The Final Recommendations of the Helsinki Consultations, adopted during the diplomatic negotiations held in the Finnish capital from 22 November 1972 to 8 June 1973, define the rules of procedure of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).

The Charter of Paris for a New Europe, signed in Paris on 21 November 1990, gives the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) a permanent institutional structure.

At the second meeting of the CSCE Council, held in Prague on 30 and 31 January 1992, the Foreign Ministers of the participating States adopt the Prague Document on Further Development of CSCE Institutions and Structures.

Table showing the evolution of the institutional structures of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), and later of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), from their establishment by the Charter of Paris for a New Europe in 1990 and the subsequent institutional changes effected notably by decisions of the Review conferences and the Ministerial Council until 1999.

Diagram showing the structures and institutions of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

On 2 January 2006, at the beginning of the Belgian Presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Belgian daily newspaper La Libre Belgique publishes an interview with Pierre Chevalier, representative of Karel De Gucht, Belgian Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the OSCE in 2006, during the year of the Presidency.

List of Chairpersons-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) since 1991.

The OSCE Ministerial Troika in 2002, representing (from left to right) Romania, Portugal and the Netherlands (the previous, current and incoming Chairmen-in-Office).

General Carlo Jean (centre), a Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, meets with representatives of the Parties during the Third Review Conference on the Implementation of Article II of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton Peace Agreement of 14 December 1995), held in Vienna from 19 to 21 February 2001.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (Netherlands), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2003.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2003, with Ambassador Justus de Visser, Permanent Council Chairman.

Solomon Passy (Bulgaria), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2004.

Dimitrij Rupel (Slovenia), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2005.

Karel De Gucht (Belgium), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2006.

Miguel Angel Moratinos (Spain), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2007.

Ilkka Kanerva (Finland), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2008.

Dora Bakoyannis (Greece), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2009.

George Papandreou (Greece), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2009.

Kanat Saudabayev (Kazakhstan), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2010.

Audronius Ažubalis (Lithuania), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2011.

Eamon Gilmore (Ireland), OSCE Chairman-in-Office in 2012.

At its fourth meeting, held in Rome from 30 November to 1 December 1993, the Council of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) establishes the CSCE Permanent Committee in Vienna.

At the Budapest Summit of 5 and 6 December 1994, the participating States of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) decide to change the name of the CSCE Council to the Ministerial Council, that of the Committee of Senior Officials to the Senior Council and that of the Permanent Committee to the Permanent Council.

Group photo of the OSCE Foreign Ministers during their annual meeting held on 7 December 2002 in Porto.

The Permanent Council is the OSCE’s main standing body for political consultation and decision-making. Its members, the permanent representatives of the participating States, meet weekly in the Hofburg Congress Centre in Vienna.

The OSCE Permanent Council holds a weekly meeting in Vienna. This photo was taken at a meeting of the Permanent Council held in March 2001.

The OSCE Permanent Council holds a weekly meeting in Vienna. This photo was taken at a meeting of the Permanent Council held in March 2001.

At its meeting in Prague of 30 and 31 January 1992, the Council of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) establishes the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The participating States of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), meeting in Helsinki on 9 and 10 July 1992, decide to broaden the role of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in order to make it the main institution of the Human Dimension.

In early 2003, the Austrian Ambassador to Luxembourg, Christian Strohal (on the right), succeeds Ambassador Gerard Stoudmann as Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Janez Lenarčič (Slovenia), Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights since July 2008.

Darstellung des Büros für Demokratische Institutionen und Menschenrechte der OSZE in Warschau, insbesondere seiner Rolle in den Bereichen der Demokratisierung, der Wahrung der Menschenrechte, der Rechtsstaatsgarantie und die Förderung der Toleranz.

The participating States of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), meeting in Helsinki on 9 and 10 July 1992, establish the post of High Commissioner on National Minorities.

Max van der Stoel, first OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities who served from 15 December 1992 to 30 June 2001.

On 22 June 2001, Max van der Stoel, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities since the post was first established in December 1992, gives a farewell address to the Permanent Council after eight years in office.

Address given by Daan Everts, Personal Representative of the President-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the post of OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.

Rolf Ekéus, Swedish diplomat, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities from 1 July 2001 to 3 July 2007.

