The Council of Europe and the European Union: different roles, shared values

 


The Council of Europe and the European Union share the same fundamental values – human rights, democracy and the rule of law – but are separate entities which perform different, yet complementary, roles.

Focusing on those core values, the Council of Europe brings together governments from across Europe – and beyond – to agree minimum legal standards in a wide range of areas. It then monitors how well countries apply the standards that they have chosen to sign up to. It also provides technical assistance, often working together with the European Union, to help them do so.

The European Union refers to those same European values as a key element of its deeper political and economic integration processes. It often builds upon Council of Europe standards when drawing up legal instruments and agreements which apply to its 27 member states. Furthermore, the European Union regularly refers to Council of Europe standards and monitoring work in its dealings with neighbouring countries, many of which are Council of Europe member states.

The Lisbon Treaty increased the scope for European Union action in many areas where the Council of Europe already has significant experience and expertise. This has led to increased cooperation on issues such as fighting human trafficking, the sexual exploitation of children and violence against women. It has also opened the way for the European Union itself to sign up to the European Convention on Human Rights, and to other Council of Europe agreements.

Relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union are set out in the:

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Council of Europe and European Commission boost cooperation in Eastern Europe
Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Torbjorn Froysnes, and Michael Köhler

Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Torbjorn Froysnes, and Michael Köhler

The Council of Europe and the European Commission have signed a new cooperation agreement to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law in six Eastern European countries.

The agreement, which is worth €33.8 million and covers the period 2015-2017, will fund joint programmes in countries covered by the EU’s Eastern Partnership programme – namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

It was signed in Brussels on Thursday 18 December by the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, and Director Michael Köhler on behalf of the European Commission.

The agreement forms part of a new strategic framework for cooperation agreed by the Council of Europe and the European Commission in April 2014. The significant increase in funding reflects the positive results which have been achieved through such programmes in recent years.

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The Council of Europe and the European Union

Council of Europe Strasbourg 18 December 2014
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Budget contribution

The Annual Receipts on EU contributions under Joint Programmes between the Council of Europe and the European Union in 2019, amounted to €206.1 million. Co-funded by EU at 85%, by CoE at 15%

29 new Joint Programmes negotiated in 2019 for a total of €111.7 million.

Multimedia

Global Action on Cybercrime (GLACY), video report on a joint project between the Council of Europe and the European Union