Reply to the Fifth General Report of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- (see Doc. 726, Report of the Economic Committee). This Resolution was adopted by the Assembly at its 24th Sitting, on 25th October 1957
1. The Consultative Assembly thanks the High Authority for the transmission of its Fifth General Report on the activities of the European Coal and Steel Community, this being the last report to be submitted before the end of the transitional period.
2. The Assembly wishes to place on record its appreciation of the considerable achievement of the Community in realising since 1952 a large measure of integration of the coal and steel industries of the six member countries. But it notes also that the process of integration has stopped short at a certain point owing to the fact that the ECSC Treaty is confined to only two industries.
3. The Assembly is pleased to note the continued expansion of steel production in the Community but at the same time is concerned to find that the rate of increase of coal production, already considered inadequate, has declined further. It must rank among the immediate tasks of the High Authority to encourage measures to speed up the production of coal, which, despite the spectacular development of other energy sources, is destined to play an important part in satisfying the greatly increased energy needs of the future.
4. The Assembly welcomes the continued efforts of the High Authority in the field of cartels and expresses the hope that it will also succeed in bringing about speedy agreement as regards the French coal import organisation (A.T.I.C.).
5. The Assembly is gratified to learn of the conclusion of an agreement with Switzerland for the introduction of international railway through-rates for coal and steel transported between member countries of the Community across Swiss territory.
6. The Assembly notes with satisfaction the continued development of relations between the Community and outside countries and, in particular, welcomes the consultation agreement concluded between the High Authority and Switzerland as well as the tariff agreement with Austria, concluded under the auspices of G.A.T.T.
7. The Assembly notes with satisfaction the continued development of the High Authority's activities in the social field, particularly the entry into force of the 1954 Agreement securing free movement within the Community for skilled coal and steel workers and the initiation of a second programme for the financing of the construction of workers'houses. It calls upon the High Authority to act vigorously for the speedy realisation of a multilateral social security convention and for the prompt and effective improvement of safety measures in coal mines. It also calls attention to the desirability of Local Authorities being enabled to appeal to the High Authority for help in the matter of housing construction for workers in the coal and steel industries, especially where the need arises in connection with the re-employment of workers. The re-employment and re-adaptation of coal and steel workers should be recognised as one of the fundamental problems to be solved in the development of the Common Market.
8. The Assembly notes that export prices of the most important Community goods are today higher than prices within the Community and urges the High Authority to follow closely developments in this field lest the gap between internal and external prices of coal and steel continue to widen.
9. The Assembly urges the High Authority to take all possible steps to ensure that the continued work of the E.C.S.C. is made to fit in as harmoniously as possible with the operation of the new European economic institutions and in particular stresses the importance of suitable arrangements for the inclusion of coal and steel in the proposed European Free Trade Area.
