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| Secretariat of the Council of Europe | |
|---|---|
| Name | Secretariat of the Council of Europe |
| Formation | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Strasbourg |
| Leader title | Secretary General |
| Parent organisation | Council of Europe |
Secretariat of the Council of Europe The Secretariat of the Council of Europe is the administrative and executive office that supports the political, legal and operational activities of the Council of Europe based in Strasbourg. It provides professional, technical and logistical services to organs such as the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, the European Court of Human Rights, and numerous conventions including the European Convention on Human Rights. The Secretariat interfaces with member governments like France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and with transnational bodies such as the European Union, the United Nations, and regional organisations like the OSCE.
The Secretariat was established alongside the founding of the Council of Europe in 1949 after deliberations involving states represented at the Treaty of London (1949), with early influence from figures involved in post‑war reconstruction such as delegates from United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. During the Cold War era interactions with institutions including the NATO, the UNESCO and the European Coal and Steel Community shaped secretariat roles. Landmark events such as the accession of Greece (1949), Turkey (1949), Spain (1977), Poland (1991) and the post‑Cold War eastward expansion involving Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania required enlargement of services. Treaties and instruments managed by the Secretariat grew to include the European Social Charter, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, prompting reforms influenced by administrative models from institutions like the European Commission and the WHO.
The Secretariat is organised into directorates and units that mirror the Council’s statutory bodies, with divisions responsible for legal affairs, human rights, democracy, rule of law, and intergovernmental co‑operation. Components correspond to entities such as the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the Venice Commission, and the EDQM in administrative terms. Headquarters functions in Strasbourg coordinate with liaison offices in Brussels, links to the ECJ institutions and partnerships with agencies like the Council of the European Union. The structure encompasses units for multilateral treaties, monitoring mechanisms associated with the European Court of Human Rights, and specialised secretariats for conventions such as the European Cultural Convention and the European Social Charter (Revised).
The Secretariat provides secretarial services for the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, and steering committees such as the CDDH. It prepares reports and background documentation for rapporteurs, supports fact‑finding missions akin to those of the Venice Commission, and implements decisions on conventions like the European Convention on Human Rights. The Secretariat administers treaty secretariats, organises conferences of parties comparable to UNFCCC meetings, and manages monitoring procedures similar to those used by the European Court of Human Rights and the CSW. It also manages capacity‑building programmes delivered with partners such as the OECD, the ICC and the ODIHR.
The Secretary General heads the Secretariat and is appointed by the Committee of Ministers, following consultations with the Parliamentary Assembly. Previous Secretaries General have engaged with heads of state and government from countries like Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey and have coordinated with institutional leaders from the European Commission, the United Nations Secretariat, and the NATO Secretary General. The post supervises deputy secretaries general, directors of directorates such as the Directorate of Human Rights and the Directorate of Policy Planning, and liaises with the presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly and the European Court of Human Rights. Appointment procedures reflect conventions used by organisations including the ILO and the World Bank.
Staff comprise international civil servants recruited from member states including Poland, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Portugal and Spain, with professional categories reflecting expertise in law, human rights, democracy support, and administrative services. Human resources, ethics offices and administrative tribunals operate in a manner comparable to the EPSO and the ICSC. Trade unions, staff committees and professional associations interact with management similarly to practices at the United Nations, European Central Bank, and Council of the European Union. Language services support working languages such as English and French, and liaison with legal translation units and documentation centres mirrors arrangements at the European Court of Human Rights.
Financing comes from statutory contributions by member states like Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and France and is allocated by the Committee of Ministers through budgetary procedures modelled on other international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union. The budget supports treaty secretariats, monitoring mechanisms, conference facilities in Strasbourg, and cooperation projects funded alongside donors including the European Commission, Council of the European Union instruments, and partner states such as Norway and Switzerland. Oversight bodies including external auditors, internal audit units and budgetary control committees operate in ways analogous to the European Court of Auditors and the INTOSAI.
The Secretariat maintains formal channels with all member states, engaging with ministries of foreign affairs in capitals such as Paris, Berlin, London, Rome and Warsaw, and with parliamentary delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly. It cooperates with international courts and tribunals including the European Court of Human Rights, the ICJ and the ICC, and with multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the OSCE and the African Union. The Secretariat manages partnership frameworks and technical cooperation with regional entities like the Baltic Assembly, the Benelux Union, and the Visegrád Group, while engaging civil society networks such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the FIDH.