The Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights

The Council of Europe

Monaco became the 46th member State of the Council of Europe on 5 October 2004. Set up in 1949 in the aftermath of World War II, the Council of Europe’s headquartered is located in Strasbourg. It is the oldest and the leading human rights organisation in Europe.

It is completely different from the European Union, both in its composition and the scope of its activities, which are based on the three following pillars: human rights, rule of law and democracy. All member States are parties to the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights, the organisation’s reference text.

The European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights is the permanent judicial body which guarantees to all Europeans the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. It enables any citizen of a member State to bring a case against one of the member States for violating their human rights, after all possible means of recourse in their own country have been exhausted.

The Court is made up of one elected judge per member State, including one for Monaco.

The Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers is the executive body of the Council of Europe. It is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of all member States and observers, as well as their Delegates, who are the Permanent Representatives to the Council of Europe.

The Committee takes decisions relating to the operation of the Council of Europe. It determines the organisation’s policy and approves its budget and programme of activities.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), as the statutory body of the organisation, is the "democratic conscience of Greater Europe". It comprises representatives from the national Parliaments of all member States.

Monaco has two members and two substitute members of PACE.

The Assembly elects the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Deputy Secretary General, the PACE Secretary General, the Commissioner for Human Rights and the judges of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

It is composed of members who hold elective office - regional and municipal councillors, mayors and presidents of regional authorities - from all member States.

Monaco has two members and two substitute members, who are drawn from the Council of the Commune.
The role of this body is to promote regional democracy, improve local and regional governance and strengthen the autonomy of the local and regional authorities.

The Commissioner for Human Rights

This position was established in 1999. The Commissioner for Human Rights is elected for a non-renewable six years’ term. The Commissioner conducts monitoring within member States by making country visits, following which he issues recommendations to the relevant governments on improving their legislation or practices.

The activities of the Council of Europe

Since 1949, the Council of Europe has adopted more than 200 Conventions and agreements on human rights, the rule of law and democracy. Monaco has ratified more than 50 of these (further details can be found on the Council of Europe website ).

Among the Council of Europe’s main achievements, it is worth highlighting its contribution to abolishing the death penalty, which is now a prerequisite for membership to the Council. No execution has taken place in any of the member States since 1997.

In addition to its political commitment and mandatory budgetary contribution, the Prince’s Government supports the Council of Europe’s activities through voluntary contributions.