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Le Conseil de l’Europe a 70 ans
1949 - 2019The Council of Europe at 70
1949 - 2019Asset Publisher
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 Statute of the Council of Europe is signed in London
United KingdomThe Treaty of London is signed by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, founding the Council of Europe.
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 Committee of Ministers' first meeting
FrancePaul-Henri Spaak chairs first session of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
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 Greece joins
GreeceGreece becomes the 11th member State of the Council of Europe.
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 Council of Europe gets its first Secretary General
FranceJacques Camille Paris becomes the first Secretary General.
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 Iceland joins
IcelandIceland becomes the 12th member State of the Council of Europe.
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 Turkey joins
TurkeyTurkey becomes the 13th member State of the Council of Europe.
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 Federal Republic of Germany joins the Council of Europe
GermanyThe Federal Republic of Germany joins the Council of Europe, becoming the 14th member State.
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 Winston Churchill speaks at Parliamentary Assembly.
United KingdomWinston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955, addresses the Parliamentary Assembly.
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 Human Rights Convention signed in Rome
ItalyThe European Convention on Human Rights is signed in Rome marking a new era of respect for human rights in Europe.
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 Cooperation begins with the United Nations
A fairly limited working agreement is signed between the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe and the Secretariat of the United Nations, allowing relations between the two organisations to develop.
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 The Organisation's status is recognised
All CountriesGeneral agreement on privileges and immunities of the Council of Europe enters into force.
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 Human Rights Convention goes live
All CountriesEntry into force of the European Convention on Human Rights.
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 Second Secretary General takes office
FranceLéon Marchal becomes the second Secretary General.
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 First art exhibition in Brussels
BelgiumThe first Council of Europe art exhibition "Humanist Europe" / "L'Europe Humaniste" opens at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
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 Celebrating cultural diversity
FranceThe European Cultural Convention is opened for signature, aiming to foster understanding and promote cultural diversity.
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 A flag for Europe
FranceAdoption of the European Flag by the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers.
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 Austria joins
AustriaAustria becomes the 15th Council of Europe member State.
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 Development Bank begins its work
FranceThe Council of Europe Resettlement Fund is set up (today the Council of Europe Development Bank) to provide support for social projects.
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 Hungarian Uprising
HungaryStudent protests begin the Hungarian uprising to challenge Soviet control.
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 Steps towards local democracy
FranceFirst session of the Conference of Local Authorities of Europe (today the Congress)
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 Third Secretary General takes office
ItalyLodovico Benvenuti becomes the third Secretary General.
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 Israeli Knesset granted observer status
IsraelThe parliament of Israel, the Knesset, is granted observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly.
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 Easier personal travel between countries
All CountriesEuropean Agreement on Regulations governing the Movement of Persons between Member States of the Council of Europe enters into force.
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 Human rights court is set up
FranceFirst members of the European Human Rights Court elected by the Council of Europe Consultative Assembly.
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 Court gets first President
United KingdomLord (Arnold Duncan) McNair becomes the first President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 First Court session
FranceEuropean Human Rights Court holds first session.
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 Refugees allowed to travel
All CountriesRefugees can move from one country to another thanks to an agreement on abolition of visas.
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 First human rights judgment
FranceThe European Human Rights Court delivers its first judgment following an individual application: Lawless v. Ireland.
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 Cyprus joins
CyprusCyprus becomes the 16th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 A safeguard for social rights
ItalyEuropean Social Charter is adopted, safeguarding the economic & social rights of citizens.
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 Looking after the property of hotel guests
FranceOpening of the Convention on the Liability of Hotel-keepers concerning the Property of their Guests
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 Switzerland joins
SwitzerlandSwitzerland joins the Council of Europe becoming the 17th member State.
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 Fourth Secretary General takes office
United KingdomPeter Smithers becomes the fourth Secretary General.
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 A day for Europe
All CountriesThe Committee of Ministers decides that 5 May, the anniversary of the founding of the Council of Europe, should be celebrated as Europe Day.
