Concerning the most appropriate means of drafting the Statute of the European Political Community

Resolution 14 (1952)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

This Resolution was adopted by the Assembly during its Ninth Session, 30th May, 1952 (See Docs. 6 and 27, Reports of the Committee on General Affairs).

The Assembly,

Considering that several Governments and Parliaments have held it essential that the setting up of the European Defence Community should be accompanied by the constitution of a supranational Political Authority ;

Considering that it would be of great advantage if the basic principles of this Authority and the limits of its powers were to be defined within the next few months, without waiting for the entry into force of the Treaty instituting the European Defence Community ;

Reaffirming its belief that each step towards the unity of Europe should be taken together by as many European nations as possible ;

Considering therefore that it is necessary, hi the spirit of the proposals made by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, that the States which are unable to be full participants in the institutions of the said Authority should have the opportunity of associating themselves closely with those institutions at all stages of their development, and the possibility at some later date of adhering thereto ;

Considering that, by virtue of Article 33 of the Treaty setting up the European Defence Community, the Assembly of the European Defence Community is identical with that of the Coal and Steel Community :

1. Considere that the clauses in the Treaty of the European Defence Community which relate to the determination of the future political structure of Europe should be incorporated in a Special Agreement, distinct from the Treaty itself, and capable of being put into effect immediately ;

2. Requests the Governments of the States participating in the European Defence Community to give immediate effect to the above proposals by the adoption of whichever of the procedures suggested below is the more rapid ;

Suggests that, under the provisions of the Special Agreement mentioned in para. 1 above, the Governments concerned might charge :

1 either the Assembly for which provision is made in the Treaty setting up the European Coal and Steel Community, as soon as this Assembly has been established,

2 or the Assembly of the Council of Europe, sitting with a restricted membership corresponding to the number and allocation of the seats in the Assembly of the European Defence Community,

to draft the Statute of a supranational Political Community, which would remain open to all Member States of the Council of Europe, and which would, moreover, include provisions for the association in the Political Community of those States which do not become full members of that Community.

Instructs the Standing Committee, should the Six Governments agree to the second of these two alternatives, to set up the restricted Assembly envisaged above.

3. Requests that, in order to ensure that these tasks are carried out within the framework of the Council of Europe :

a such Member States of the Council of Europe as are not members of the European Defence Community, and shall express their readiness to enter into a Political Community of this nature, participate as of right in the accomplishment of these tasks ;

b the representatives of those States which desire to be associated with the Political Community be invited to follow the process of drafting, as observers.

4. Requests that the Statute of the Political Community thus formulated be transmitted to the Governments and Parliaments of the participating States, and to the other Member States of the Council of Europe referred to in paragraph 3 (b) above.

5. Requests that the Council of Europe bring to a rapid conclusion its study of the United Kingdom proposals for establishing organic links between the Communities and the Council of Europe.