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The Council Of Europe's Relations with the United Nations

 

Formal relations between the Council of Europe and the United Nations (UN) date back to 1951. The Council of Europe was granted observer status to the United Nations General Assembly in October 1989. As a regional partner of the UN, the Council of Europe regularly participates in the work of the principle UN agencies.

 

Co-operation between the CoE and the UN started with the "Agreement between the Secretariat-General of the Council of Europe and the Secretariat of the United Nations”, signed on 15 December 1951. This agreement was updated on 19 November 1971 through the “Arrangement on Co-operation and Liaison between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the Council of Europe”. The CoE also concluded agreements with a number of UN bodies and specialised agencies such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (1951), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (1952), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (1952 and 2007), the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organisation (1952), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (1952), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (1956). On 17 October 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, proposed by a number of CoE member states, granting observer status to the CoE (A/RES/44/6). Consequently, the CoE is invited to participate in the sessions and work of the UN General Assembly and its six main committees.

 

Co-operation is well established in the fields of the protection of human rights, the fight against racism, discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance, the protection of minorities, the prevention of torture, the fight against trafficking in human beings and violence against women, and the protection and promotion of the rights of children and intercultural dialogue.

 

The Council of Europe continues to work closely with UNICEF and other UN bodies, including the UNHCR and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN Development Programme, the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the UN Human Rights Council. Joint programmes will be developed with the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) initiative.

 

Documents

  • Agreement between the Secretariat-General of the Council of Europe and the Secretariat of the United Nations of (1951)

  • Arrangement on Co-operation and Liaison between the Secretariats of the United Nations and the Council of Europe (1971)

  • Resolution on Co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe (2008)

  • Resolution on Co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe (2006)

  • Resolution on Observer status for the Council of Europe in the General Assembly (1989)

  • Report of the UN Secretary General on co-operation between the United Nations and regional and other organisations (2008)

  • Report of the UN Secretary General on co-operation between the United Nations and regional and other organisations (2006)