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 Medicines made safe
FranceThe European Pharmacopoeia is launched to ensure safe medicine for all.
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 Malta joins
MaltaMalta becomes the 18th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Court gets second President
FranceRené Cassin becomes the second President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Europe and art meet in Stockholm
Sweden"Christina, Queen of Sweden: a personality of European civilisation", the eleventh Council of Europe Art Exhibition opens at the Stockholm Nationalmuseum.
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 Protection of adopted children
FranceOpening of the European Convention on the Adoption of Children
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 Prague Spring
Czech RepublicThe Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact members send armed forces into Czechoslovakia to suppress the mass protests and put an end to liberal reforms.
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 Court gets third President
BelgiumHenri Rolin becomes the third President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Fifth Secretary General takes office
AustriaLujo Tončić-Sorinj becomes the fifth Secretary General.
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 Greece withdraws
GreeceGreece withdraws from the Council of Europe to avoid expulsion after a military coup.
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 Holy See becomes observer
Holy SeeThe Holy See is granted observer status with the Council of Europe.
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 Court gets fourth President
United KingdomSir Humphrey Waldock becomes the fourth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 An anthem for Europe
FranceThe Council of Europe chooses Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the fourth movement of the composer's ninth symphony, as the European Anthem.
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 A uniform mortuary "laissez-passer"
FranceAgreement on the Transfer of Corpses simplifies formalities required for the international transfer of corpses, through a uniform mortuary "laissez-passer".
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 Portugal's peaceful coup
PortugalBeginning as a military coup, Portugal's Carnation Revolution brings an end to dictatorship.
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 Court gets fifth President
ItalyGiorgio Balladore Pallieri becomes the fifth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Sixth Secretary General takes office
GermanyGeorg Kahn-Ackerman becomes the sixth Secretary General to take office.
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 Greece re-joins
GreeceGreece returns to the Council of Europe after the end of military dictatorship and the restoration of democracy.
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 Franco dies
SpainThe death of dictator General Franco opens the way for Spain's transition to democracy.
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 Portugal joins
PortugalPortugal is the 19th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Palais de l'Europe opens
FranceInauguration by French President, Giscard d'Estaing of the Palais de l'Europe, the home of the Council of Europe.
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 Spain joins
SpainSpain becomes the 20th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Court's first inter-state judgment
FranceFirst judgment given by the European Human Rights Court concerning an inter-state case - Ireland v. United Kingdom.
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 Liechtenstein joins
LiechtensteinLiechtenstein becomes the 21st member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 A first for nature
SwitzerlandThe Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats is adopted, the first international treaty to protect wildlife and the natural environment.
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 Seventh Secretary General takes office
AustriaFranz Karasek becomes the seventh Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
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 Pompidou Group tackles drug policy
FranceThe Pompidou Group, European cooperation platform to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs, becomes an enlarged partial agreement of the Council of Europe.
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 Solidarity founded
PolandThe Solidarity Movement is founded in the Gdańsk shipyard under the leadership of Lech Wałęsa.
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 Court's sixth President
NetherlandsGérard J. Wiarda becomes the sixth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Martial law in Poland
PolandGeneral Jaruzelski's authoritarian regime imposes martial law in the Polish People's Republic.
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 Controlling movements of firearms between countries
All CountriesConvention on Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Firearms by Individuals enters into force.
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 Towards a Europe without the death penalty
FranceOpening of Protocol 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights abolishing the Death Penalty
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 Eighth Secretary General takes office
SpainMarcelino Oreja Aguirre becomes the eighth Secretary General.
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 Towards a Europe without the death penalty
All CountriesProtocol No. 6 to the European Human Rights Convention makes abolition of the death penalty a precondition for Council of Europe membership.
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 Court's seventh President
NorwayRolv Ryssdal becomes the seventh President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Privacy protected
All CountriesThe Council of Europe leads the way in protecting privacy when personal data is processed with what is still the only binding international convention with a potential worldwide remit.
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 Making sport safe
All CountriesEuropean Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events enters into force, bringing in stricter rules for sports grounds and crowd control.
