The Assembly,
Noting the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) signed on 14th December 1960;
Welcoming the fact that the Governments of free Europe and of North America have declared their common desire for co-operation in the economic field, and have created a permanent instrument to that effect;
Convinced that the aims of OECD are compatible with those towards which the Council of Europe is striving in the economic field, and hoping that the creation of OECD will in no way weaken those ties and traditions of co-operation already developed between the countries of Europe, but will rather be reflected in a strengthening and widening of such co-operation,
Recommends to the Committee of Ministers :
that it should recommend to member Governments, in accordance with Article 15 (b) of the Statute :
1. To take the necessary steps for speedy ratification of the Convention on the OECD;
2. To take every opportunity offered by the Convention of improving co-ordination both in respect of their general economic policies and of the growing assistance that they will be able to contribute to the economic development of the less developed countries;
3. To take every opportunity offered by the Convention of developing close cooperation between the European member States of the Organisation in those fields where specifically European problems occur, and in those in which the American members of the Organisation are less inclined to commit themselves to the same degree as their European partners;
4 .To use as far as possible the permanent framework of the OECD for examining the possibility of establishing a European Economic Association and for the examination and solution of the commercial and economic problems arising from the existence of the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association in Europe, taking as a starting-point the decision to entrust the OECD with the task of continuing the mandate of the Trade Committee created by the Special Economic Committee in January 1960;
5. To make use of the procedure provided by the Convention - or, pending its entry into force, of the machinery of the Preparatory Committee - to ensure that the OECD will maintain in force those acts of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) which established between the member countries close co-operation and common standards regarding economic and trade questions; and, wherever present conditions do not permit the continuance of such acts without amendment, to seek inspiration from the spirit and the procedure of earlier acts in drawing up new conditions for mutual co-operation;
6. (a) To continue the work of OEEC relating to energy, and, in particular, to nuclear energy, agriculture, science and technology, and also continue the practice of presenting separate reports on these activities to the Assembly;
(b) To maintain and strengthen the arrangements for co-operation between the Secretariats of the OEEC and the Council of Europe;
In the field of development aid, to ensure that the work of the present Development Assistance Group is completely integrated with that of the Organisation, and that the fresh activities of the Organisation in this field should manifest themselves not only in studies and confrontations of national policies, but in a rapid and effective increase in the amount of technical and financial assistance given by the member States of the Organisation.