Formed on 5 May 1949, the European Council currently has 47 members and is headquartered in Strasbourg.
This regional international organization is a proponent of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Hungary joined as the 24th member on 6 November 1990, and was the fi rst country from the Eastern bloc to become a member. In 2021, Hungary will hold the Presidency of the European Council for the second time. The Committee of Ministers is the organization’s forum for intergovernmental cooperation, and Hungary will head this Committee from May to November 2021.