Sverige & Europarådet / Sweden & Council of Europe

Cooperation and Monitoring

As a result of this development, the CoE’s cooperation programmes and its role as a human rights watchdog gained increased importance. These programs aim particularly at the new member states in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and the South of Caucasia. Their overall goal is to help the new members to build a working rule of law and to support democratic development.

The Committee of Ministers even introduced a new monitoring procedure. It includes all member states, even the founding nations like Sweden, and countries which have been members for several years. Thus, a forum for a constructive and non-discriminating way of discussing existing problems has been established.

Through a special working group the Committee also monitors the democratic development in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Likewise, the Parliamentary Assembly have established a special working group with a task is to monitor that all members respect the obligations and commitments they entered into when they joined the Council of Europe.