The CCBE was created in September 1960 during a congress of the Union internationale des avocats (UIA) where it was suggested to create a body representing the bar associations of the six founding Member States of the EEC (Western Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands).

The project came to life in December 1960 with the creation of “The consultative committee of bars and national associations of the six States of the EEC (gathered by the UIA)”.

This appellation was eventually simplified to "Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe", retaining the abbreviation CCBE.

This directive permitted EU lawyers to establish in another Member State, provided that they are registered with, and are regulated by, the local host bar.

This Charter contains a list of ten principles which have been identified as common to the whole European legal profession and which could be applied by the national bars for their own use and no longer for cross-border cases.

The Charter is to serve as a pan-European document, helping, bars that are struggling to establish their independence in Europe's emerging democracies.

Though this award, the CCBE aims to contribute to a major awareness campaign of the role of lawyers as players in the Rule of Law.

The CCBE is also the body of authority supervising the Code of Conduct[2] document for all who are practicing law, i.e., the barristers, solicitors and lawyers, first and foremost.