Polish membership with Council of Europe

The development of the activity of the Council of Europe was the resultant effect of the European and worldwide social, economic, and political situation. In the early years of the Organisation, it was emphasised that the aim and the goal of the Council of Europe is the creation of a European political authority with limited functions but real powers. The Statute of the Council of Europe is very general about the goals of the Organisation and provides that its aim is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress.

The work of the Council of Europe concentrates on questions of common concern, common actions in economic, social, cultural, scientific, legal and administrative matters and protection of human rights. National defence is the only area excluded from its competence.

Looking back at the activity of the Council of Europe, it is evident that it was greatly stepped up after 1989, obviously not only due to the opening of the Council of Europe to new member states, but also due to new challenges of modern civilisation. The mass media, migration, drug abuse, organised crime, cyber-crime, terrorism, etc., have all contributed to the launch of new areas of activity.

Based on its statutory goals and the abovementioned areas of activity, during over 50 years of its existence, the Council of Europe has adopted important decisions, including those on the issue of membership. A turning point in the work of the Organisation came with the offset of the democratic transition process in Central and Eastern European countries. In 1989, a debate in the Parliamentary Assembly gave birth to Resolution 917/1989 on special guest status with the Parliamentary Assembly. Under the Resolution, the status could be awarded to national legislative assemblies of European non-member states. The primary condition for the status to be awarded consisted in the adoption and implementation of the Helsinki Final Act (21 August 1975), the measures approved by the CSCE, and two UN Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, both dated 16 December 1966.

Resolution 920/89 defined the principles of using special guest status and introduced the procedure for national parliaments wishing to apply for it.

Poland was granted special guest status on 8 June 1989. T he Presidium of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe allocated 6 seats to the Sejm and the Senate of the Republic of Poland. In January 1990, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs submitted to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe an application for Polands membership of the Council of Europe. In September 1990, a Report on Polands application for membership of the Council of Europe was issued with the conclusion that Poland should be offered full membership. An opinion of the Parliamentary Assembly drawn up on the request of the Committee of Ministers recommended that Poland should be invited to become a member following free parliamentary elections and the fulfilment of all statutory conditions. It must be emphasised that the involvement of Poland in the work of the Council of Europe was not limited to its participation in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly: as of October 1990, Poland also took part in meetings of the Committee of Ministers, however without the right to vote.

On 26 November 1991, Poland became a 26th member state of the Organisation.