Problem of refugees and over-population

Recommendation 13 (1951)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

This Recommendation was adopted by the Assembly at its Thirty-fourth Sitting, 7th December, 1951 (See Doc. 72, Report of the Special Committee on Refugees).

The Assembly,

Having taken due note of the Report by the Committee of Experts on the problem of refugees and over-population, and expressing its complete agreement with the spirit and conclusions of that Report,

Considering furthermore that it is essential to coordinate and strengthen European action for the solution of the problem of refugees and over-population,

1. Recommends to the Committee of Ministers the establishment of a Special Liaison Committee whose members shall be appointed by the Joint Committee of the Council of Europe and shall consist of three members from the Committee of Ministers and three from the Committee on Population and Refugees, the latter to be selected from a list of six of its members to be submitted by that Committee.

a This Special Liaison Committee having regard to the work of the Committee on Population and Refugees, shall be responsible for :

i defining, in regard to refugees and over-population, the objectives of a common European policy, and for co-ordinating the work of the Council of Europe in this field,

ii laying down the general principles of a policy for the resettlement of refugees and unemployed persons,

iii promoting on an international scale, by means of joint action to be taken by the countries of emigration, and of immigration, the application of measures calculated to provide a practical solution to the problem of refugees and over-population, and

iv enlightening public opinion and collecting the information necessary to enable the Parliaments and Governments of Member States to take the specific measures which may be required.

b To this end, the Special Liaison Committee :

i shall study practical measures, based on the general principles referred to in sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (a) above, for resettlement and re-establishment both in Europe and overseas countries, at the same time endeavouring to ensure a suitable geographical distribution in such a way as to relieve the population pressure which at present exists on the frontiers of certain Member States of the Council of Europe,

ii shall make suggestions for the financing of any such measures,

iii shall propose suitable means for safeguarding the cultural interests, and facilitating the vocational training of young refugees,

iv shall establish permanent liaison with the qualified representatives of Governments of Member States of the Council of Europe, with O.E.E.C., the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and inter-governmental organisations dealing with the problems of refugees, overpopulation and emigration, in order to foster their activities and avoid any duplication of effort ;

v shall establish relations with the representative refugee associations and with the religious and lay welfare organisations, both national and international ;

vi shall endeavour, in connection with the legal protection of refugees, to induce Member States of the Council of Europe to grant to refugees at least the legal status for which provision is made in the Convention on the Status of Refugees signed at Geneva on 28th July, 1951, and, furthermore, to facilitate as far as possible the free movement of refugees.