Structure of the Council of Europe
The major bodies of the Council of Europe are the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.
The Commissioner for Human Rights also plays a major role in protecting human rights in Council of Europe member states.
Committee of Ministers
The Committee of Ministers is the Council of Europe's decision-making body. It is made up of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of all the Member States, or their permanent diplomatic representatives in Strasbourg.
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights hears applications from both individuals and member states on alleged breaches of the Convention. Since 1998 it has sat as a full-time court and individuals can apply to it directly.
Parliamentary Assembly
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is made up of 318 national parliamentarians from all 47 member states. It meets four times per year in Strasbourg, where its members examine and debate issues of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is a pan-European political assembly, the 636 members of which hold elective office (they may be regional or municipal councillors, mayors or presidents of regional authorities) representing over 200,000 authorities in 47 European states.