Usae.eu

Aims

The Council was set up to:
• defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law,
• develop continent-wide agreements to standardise member countries' social and legal practices,
• promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different cultures.

Since 1989, its main job has become:
• acting as a political anchor and human rights watchdog for Europe's post-communist democracies,
• assisting the countries of central and eastern Europe in carrying out and consolidating political, legal and constitutional reform in parallel with economic reform,
• providing know-how in areas such as human rights, local democracy, education, culture and the environment.

European Union

The European Parliament

The Council of the European Union

The European Commission

The Court of Justice

The Court of Auditors

The European Economic and Social Committee

The Committee of the Regions

The European Central Bank

The European Investment Bank

Council of Europe

Origins and membership

Aims

Political aims

How it works

Ordinary budget

Some practical achievements

The pan-European dimension