The Permanent Representation follows the work of the Council of Europe and promotes Danish positions in the Committee of Ministers and its subordinate bodies. In this way, we serve as a link between the Council of Europe and its 46 member states on the one hand, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Danish ministries and agencies involved in Council of Europe cooperation on the other.
Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe is the oldest of the European organisations established in the aftermath of the Second World War. Denmark was among its ten founding members.
Over the years, Denmark has actively contributed to the Council of Europe’s standard-setting work, particularly in areas such as the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. These are values on which Danish society is also founded.
Following the end of the Cold War, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe sought membership of the Council of Europe, which doubled its membership within a few years. Their participation in the Organisation’s work, particularly in the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly, helped support and stabilise their new democratic structures. For many of these countries, Council of Europe membership also served as an important step towards membership of the European Union.
The Council of Europe is a large and wide-ranging organisation. We hope that this website, together with the many links provided, will offer useful information about the Council of Europe and Denmark’s participation in its work. The Permanent Representation is, of course, available to answer any questions.