Knut Vollebaek, the Norwegian High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE since 4 July 2007.

Darstellung der Aufgaben des Hohen Kommissars für nationale Minderheiten der OSZE bei der Verhütung und Lösung von ethnischen Konflikten: Problemerkennung, Frühwarnsystem und Lösungsvorschläge zur Erhaltung von Frieden und Stabilität in einem demokratischen Staat, der die Wahrung der Menschenrechte garantiert.

On 5 November 1997, the participating States of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) establish the post of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

On 18 December 1997, Freimut Duve delivers an address to the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) before taking up the post of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media on 1 January 1998.

Freimut Duve (Germany), has been the first OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media from 1 January 1998 to December 2003.

In an article published in 1998 in the quarterly publication Helsinki Monitor, the diplomat Anne Ruth Herkes describes the origins, the aims and the scope of the mandate for the post of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, as defined in 1997.

Miklos Haraszti (Hungary), OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media from March 2004 to March 2010.

Dunja Mijatovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media since 11 March 2010.

Darstellung der Aufgaben des Beauftragten für Medienfreiheit: Aufdeckung von Verstößen gegen die Pressefreiheit, Warnung der verantwortlichen Regierung, Entsenden von Beobachtern vor Ort und Vorlage der Kritik vor dem Ständigen Rat.

The delegations from the parliaments of the participating States of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), meeting in Madrid on 2 and 3 April 1991, adopt the text of the Final Resolution concerning the establishment of the CSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

At its Prague Meeting on 30 and 31 January 1992, the Council of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) decides to strengthen the role of the Parliamentary Assembly by encouraging a genuine dialogue between the two institutions.

The inaugural session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) is held in Budapest on 5 July 1992.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meets twice a year in plenary. The ‘Winter Meeting’ is held at the Hofburg in Vienna, usually in February. The venue for the July ‘Annual Session’ varies. This photo was taken at the 10th Annual Session held in Paris in July 2001.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meets twice a year. The ‘Winter Meeting’ takes place in the Hofburg Congress Centre, Vienna, usually in February. The location of the July ‘Annual Session’ changes from year to year. This photo was taken during the 11th Annual Session, held in Berlin in July 2002.

Presidents of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly since 1992.

Ilkka Suominen (Finland), first President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 1992 to 1994.

Frank Swaelen (Belgium), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 1994 to 1996.

Javier Rupérez (Spain), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 1996 to 1998.

Helle Degn (Denmark), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 1998 to 2000.

Adrian Severin (Romania), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2000 to 2002.

Bruce George (United Kingdom), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2002 to 2004.

Alcee L. Hastings (United States), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2004 to 2006.

Göran Lennmarker (Sweden), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2006 to 2008.

João Soares (Portugal), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2008 to 2010.

Petros Efthymiou (Greece), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2010 to 2012.

Riccardo Migliori (Italy), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly since June 2012.

List showing signatures and ratifications or accessions with respect to the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE as at 26 June 2003.

Rules of the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE, dated 1 February 1997, adopted by the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration and approved by the States Parties to the Stockholm Convention of 15 December 1992.

List of Members and Alternate Members of the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE as at 22 August 2005.

At its third meeting, held in Stockholm on 14 and 15 December 1992, the Council of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) decides to establish the post of Secretary General.

Wilhelm Höynck (Germany), first Secretary General of the OSCE from 15 June 1993 to 15 June 1996.

Giancarlo Aragona (Italy), Secretary General of the OSCE from 15 June 1996 to 15 June 1999.

Ján Kubiš (Slovakia), Secretary General of the OSCE from 15 June 1999 to 20 June 2005.

Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (France), OSCE Secretary General from June 2005 to June 2011.

Lamberto Zannier (Italy), OSCE Secretary General since 1 July 2011.

The OSCE Secretariat, based in Vienna, provides the Organisation with administrative and operational support.

On 5 November 1997, the participating States of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) establish the post of Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities within the OSCE Secretariat.

Marcin Swiecicki (Poland), Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities from February 2002 to June 2005.

Bernard Snoy (Belgium), Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities from 2005 to 2008.

Goran Svilanovic (Serbia), Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities since 2008.