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 Fewer experiments on animals
FranceOpening of the Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes
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 Quick response to disasters guaranteed
FranceThe EUR-OPA agreement starts work to predict, prevent and co-ordinate responses to major natural and technical disasters.
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 Democracy close to home
All CountriesThe European Charter of Local Self-Government enters into force to guarantee democracy at local level and give local authorities power of decision. It is one of the earliest legal texts to promote subsidiarity - taking decisions closest to citizens.
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 San Marino joins
San MarinoSan Marino becomes the 22nd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Torture watchdog created
All CountriesThe European Convention against Torture & Inhuman and Degrading Treatment enters into force allowing specialised teams to visit places of detention throughout Europe.
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 Finland joins
FinlandFinland becomes the 23rd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 First woman Secretary General takes office
FranceCatherine Lalumière becomes the ninth Secretary General and the first woman to hold the post.
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 Gorbachev's message to Europe
Russian FederationMikhail Gorbachev outlines his idea of ‘a common European home’ in a speech to the Parliamentary Assembly.
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 Fall of the Berlin Wall
GermanyThe East German government announces that all citizens of the German Democratic Repuplic can visit West Germany and West Berlin.
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 Spreading values worldwide
PortugalThe Lisbon-based Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity - more commonly known as the "North-South Centre" - is launched to spread universal values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law beyond the European continent.
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 Dictatorship ends in Romania
RomaniaNicolae Ceaușescu and his wife are shot in Târgoviște at the end of the Romanian revolution.
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 Václav Havel becomes President
Czech RepublicVáclav Havel is elected President of Czechoslovakia after the Velvet Revolution brings an end to one-party rule in the country.
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 Action against sports cheats
All CountriesThe Anti-Doping Convention enters into force, allowing countries to work together to efficiently fight doping in sport.
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 Václav Havel calls for courage to look at the stars
FranceVáclav Havel, President of Czechoslovakia, 1989-1992 and first President of the Czech Republic, 1993-2003, addresses the Parliamentary Assembly, saying ‘without dreaming of a better Europe we shall never build a better Europe.’
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 Help for constitutional standard-setting
FranceThe Venice Commission, formally known as the European Commission for Democracy through Law, is established as a consultative body of legal experts to help countries build the values of the Council of Europe into their constitutions.
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 Russia signals end of Soviet Union
Russian FederationThe Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic declares its sovereignty as a state, beginning constitutional reform in Russia.
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 Hungary joins - first from central and eastern Europe
HungaryHungary becomes the 24th member State, the first to join from central and eastern Europe.
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 Criminals can't profit from crimes
FranceThe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime is opened for signature. It boosts co-operation in investigations and tracking down, seizing and confiscating the proceeds of crime.
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 End of one-party rule in Albania
AlbaniaAlbania's Communist party allows political pluralism.
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 Break-up of Yugoslavia begins
SloveniaSlovenia leaves the Yugoslav Federation.
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 Poland joins
PolandPoland becomes the 25th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Bulgaria joins
BulgariaBulgaria becomes the 26th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 European Audiovisual Observatory launches
FranceThe European Audiovisual Observatory is created to collect and distribute information about the various audiovisual markets in Europe and their financing.
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 Czechoslovakia ceases to exist
Czechoslovakia splits into the Czech Republic and Slovakia
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 Estonia joins
EstoniaEstonia becomes the 27th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Lithuania joins
LithuaniaLithuania becomes the 28th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Slovenia joins
SloveniaSlovenia becomes the 29th member State of the Council of Europe.
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 Czech Republic joins
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic becomes the 30th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Slovakia joins
Slovak RepublicSlovakia becomes the 31st member State to join the Council of Europe.
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RomaniaRomania becomes the 32nd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Vienna Summit
AustriaFirst Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
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 Grassroots democracy given a voice
FranceThe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe is created to give a voice to towns, cities and regions.
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 Fighting racism and discrimination
FranceThe first meeting of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI). The Commission specialises in fighting all forms of racism, discrimination, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance.
