 46
- UN Treaty registration date
- 11 April 1951
- UN Treaty number
- I:1168, vol.87, page 103
- Only expelled member
- Russia, expelled 16 March 2022
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In the aftermath of World War II, European nations sought a framework to prevent future conflict by institutionalising cooperation around shared democratic values. Calls for a unified European body to safeguard human rights and the rule of law gained momentum, culminating in negotiations among ten founding states committed to building a new international order on the continent.
On 5 May 1949, ten European states — Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom — signed the Statute of the Council of Europe in London. The treaty formally created the Council of Europe and defined its purpose as pursuing peace through justice and international cooperation, establishing the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly as its two core statutory bodies.
The Council of Europe grew from its ten original members to 46 states, becoming the primary European institution for upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. It produced landmark instruments such as the European Convention on Human Rights. Russia's expulsion in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine marked the only instance of a member state being removed in the organisation's history.
Political Outcome
The Council of Europe was formally established as an international organisation open to all European states, with a mandate to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
No formal pan-European institution dedicated to human rights and democratic governance existed.
A permanent intergovernmental organisation with statutory bodies was established to monitor and promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across Europe.