Council of Europe Archives Council of Europe Archives The Council of Europe Archives are located at the headquarters of the Organisation at the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg, France. They were set up in 1949 soon after the Organisation was created. Open to the public, they constitute a unique research source for the early history of European integration. Files are declassified under the Council of Europe's one-year, 10-year and 30-year rules, which are explained on the Archives website. In 1960 the Archives of the Treaty of Brussels Organisation, for social and cultural activities, were transferred to the Council of Europe Archives, when the Council
Congress of the Council of Europe is the effective monitoring of the situation of local and regional democracy in member states by assessing the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Through this process of monitoring, the Congress contributes, at territorial level, to the main objectives of the Council of Europe, which are to advance democracy and human rights on the continent. Monitoring is also part of an ongoing political dialogue with the different levels of governance in the State concerned. The Congress undertakes: • regular general country-by-country monitoring missions; • the examination of a particular aspect of the Charter; • fact-finding missions to look