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 Supporting film production
FranceThe European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production enters into force and Eurimages is created to promote independent filmmaking with financial support for feature-length films, animation and documentaries.
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SwedenDaniel Tarschys becomes the tenth Secretary General.
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AndorraAndorra becomes the 33rd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Latvia joins
LatviaLatvia becomes the 34th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 New Human Rights building opened
FranceInauguration of the Human Rights Building, housing the European Human Rights Court, built by the British architect Lord Richard Rogers. Czech President Václav Havel attends.
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 Albania joins
AlbaniaAlbania becomes the 35th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Moldova joins
Republic of MoldovaMoldova becomes the 36th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Srebrenica massacre
Bosnia and HerzegovinaMore than 8,000 people are massacred in Srebrenica.
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 Ukraine joins
UkraineUkraine becomes the 37th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" joins
North Macedonia"The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" becomes the 38th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 USA becomes observer
United StatesThe United States of America is granted observer status.
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 Dayton Peace Accords
FranceThe Dayton Peace Accords end the Bosnian War.
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 Budapest Youth Centre opens
HungaryEuropean Youth Centre opens in Hungary.
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 Russia joins
Russian FederationThe Russian Federation becomes the 39th member State of the Council of Europe.
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 Croatia joins
CroatiaCroatia becomes 40th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Death Penalty ends
All CountriesThe very last execution takes place on the Council of Europe's territory. There have been none since.
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 Protecting rights in biomedicine
PortugalThe Oviedo Convention is opened for signature and becomes the only internationally binding treaty to protect human rights in the biomedical field. In 1998 it was amended to include a ban on human cloning.
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 National minorities protected against discrimination
All CountriesNational minorities get protection against discrimination with the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
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 Regional or minority languages protected
All CountriesEurope's regional and minority languages get protection with the entry into force of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
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 Court's eighth President
GermanyRudolf Bernhardt becomes the eighth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Good Friday Agreement signed
United KingdomThe Good Friday Agreement is signed, bringing an end to 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland
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 "The new Court"
FranceThe European Court of Human Rights' operation is streamlined with a protocol restructuring the control machinery. Since 1998 it has sat as a full-time court and individuals can apply to it directly.
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 Court's Ninth President
SwitzerlandLuzius Wildhaber becomes the ninth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Georgia joins
GeorgiaGeorgia becomes the 41st member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Eleventh Secretary General takes office
AustriaWalter Schwimmer becomes the eleventh Secretary General.
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 First Human Rights Commissioner
SpainÁlvaro Gil-Robles becomes the first Human Rights Commissioner.
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 Children's rights in Court proceedings
All CountriesThe European Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights boosts children's protection, giving them the right to be heard and to express their views in court proceedings affecting them.
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 Discrimination banned
ItalyA general ban on discrimination comes in as a new protocol is opened for signature.
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 A tool for language learners
FranceEurope gets a common tool to measure language abilities thanks to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, launched at the beginning of the European Year of Languages.
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 Azerbaijan joins
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan becomes the 43rd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Armenia joins
ArmeniaArmenia becomes the 42nd member State to join the Council of Europe.
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Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina becomes the 44th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Death Penalty ban
LithuaniaThe Council of Europe adopts a protocol banning the death penalty in all circumstances
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 Corruption criminalised
All CountriesThe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption criminalises corrupt practices and improves international co-operation in their prosecution.
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 Serbia joins
SerbiaSerbia becomes the 45th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Protection against corruption
All CountriesThe Civil Law Convention on Corruption brings in international rules, asking governments to provide remedies in their domestic law for anyone who has suffered damage as a result of corruption.
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 Civil society representation boosted
FranceParticipatory status granted to international non-governmental organisations with the Council of Europe.
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 Georgia's Rose Revolution ends
GeorgiaPresident Eduard Shevardnadze resigns following the protests of the Rose Revolution, triggering presidential and parliamentary elections.
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 Combating cybercrime
All CountriesBudapest Convention - the first and only international legal treaty to tackle cybercrime - enters into force.
