The Council of Europe has played a pioneering role in a number of fields, some better known to the public than others. One such area is medicines and healthcare, with the creation of the European Pharmacopoeia 55 years ago. Today, the Pharmacopoeia is certainly a success story for the Council of Europe, but it is also a shining example of fruitful and mutually beneficial co-operation with the European Union. Fernand Sauer, a former senior official of the European Commission, tells us his story in “Memoirs of a European pharmacist”.

This text is the 45th in the project “Stories in History”, which showcases, through a range of personal stories by current and retired staff, or eminent figures having worked with the Council of Europe, the role played by the Organisation – for almost 70 years – in shaping the history of our continent.