Relating to its Twenty-fourth Session

Communication | Doc. 987 | 21 April 1959

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Thesaurus

1

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held its twenty-fourth meeting in Strasbourg on 20th April, under the chairmanship of M. Leopold Figl, Foreign Minister of Austria.

Stressing the fact that this meeting coincided with the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers adopted the following Resolution regarding the future of European institutions :

" The Committee of Ministers,

Meeting at the time of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Council of Europe;

Recalling t h a t the aim of the Council is ' to achieve a greater unity between its Members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress ',

1. Stresses the progress made towards this objective in the short period of ten years, notably by the conclusion of European conventions and by the habit of consultation developed both in the organs of the Council and in other European organisations and institutions;

2. Expresses to the Consultative Assembly, as the first European Assembly, its appreciation of the way in which it has carried out its functions, thus proving the value of parliamentary co-operation in the field of international affairs arid setting an example for the creation of other European Assemblies;

3. Congratulates the six countries which are members of the European Communities on the progress they have achieved on the road to the union of their economies, progress such as might well constitute a step towards the broader union of all the European countries;

4. Resolves:

a to reaffirm the will of the Member States to collaborate in the realisation of the aim of the Council of Europe, as set out in the Statute, in order that ever greater unity may be progressively achieved between the Member States of the Council of Europe;

b to confirm the vocation of the Council of Europe to constitute the general framework of European policy;

c to contribute towards the endeavour to rationalise the European institutions in the light of ten years' experience;

d to pursue the aim of economic progress set out in the Statute and to t h a t end to support every effort to achieve a multilateral association between the European Economic Community and the other Member States of 0. E. E. C.;

e in the social field, to complete in the near future the work on the European Social Charter, which will define the objectives and obligations of Member States relating to social policy and constitute an essential complement to the European Convention on Human Rights;

f in the cultural field, to develop contacts and collaboration between scientists, artists, teachers and students to the utmost, so as to permit Europe to found her unity in an enduring way on a better knowledge of and intercourse between her various cultures. "

The Committee of Ministers examined the first report drawn up in accordance with its decision of December last on the subject of the rationalisation of European institutions other than those of the Six.

In view of the fact that the Member Governments of W. E. U. are also Members of 0. E. E. C. and of the Council of Europe, the Ministers decided as follows :

1 The Special Committee is instructed to continue its work and to submit a report to the next session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe;

2 The exercise of the powers of W. E. U. in the social and cultural fields will be transferred to the Council of Europe in accordance with procedure to be laid down by t h e Ministerial Committees of the two organisations;

3 As a preliminary means of strengthening the links between the Council and 0. E. E. C, Swiss and Portuguese parliamentarians will be invited to take part in debates of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on t h e reports of 0 . E. E. C. and economic questions.

The Committee of Ministers having been seized—in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms—-of the report drawn up by the European Commission of Human Rights regarding the first application brought by Greece in 1956 against the United Kingdom in connection with events in Cyprus, adopted the following Resolution : " The Committee of Ministers, Having received, in accordance with the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the report of the Commission of Human Rights, on the application of the Kingdom of Greece alleging a number of breaches of the Convention in Cyprus by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Having taken note of the final settlement of the Cyprus question, which has since been achieved, Resolves, in accordance with Article 32 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, t h a t no further action is called for ". The Committee heard a commentary by the Secretary-General on the report which he will be presenting to the Assembly in accordance with t h e Ministerial Resolution (57) 26 and expressed to him their thanks for this Report. Lastly, the Ministers opened for signature a European Convention on the compulsory insurance of motor vehicles, a European Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters and a European Agreement on the abolition of visas for refugees. These various instruments were then signed by the representatives of several Member States of the Council of Europe.