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FOREWORD

Established on 5 May 1949, the Council of Europe has progressively increased in membership to the following forty States: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The Council of Europe was set up to «achieve a greater unity between its Members for the purpose of safeguarding the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress». This aim is pursued «by discussions on questions of common concern and by agreement and common action in economic, social, cultural, scientific, legal and administrative matters, and in the maintaining and further realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms». Only defence questions are excluded from the Council's competence.

The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the policy of individual governments or of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.