The Council of Europe's Relations with Non-European States
At their 4th Summit held in Reykjavik on 16-17 May 2023, Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe committed to strengthening the role of the Council of Europe in the European multilateral architecture and in global governance by enhancing its external dimension, through, inter alia, a new engagement based on its core values with democracies in the world and its southern neighbourhood”.
At present, more than 100 non-European states are Parties to Council of Europe treaties or participants in other Council of Europe instruments and bodies, such as the Venice Commission, GRECO, the Pompidou Group or the European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity (North-South Centre).
A number of non-European states also have institutionalised bilateral relations with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly and/or Congress.
Observer status is the only available status open, at Committee of Ministers’ level, for non-European states. Relations and contacts with observer states show that they cover almost the whole spectrum of the Council of Europe’s activities.
Relations with beneficiaries of the Policy towards neighbouring regions have also been formalised to a certain extent, and aimed at developing a common legal space based on Council of Europe’s values and instruments.
Documents
- The Council of Europe’s outreach beyond membership and the promotion of the Organisation’s instruments. 133rd Session of the Committee of Ministers (Strasbourg, 16-17 May 2024) 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe (Reykjavík, Iceland, 16-17 May 2023) – Follow-up
- Overview of Institutionalised Bilateral Relations of Non-Member States with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (DPAER/INF(2024)1)
- Accession/Participation of non-member states to/in the Council of Europe treaties/agreements (DPAER/Inf(2021)1)
- For more details on non-member states participation in the Council of Europe treaties please see the site of the Treaty office