Draft Order
The Assembly,
Having regard to the establishment of the Cultural Fund;
Having regard to Resolution 163 on the provision of financial and moral support for the Cultural Fund of the Council of Europe;
Considering that its members are likely to receive requests of various kinds in connection with the Cultural Fund;
Considering that its Cultural Committee is competent to examine all cultural matters of European interest,
Instructs its Cultural Committee :
Explanatory Memorandum
1. In its Recommendation 174 (1958) the Assembly recommended that the Committee of Ministers arrange for three members of the Assembly, including the Chairman of the Cultural Committee, to be co-opted as members of the Administrative Board of the Cultural Fund, in accordance with Article V, paragraph 3, of the Statute of the Fund.
At the 69th Meeting of the Ministers' Deputies the Ministers acted upon this Recommendation by approving a proposal of the Administrative Board of the Fund concerning the co-optation of members, as a result of which the Chairmen-in-ofiice and one of the Vice-Chairmen of the Assembly's Cultural Committee have been appointed members of the Administrative Board of the Fund, the second Vice-Chairman being invited to attend meetings of the Board as an observer.
2. Now that it is directly represented on the Administrative Board, the Assembly must decide what procedure it wishes to adopt for submitting proposals to the Board.
3. It is to be expected that members of the Consultative Assembly, especially those who are taking action in pursuance of Resolution 163 on the provision of financial and moral support for the Cultural Fund, will receive an increasing number of suggestions, proposals and requests for grants addressed to the Cultural Fund. What action is to be taken on these?
4. The usual procedure for placing a question on the agenda of the Assembly would seem to be too slow for most of the proposals which might be considered by the Cultural Fund. On the other hand, it does not seem desirable to refer the persons concerned to national ministries, thus denying them the support of the Consultative Assembly.
5. Members of the Assembly might, of course, send suggestions they found useful direct to the Secretariat, for transmission to the Administrative Board of the Cultural Fund. But that procedure, though expeditious, would have the drawback of preserving the purely individual character of such communications.
6. The best way would no doubt be to make the Cultural Committee of the Consultative Assembly officially responsible for examining them. Requests which the Committee approved would then be presented direct, by the Chairman as " proposals of the Committee to the Administrative Board, without first going before the plenary Assembly.
7. Proposals submitted to the Board in this way would have an official character as representing the views of the Assembly organ competent in cultural matters. For its part, the Cultural Committee would report periodically to the Assembly on its dealings with the Administrative Board of the Cultural Fund.
8. The traditional procedure (adoption by the Assembly of a Recommendation to the Committee of Ministers) would be reserved for cultural enterprises of the Consultative Assembly with political or general implications and involving Member Governments of the Committee of Ministers.
9. It should be pointed out in conclusion that the Chairman of the Cultural Committee, as the Assembly's spokesman on the Administrative Board of the Cultural Fund, will combine an ex officio function with the right of individual initiative conferred on him by Article VI of the Rules of Procedure of the Administrative BoardNote. The provision in Article V, paragraph 6, of the Statute of the Cultural Fund that " the Administrative Board shall draw up the annual programme of the Cultural Fund taking into account the proposals made by the Committee of Cultural Experts and shall allocate corresponding funds " etc. might therefore be expanded in due course (for example when the Statute of the Fund comes to be reviewed after three years), so as to ensure that the Administrative Board, in drawing up the annual programme of the Cultural Fund, also takes into account the proposals made by the Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the Consultative Assembly.