The Assembly,
Mindful of the need expressed in Recommendation 14 (1951) for the adoption of a common policy in social matters ;
Welcoming the statement of the Committee of Ministers in its Report to the Assembly of 12th May, 1952, which recognised the advantage of harmonising national practice in social matters ;
Considering that existing social legislation and practice should be harmonised, that discrimination on grounds of nationality between nationals of Member States should be abolished and that new developments in the social sphere should be the subject of joint examination ;
Being of opinion that such harmonisation requires the establishment of an "appropriate organ" for liaison and joint discussion between the Council of Europe and the departments for social administration of the Member States,
Recommends to the Committee of Ministers,
1. That a Social Committee should be established, composed of high-ranking officials of the social administrations of Member States, representing the Ministers concerned. These officials should be authorised to call in the assistance of other social experts or to be replaced by them.
The Social Committee should work in close liaison with the Committee on Social Questions of the Assembly, and its functions should be as follows :
To consider, from the technical point of view, any Recommendation in the social field emanating from the Consultative Assembly which may be referred to the Social Committee by the Committee of Ministers ;
To consider the practicability of abolishing any discrimination on grounds of nationality between nationals of the Member States with regard to social rights and benefits ;
To suggest the means by which existing social legislation and practice could be harmonised ;
To meet before international conferences on social questions, in order, as far as possible, to reach agreement on a common policy ;
To constitute a permanent link between the social administrations of the Member States and between these administrations and the Council of Europe, with a view, inter alia, to aiding Member Governments in the interpretation and application of Resolutions on social matters adopted by the Committee of Ministers and of Conventions concluded by the Member States, such as the Interim Agreements on Social Security and the Convention on Social and Medical Assistance ;
To keep the Committee on Social Questions of the Consultative Assembly as fully informed as possible of the progress of its work.
2. That all Member Governments should be requested to keep the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe informed of any new developments which they may be contemplating in their social legislation or practice.