The Assembly,
Having been requested by the Committee of Ministers to give an opinion on the best means of implementing the proposals of the United Kingdom concerning the role of the Council of Europe ;
Expressing its satisfaction that the Committee of Ministers is now proceeding to examine this important question in collaboration with the Assembly, thereby enabling the latter to fulfil the consultative role conferred upon it by the Statute ;
Recalling its Recommendations[Note] concerning the links to be established between the Specialized Authorities and the Council of Europe ;
Noting the decisions of a statutory nature on the Specialized Authorities adopted by the Committee of Ministers at its Eighth Session ;
Adopts the following Resolution :
1. The Assembly approves the general principle underlying the proposals of the United Kingdom to the effect that organic links be established between the Communities and the Council of Europe.
The Assembly considers that the implementation of the United Kingdom proposals will lessen the risks of a further division of Europe. It emphasises the great symbolic value and practical significance of this development.
2. The Assembly suggests that the United Kingdom proposals be implemented on the basis of the following principles :
The action taken should not hamper in any way the normal functioning or development of the Communities, nor the subsequent establishment of other Communities, in particular a Political Community.
Member States should undertake to link the Communities in which they participate with the Council of Europe, on the understanding that the ways and means of the liaison to be established shall in each case be the subject of a special agreement.
The organic links which may be established between a Community and the Council of Europe should be of such a nature as to enable Member States not participating in the Community to be associated with certain measures which might be contemplated by the latter.
Such liaison with the Cotmcil of Europe should not preclude certain Members more directly concerned with the activities of a particular Community from concluding special agreements with the latter in order to achieve a closer degree of liaison.
The forms of association within the Council of Europe should be adjusted so as to enable Member States unwilling to enter into liaison with certain Communities - such as the European Defence Community - to continue to co-operate within the Council for the achievement of the aims laid down in Article 1 of the Statute, without being in any way bound by the agreements concluded between the Council and such Communities.
It would appear advisable to take suitable steps to standardise the regulations affecting the staff of these Communities and of other European Organisations, in order to prevent the danger of the administration of the said Communities and Organisations being carried on in separate compartments. Steps should be taken to draw up the constitution and rules of a real "European Civil Service".
3. If the Council of Europe is to be in a position to fulfil the new tasks which would devolve on it as a result of the implementation of the United Kingdom proposals, it would be highly desirable to achieve a suitable measure of integration of the Council of Europe and the O.E.E.C. The Assembly urges that negotiations to this end be undertaken at the same time as the study of the United Kingdom proposals.
4. The concentration of the institutions of the European Communities and of the Council of Europe at a single Seat would appear to be a step to which consideration must be given in the interest as much of the Communities themselves as of Europe as a whole. The Assembly urges the States participating in the Coal and Steel and in the European Defence Communities to bear in mind the overriding interests of Europe as a whole when deciding upon the headquarters of the institutions of these Communities.
5. The Assembly requests the Committee on General Affairs, bearing in mind the principles of this Resolution and in collaboration with any other competent European body, to give detailed study to the "Questionnaire" drawn up by the Ministers Deputies in order, with the approval of the President of the Assembly, to inform the Deputies of its conclusions, and to establish such form of future cooperation with them as may be considered suitable.