General policy of the Council of Europe

Recommendation 313 (1962)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly Debates on 15th, 16th and 17th May 1962 (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Sittings) (see Docs. 1420Docs. 1420, Report of the Political Committee, and 1436 and 1444, revised draft Recommendations). Text adopted by the Assembly on 17th May 1962 (6th Sitting).

1. The Assembly,

2. Noting the recent moves to extend the European Economic Community and the advance towards closer economic and political co-operation within Europe involved in :

a the application to join/associate with the Community by Turkey, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway;

b the opening of negotiations between the Community and the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and Turkey ;

c the progress of :

negotiations between the United Kingdom and the Community ; and

discussions on methods of political co-operation among Members of the Community ;

3. Realising that no agreement reached in any of these discussions can be acceptable to all concerned unless it :

a fosters the economic and political development of the existing Community ;

b safeguards the essential interests of the Commonwealth ;

c safeguards the legitimate interests of the EFTA countries and of other European countries ;

4. Recognising that, both in the Brussels negotiations on the extension of the EEC and in the Paris negotiations on European political co-operation, all the parties involved should seek "enlarged Community solutions" for the problems of the enlarged Community which the negotiations are intended to create, following the principle already accepted by the Six within the existing Communities ;

5. Considering that the successful outcome of negotiations between the UK and the EEC depends partly on the solution of the problem of neutrality ; and considering further that the neutral countries have indicated their willingness to take part in full economic association and in such political co-operation as is involved therein, to the greatest extent compatible with their status as neutral States ;

6. Having regard to the study on the legal aspects of neutrality, appended to the Report of the Political Committee, Doc. 1420,

7. Believes that the economic and political unity of Europe requires that the momentum both of the negotiations for British entry into the Common Market and of the discussions on political cooperation be maintained ;

8. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers should urge the Members of the EEC :

a to accelerate the negotiations with the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and to start negotiations with Norway ;

b to open negotiations with the Governments of Austria, Sweden and Switzerland ;

c to conclude the current negotiations with Turkey ;

9. Recommends that agreement in the negotiations for European political co-operation should include acceptance of the following principles :

a the powers of the European Communities must remain intact ;

b there must be no interference with defence co-operation in NATO ;

c the principle of unanimity must not be perpetuated ; and urges that these negotiations should be resumed as rapidly as possible ;

10. Recalls its previous Recommendations asking for the amalgamation without further delay of the Executives of the three Communities.