[6] Under its first president, Jean Charles Salmon, the organisation identified its three main functions as monitoring, advocacy and recommendation; more specifically: Autism-Europe was founded in the context of a changing public understanding of all disabilities.

This understanding is based on the idea that social barriers must be removed to enable people with disabilities to participate fully in society, becoming active members who can represent themselves and exercise their rights.

[11] In 2004, the Council of Europe publicly announced its condemnation of France for having failed its educational obligations to persons with autism under the revised European Social Charter.

[16] This resulted in the Council of Europe's "Resolution ResAP (2007)4 on the education and social inclusion of children and young people with autism", which was adopted as a recommendation in 2009 (CM/ Rec(2009)9).

[17] While this recommendation is not binding for the members of the Council of Europe, it applies pressure to implement policies promoting access to education and the inclusion of people with autism.

[3] It works at raising public awareness and influencing European decision-makers on issues relating to the rights of people with autism and other disabilities.

[19] Autism-Europe's main activities revolve around its advocacy work at the EU and national level, awareness-raising campaigns, and dissemination of information.