European Economic Association
Recommendation 202
(1959)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- This Recommendation was adopted by the Assembly at its 11th Sitting, on 27th April 1959 (see Doc. 983, Report of the Economic Committee, and Doc. 995, Report of the Political Committee).
1. The Assembly,
2. Deeply regretting the difficulties that have arisen in the negotiations for the establishment of a European Economic Association
3. Reaffirming its belief that it is necessary and desirable to establish economic relations between the European Economic Community and the other member countries of the O.E.E.C. on a multilateral basis, by means of a European Economic Association;
4. Believing that the reasons for the breakdown of the Free Trade Area negotiations must be fully understood and that a satisfactory arrangement must at once respect the integrity of the European Economic Community, consolidate the economic co-operation developed in the O.E.E.C, and accord with the spirit of G.A.T.T.;
5. Believing also that, provided the countries concerned develop the necessary political determination, a solution can be reached by adopting a sufficiently flexible approach;
6. Recalling that by Order 137 of 21st January 1959 it pronounced itself in favour of "new initiatives leading to the creation of a European Economic Association between the European Economic Community, on the one hand - whose right to define its destiny must be respected - and, on the other hand, the other member countries of the O.E.E.C., whose interests must be taken into consideration and who must be linked with the Community by practical forms of solidarity";
7. Accepting the duty which it has laid upon itself of helping European public opinion better to understand these problems, which are so decisive for the future structure of free Europe;
8. Drawing attention to the account of the problem given in the explanatory memoranda attached to the reports of the Political and Economic Committees (
Docs. 995 and
983);
9. Awaiting with interest the report on the possibilities of association between the Common Market countries and the OEEC countries which is to be submitted by the Special Committee set up on 16th March 1959 by the Council of the European Economic Community, and expressing the hope that this report can be presented within two months,
10. Recommends Member Governments:
10.1 to lose no time in opening new negotiations at a political level which will permit final decisions to be made rapidly, taking as far as possible as a basis the report of the Special Committee;
10.2 to sign a Declaration of Intent, not later than the end of 1959, indicating the broad principles of an Association Agreement and defining the extent of differential trade treatment which would continue during a transitional period, such a Declaration to be submitted to national parliaments;
10.3 to continue, within the framework of O.E.E.C, to seek all possible methods of bringing about a further reduction of the obstacles to trade in Europe, in particular by means of;
agricultural co-operation,
assistance to countries situated on the fringe of Europe,
an increased effort to liberalise trade,
an improvement in the functioning of O.E.E.C.;
10.4 to inform the Assembly in detail, in good time before its next part-Session, of the Governments' views on the possibilities of reaching agreement in this way.
