Each of Europe's 800 million citizens spends less than 28 cents per year on the following Council of Europe organisations and services:
European Court of Human Rights
European Committee of Social Rights
European Commission Against Racism And Intolerance
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Health Care (EDQM)
European Audiovisual Observatory
Development Bank (CEB)
Group of States against Corruption (Greco)
Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures (Moneyval)
Venice Commission
Eurimages
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
That's money spent on the sometimes tricky task of binding countries together whilst protecting your rights and freedoms as a citizen.
Add a host of other standard setting and monitoring groups working behind the scenes to ensure 47 governments respect their commitments to human rights, democracy and the rule of law and you get some idea of the range of the Council of Europe's activities.
The organisation is now the oldest and largest assembly of nations in Europe.
Its work is detailed, thorough and unglamourous and it has been crucial in helping Europe to develop into a largely peaceful, secure and prosperous region these past 60 years.
Yes, if the Council of Europe did not exist, it would have to be invented.
