Relations between the Council of Europe and O.E.E.C.

Opinion 26 (1957)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

This Opinion was adopted by the Assembly at its 24th Sitting, on 25th October 1957 (see Doc.703, Report of the Political Committee).

The Assembly,

Considering that the Governments and peoples of the six Power Communities are determined to form a powerful and closely integrated economic unit;

Considering that, in order to maintain the wider European Community, the Governments of the Six and the Nine must now demonstrate their will to work together for ever closer unity;

Considering that co operation between the Fifteen or Seventeen will receive a new impetus if the O.E. E.C. and the Council of Europe are combined into one, more powerful and more effective, organisation;

Considering that the amalgamation of the Council of Europe and the O.E.E.C. ought not to await theoutcome of the negotiations on the Free Trade Area, as it is justified tn its own right;

Considering that the recent discussions in the O.E.E.C. Council of Europe Liaison Committees did not deal with the more important proposals contained in the report of the Acting Secretary General, which reflected the spirit of the decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers in Resolutions (56) 24and (57) 10 [(1) Resolution (56) 24 : 'The Committee of Ministers... instructs the Secretary General to approach the Secretary General of O.E.E.C. with a view to preparing... a report on the respective competence of the organisations mentioned, on their present working relations and on the measures which might be taken to introduce more effective collaboration between them.' Resolution (57) 10 : 'The Committee of Ministers... decides to transmit the Report [of the Acting Secretary General] to the Council of O.E.E.C. with a view to undertaking, in discussion with the Council, a thorough review of the activities and structure of both organisations in order by joint effortto bring more strength to European co operation...'.] ;

Having been consulted by the Committee of Ministers on the Report of the Acting Secretary General (Doc. 682),

Recommends to the Committee of Ministers:

1 that they should do everything in their power to secure the amalgamation of the O.E.E.C. and the Council of Europe at an early date, the Consultative Assembly becoming also the Assembly of O.E.E.C.;

2 that this question should be treated as a major political issue to be considered at Government level;

3 that, in the meantime, an approach should be made to the Portuguese and Swiss Governments with a view to discovering to what extent arrangements would have to be made to safeguard the special position of these countries;

4 that the Assembly should be kept informed regularly of the progress of negotiations.