First attempts to join
Prince Rainier III’s first Minister of State, Jacques Rueff (1896–1978), spared no effort in his attempts, in 1949–1950, to make Monaco a member of the Council of Europe.
Presentation of arms and review of the troops on the Place du Palais de Monaco by Jacques Rueff, accompanied by Colonel Séverac, Supreme Commander of the Military Force, in the presence of Prince Rainier III on 11 April 1950, Cl. Fausto Picedi, A.P.M.
Starting in July 1949, shortly after the organisation was founded by the Treaty of London on 5 May, Jacques Rueff approached Robert Schuman (1886–1963), the French Foreign Minister, to secure his support. Schuman confirmed his support for Monaco’s efforts, but nonetheless warned on 4 August that: "Any application for admission will require careful preparation [...] Please trust me, I will do my best". The official application to join the Council of Europe was submitted by the Minister of State of Monaco on 5 August, but to no avail.
"Memorandum on the accession of the Principality of Monaco to the Council of Europe", 25 July 1949. Palace of Monaco Archives (A.P.M.)
Nevertheless, attempts to cooperate were made over the following years. The Principality, which was particularly keen to be involved in the studies being carried out on industrial property in Strasbourg, was granted observer status on the Committee of Experts, and a Monegasque delegation was formed.
In 1970, discussions were held on potential cooperation between Monaco and the organisation on a number of technical issues (pollution, economic, social, legal and cultural issues), but nothing came of them. The Principality nonetheless joined the partial EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement in 1990, and ratified two agreements in the fields of culture and the environment in 1994.
Extract from the white paper, Myths and Realities, arguing in favour of Monaco’s accession to the Council of Europe and including a message from Prince Rainier III, dated 4 January 1999, 21 p. A.P.M.