Setting up of a European Office for International Town Pairing and Exchanges

Recommendation 404 (1964)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 7th November 1964 (15th Sitting) (see Doc. 1813, report of the Committee on Local Authorities). Text adopted by the Assembly on 7th November 1964 (15th Sitting).

The Assembly,

Recalling the considerable efforts being made by European municipalities to promote the unification of Europe;

Recalling the wide interest aroused in municipalities by the Plan to promote European inter-municipal exchanges, put forward in Resolution 211 (1961);

Considering that international town pairing and exchanges are of great importance for the better understanding and the promotion of closer relations among the peoples of Europe, and that this movement is constantly gaining in strength;

Considering the remarkable success of the efforts made by France and the Federal Republic of Germany within the framework of their cultural agreement with a view to contributing to European understanding by means of large-scale exchanges of young people;

Desirous of taking action on the Resolutions passed by the International Pairings and Exchanges Congress at Strasbourg on 10th and 11th April 1964, and on resolutions and requests from many other agencies and associations urging that there be set up at European level an institution similar to that established under the above-mentioned bilateral agreement;

Desirous of entrusting to the said institution the task of stimulating, developing and co-ordinating international town pairing and exchanges between all Council of Europe countries, of acting as an information and advisory centre and, to this end, bringing out the necessary publications,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

1 set up, within the framework of the Council of Europe, a European Office for International Town Pairing and Exchanges and, with a view to promoting the activities mentioned above, grant it an annual appropriation similar to that allocated for Franco-German town pairings in the budget of the Franco-German Youth Office;

2 take immediate steps, in the meantime, to ensure the continuity of the European Intermunicipal Exchanges Development Plan and so extend its scope as to place European exchanges on a level with Franco-German exchanges.