- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- This Opinion was adopted by the Assembly at its 12th Sitting, on 21st April, 1956 (see Doc. 509, draft Opinion of the Committee on Budgetary Affairs and Administration and Explanatory Memorandum by M. Bichet, Rapporteur)
The Assembly,
Having regard to Vote II of the draft Budget for 1957 (Expenditure relating to the Consultative Assembly), transmitted to the Assembly by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe ;
Having regard to the letter of 8th February, 1956, by which the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe transmitted to the President of the Assembly the Budget of the Council of Europe for the Financial Year 1956, as adopted by the Committee of Ministers, together with the General Accounts for the Financial Year 1954, this being the latest period for which final accounts are available ;
Having regard to Resolution (53) 38 of the Committee of Ministers,
Adopts the following Opinion :
I. Concerning Vote II of the Budget for 1957 (Expenditure relating to the Consultative Assembly) :
1. The appropriations under Vote II should be computed as follows :
Sub-Heads (a) to (h) : as proposed by the Secretary-General ;
Sub-Head (i) : Representational expenses - 3,000,000 frs.
Lump sum entertainment allowance to the President - 1,500.000 frs.
to cover representational expenses incurred by the Vice-Presidents and by Chairmen and Rapporteurs of Committees - 1,500,000 frs.
Sub-Head (j) : Reimbursement of certain functional expenses - 3,500,000 frs.
working expenses of the President's Private Office - 1,500,000 frs.
other functional expenses - 2,000,000 frs.
Sub-Head (k) : official journeys of staff of the Secretariat-General : Estimate for 1957 - 6,500,000 frs.
Sub-Head (l) : Travelling expenses; fees and allowances of experts : Estimate for 1957 - 3,000,000 frs.
Sub-Head (m) : as proposed by the Secretary-General.
II. Concerning proposals for inclusion in other heads of the Budget for 1957
2. The estimate under Sub-Head 41- Cost of the Cultural Programme - is to be increased to 30,000,000 frs for the Financial Year 1957.
3. In order to provide the Secretariat-General with adequate resources for furthering the propagation of the European idea in member countries, the appropriations under Head VIII of the Council of Europe Budget for 1957 should be as follows :
Sub-Head 42 : Remuneration and allowances of national correspondents of the Directorate of Information - 20,400,000 frs
Sub-Head 44 : Information Programme - 31,100,000 frs.
Sub-Head 45 : Production of short films - 21,500,000 frs.
Moreover, the number of permanent staff in the Directorate of Information should be increased by three, for which purpose the relevant appropriations under Vote I would need to be increased by - 5,500,000 frs.
The appropriations under Sub-Head 20 "Official journeys" should be increased by - 1,500,000 frs. to cover the needs of the Directorate of Inmation.
4. Chapter X (Other functional expenditure) should be re-worded as follows: "Expenditure in the field of Municipal and Regional Affairs", and should include the following Sub-Heads :
4.1 European Conference of Local Authorities - 11,200,000 frs. The purpose of this sum would be to cover the costs (such as travelling expenses and subsistence allowances of participants and remuneration of temporary staff) of organising the European Conference of Local Authorities, which the Assembly decided to convene by its
Resolution 76 (1955).
4.2 European Prize : - Estimate for 1957 - 1,250,000 frs. The purpose of this sum would be to award a cash prize of 1,000,000 frs to the successful municipality and to cover subsidiary expenses.
4.3 Furthermore, in order to enable the scheme for exchanges of visits between members of European Local Authorities to be put into effect in accordance with
Resolution 75 (1955), expenditure of 500,000 frs should be charged to the appropriate Sub-Heads of the Budget, the estimates for which should be adjusted accordingly.
5. Since Vote II of the Budget does not cover all Assembly expenditure, the Assembly expresses the hope that, when, for instance, it receives the accounts for 1955, it will also be given an indication of the full cost of providing for its maintenance
