Brussels, 24/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Council of Europe intends to cooperate more closely with the European Union in order to promote human rights, said the Council of Europe's newly appointed Special Representative to the EU Torbjorn Froysnes on Thursday 20 November. “Following the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the EU in 2007, we will try to develop and strengthen our cooperation in order to promote human rights, democratic stability and the rule of law throughout the European continent,” he said at a press conference. The ambassador acknowledged that the two were different but sufficiently “complementary” organisations to address common challenges such as combating discrimination, torture and ill-treatment, human trafficking and social cohesion. The Council of Europe came into being on 5 May 1949 with the aim of making Europe a common democratic and legal space, organised around the European Convention on Human Rights and other reference text on protection of the individual. It is a pan-European organisation, with currently 47 member countries. On 27 November, Spain will take over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from Sweden. In June 2009, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will elect its new Secretary General to replace Terry Davis. The only official candidate is the Speaker of the Parliament of Norway, Labour MP Thorbjörn Jagland. However, the current President of the Committee of the Regions, Belgian Luc Van den Brande (DD&V), could become one of the favourites. (B.C./transl.rt)