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 Twelfth Secretary General takes office
United KingdomTerry Davis becomes the 12th Secretary General.
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 Monaco joins
MonacoMonaco becomes the 46th member State to join the Council of Europe.
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 Ukraine's Orange Revolution ends
UkraineViktor Yushchenko is inaugurated as president of Ukraine.
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 Warsaw Summit
PolandThird Summit of 46 Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe
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 Second Human Rights Commissioner
SwedenThomas Hammarberg becomes the second Human Rights Commissioner.
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 Serbia and Montenegro separate
SerbiaThe State Union of Serbia and Montenegro is dissolved.
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 Court's tenth President
FranceJean-Paul Costa becomes the 10th President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 EDQM building opens
FranceInauguration of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) building.
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 Montenegro joins
MontenegroMontenegro becomes the 47th member State to join the Council of Europe following its independence.
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 Stopping terrorists in their tracks
All Countries"A new convention bolsters the fight against terrorism with measures to criminalise public provocation, recruitment and training and to protect and compensate victims. "
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 Protecting children against sex abuse
SpainThe Lanzarote Convention is opened for signature, the first pan European treaty to make child sex abuse in the home, in the family or abroad a criminal offence.
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 Combating human trafficking
All CountriesA Convention to combat all forms of human trafficking comes into force, pledging assistance for victims, effective investigation and prosecution and stronger international co-operation.
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 The Agora building opens
FranceInauguration of the Agora, the Council of Europe's newest building.
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 Tackling terrorism financing
All CountriesThe Warsaw Convention, the first international treaty covering both prevention and control of money laundering and the financing of terrorism, comes into force.
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 Celebrating and promoting diversity
FranceThe Council of Europe launches its "White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue" as a blueprint for open and diverse societies based on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
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 10,000 human rights judgments
FranceThe European Human Rights Court delivers its 10,000th judgment.
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 Thorbjørn Jagland is thirteenth Secretary General
NorwayThorbjørn Jagland takes office as the thirteenth Council of Europe Secretary General.
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 Efficient human rights protection
FranceProtocol No. 14 to the Convention enters into force, aiming to guarantee the long-term efficiency of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Making drugs safe
Russian FederationThe Medicrime Convention - aimed at stopping counterfeiting of medical products and similar crimes that threaten public health - is opened for signature.
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 Court's eleventh President
United KingdomSir Nicolas Bratza becomes 11th President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Third Human Rights Commissioner
LatviaNils Muižnieks becomes the third Human Rights Commissioner.
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 Court's twelfth President
LuxembourgDean Spielmann becomes 12th President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 Secretary General re-elected
NorwayThorbjørn Jagland is re-elected, the first time a serving secretary general has secured a second term.
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 An end to violence against women
All CountriesThe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence enters into force, with wide-ranging measures aiming to stop all forms of violence against women.
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 Stopping match-fixing
SwitzerlandThe Council of Europe launches a new Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions to stop match-fixing and illegal sports betting operations.
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 Thirteenth Human Rights Court President
ItalyGuido Raimondi becomes thirteenth President of the European Human Rights Court.
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 A better approach to safety at sports events
FranceOpening of Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events
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 Saving Heritage from destruction
CyprusThe Convention on Offences relating to Cultural Property is opened for signature, the first international treaty to stop crimes that are destroying the world's cultural heritage such as theft, intentional damage, unlawful excavation and illegal sales.
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 Action against Organ Trafficking
All CountriesThe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs enters into force.
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 Fourth Human Rights Commissioner - first woman
Bosnia and HerzegovinaDunja Mijatović becomes the Council of Europe's fourth Human Rights Commissioner - the first woman to hold the post.
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 Stronger links on human rights
FranceProtocol 16 to the European Human Rights Convention allows national courts to request advisory opinions on questions of principle.
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 Human Rights for an AI future
FranceCouncil of Europe sets up a taskforce to pinpoint the threats and opportunities of artificial intelligence for human rights.
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 Council of Europe reaches 70
All Countries70th Anniversary of the founding of the Council of Europe.
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