Assembly debate on 25th and 28th September 1961 (13th, 14th and 19th Sittings) (see Addendum II to Doc. 1334, Report of the Political Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 28th September (19th Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Welcomes the decision of the Governments of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom to open negotiations for membership of the European Economic Community and also the statement of the Council of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on 31st July 1961 that "all member States of EFTA declare their intention to examine with the European Economic Community the ways and means by which all Members of EFTA could take part together in a single market embracing some 300 million people";
2. Expresses the hope that negotiations will soon begin with a view to forming such a single European market and that all member States of the Council of Europe and Switzerland will become Members of, or associated with, the European Economic Community;
3. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers should take steps to ensure that Governments which have applied or subsequently apply to join the European Economic Community be invited to send observers to the six-Power Commission set up by the Conference of Heads of State or of Government held in Bonn on 18th July 1961; the present task of the Commission is to compare the views of its various members, concert their foreign policy and agree on common standpoints in order to foster political unity in Europe;
4. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers should take steps to ensure that any such applicant State which expressly states its wish to take part in the political consultation decided upon at the Bonn Conference be invited so to do.
