The Assembly,
Having regard to Article 1 (b), second paragraph, of the Charter of the European Conference of Local Authorities ;
Having regard to Resolutions 50, 51, 52 and 53 of the Conference concerning respectively :
Action taken by the Committee of Ministers and the Consultative Assembly on the Resolutions adopted at the 4th Session relating to points other than the Statute of the Conference,
The Charter of the Conference,
The administrative services of the Conference, and
The Rules of Procedure of the Conference,
Expresses once again its keen appreciation of the work of the Conference, which has become an advisory body whose influence and whose practical contributions to all the activities of the Council of Europe are continually increasing ;
Recalls that, by virtue of the Conference, the Council of Europe is the only European organisation which enables local and regional authorities to share in the construction of Europe and offers member States opportunities for co-operation and harmonisation at regional and local level ;
Regrets, however, that of the fifteen Opinions and Resolutions adopted at the 4th Session of the Conference on points other than its Statute only four have met with the approval of the Committee of Ministers, four have been partially acted on, two have been opposed and five are still under consideration ;
Approves the Conference's earnest recommendation to the Committee of Ministers for recognition of certain "preserves" for local authorities and its intention to prepare, to this effect, a draft Resolution of principles for submission to the Committee of Ministers ;
Reiterates its approval of the idea of extending to the European Communities the principle of consultation of local authorities, as practised by the Council of Europe, and requests the Committee of Ministers to give effect to Recommendation 351 and Resolution 242 of the Assembly which relate to this subject ;
Pays tribute to the important contribution made, in view of present regional planning methods and policies, by the series of Resolutions adopted on this subject at the 5th Session of the Conference ;
Earnestly calls the attention of the Committee of Ministers once again to the need to provide the Conference with adequate material assistance to enable it to exercise in this field as in all those within its province the documentary and informational functions provided for by its Charter ;
Shares the Conference's concern over certain aspects of the policy of the Council for Cultural Co-operation regarding exchanges of persons ;
Stresses on its own account the need for CCC to avoid in this respect a policy of central control which confines exchanges to a few privileged persons, whereas the return on its funds would be vastly increased if it assisted and fostered the day-to-day activities of "intermediate" institutions, including the most representative of them, local authorities ;
Reaffirms its support for the Conference's request to be represented on the advisory and technical committees of CCC, so that CCC may benefit as fully as possible from the administrative and informational resources at the disposal of local authorities ;
Shares the Conference's regret that no action has been taken on Resolution 26 ;
Reaffirms its agreement with the Conference on the attitude to be adopted towards this organisation and welcomes the decision taken meanwhile by the Committee of Ministers to inform Governments of its precise nature ;
Warmly welcomes the recent decision by the Committee of Ministers to institute a Europe Day, recommending 5th May, the anniversary of the foundation of the Council of Europe, for its celebration, and asking Governments to decorate public buildings on that day with the colours of the European Flag, and to celebrate Europe Day and cause it to be celebrated with appropriate functions ;
Records its own deep regret at the decision of the Committee of Ministers not to allow the Conference to be represented in its own right at the Conference on Air Pollution ;
Supports the Conference's request that the Charter should be so amended or interpreted, at the discretion of the Committee of Ministers, as to enable European institutions other than the Council of Europe to have recourse to the Conference in order to consult the representatives of local authorities in their countries at European level ;
Approves the Conference's request to be kept informed by the Committee of Ministers on "the progress of European integration", as otherwise the Conference cannot in turn inform local authorities on this subject, in accordance with the terms of its Charter ;
Agrees on the Conference's need and, in view of the nature of its membership, its inherent right to have direct contacts with local authorities and their associations, failing which it cannot provide local authorities with information, ensure their participation "in the achievement of the aims of the Council of Europe" or "seek their support for the ideal of European unity", as expressly provided by its Charter (Article 1 (a)) ;
A draft for an Assembly Opinion will be presented by the Committee on the Budget;
Reaffirms its view on the Conference's full discretion to draw up its own Rules of Procedure within the purview of its Charter.