On 11th May, 1953, M. von Brentano and a number of Iiis colleagues proposed that the question of the creation of a Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions should be placed on the Agenda of the Assembly and referred to the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges. This action was taken by the Assembly on 13th May, 1953 (see Fifth Session, Doc. 149, and Tenth Sitting).
The Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges was unable to consider this question during the third part of the Fifth Ordinary Session in. September, 1953 owing to the number of other questions with which it had to deal. The Committee accordingly deferred consideration of this' matter until- the Sixtll Ordinary Session. In November, 1953 ,. the question, of the budgetary powers' of....the Assembly was raised at meetings of the Bureau. After ' some preliminary discussion, the Bureau submitted this question to the Standing Committee which decided, at its meeting of 8th February, 1954, to refer the whole matter to the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges with a request that it should report oň the subject during the May session of the Assembly.
Before submitting this matter to the Standing Committee, the Bureau had formally proposed to the Committee of Ministers, inter alia, that those parts of the draft budget which related to the work of the Assembly, should be submitted to the Assembly for an opinion. In response to this request, the Committee of Ministers agreed to a resolution that :
" when drawing up the draft Budget for the Council of Europe, the Secretary-General shall consult the Assembly on that part of the draft Budget which comprises the relevant operational appropriations '' (Resolution (53) 38, Doc. 220).
The preliminary draft Budget for 1955 was duly transmitted to the Assembly by the SecretaryrGeneral on 17th May, 1954. Thus, this important document became available only a few days before the opening of the Sixth Ordinary Session and the appointment of Your Committee.
In the short time at their disposal, Your Committee have given careful thought to those;matters referred to them. As a result of this study, Your Committee are of the opinion that it would be impossible, during the short period of the May session, to make a report to the Assembly which did justice to the importance and complexity of the financial, and constitutional issues involved. For this reason the Committee regret that they are unable to comply with the request of the Standing Committee.
Your Committee have therefore appomted a Sub-Committee to study the matter in ali ite aspects and to report its findings by a date not later than the opening of the September sittings. Your Committee will then be in a position to submit a considered report on the desirability of appointing a Committee on Budgetary and Administrative questions and on the powers which such a Committee should be given.
In his letter of 17th May, 1954, the Secretary-General asked that the views of the Assembly on the enclosed preliminary draft Budget might be given to him before 15th July, 1954, in order to enable him to carry out the obligations imposed upon him by the Financial Regulations. In view of the method of proceeding which your Committee have proposed, it would not be possible for the draft Budget to be examined in detail by a budgetary committee. Your Committee therefore unanimously propose that, pending their report to the Assembly, the Bureau should bo charged Avith the duty of making this examination and of communicating their views, on behalf of the Assembly, to the Secretary-General. For this purpose, the following draft Order, unanimously adopted by the Committee, is submitted for your approval.
That the Bureau do examine in detail the preliminary draft Budget for the financial year 1955 and do transmit their views and suggestions to the Secretary-General on behalf of the Assembly before 15th July, 1954.