International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies

Recommendation 518 (1968)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly Debate on 1st February 1968 (19th Sitting) (see Doc. 2310, report of the Committee on Agriculture). Text adopted by the Assembly on 1st February 1968 (19th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having noted the report of the Committee on Agriculture (Doc. 2310) ;

2. Welcoming the outstanding success achieved during its first years of operation by the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies ;

3. Considering that the very encouraging results obtained with relatively limited resources prove that the Centre meets a real need ;

4. Considering that the impact of the Centre extends beyond the member countries of the Council of Europe, and beyond the Mediterranean countries proper ;

5. Noting that in its field the Centre not only constitutes a most valuable instrument of European co-operation but also offers a concrete and worthwhile example of assistance to developing countries ;

6. Considering that the activities of the Centre deserve to be encouraged and developed by the enlargement of the group of countries contributing to its operation ;

7. Recalling its Recommendation 393 of 24th April 1964, in which it invited Governments to ensure :

that the Centre, "an educational institution fully corresponding to the objectives pursued (by the Council of Europe), is placed in a position to exert more influence by being presented as "an expression of European unity" ;

that "besides technical training... the Centre gives instruction on the major social and economic problems and on international co-operation which, as well as technology, govern the improvement of the living standards of the Mediterranean peoples" ;

8. Considering that, in pursuance of the aims of the Centre, the courses must be drawn up with a view to promoting the development of the Mediterranean area and that consequently they must include a study of the geology, hydrography and forestry problems peculiar to that region ;

9. Considering that the Assembly, as the prime mover in urging the foundation of the Centre, should be represented on the bodies that run it, or at least on its Advisory Committee,

10. I. Invites its members who represent countries which are not Parties to the Agreement of 21st May 1962 to speak in their Parliaments and to make urgent representations to their Governments, with a view to these countries participating in the activities of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies by providing a number of scholarships every year and by supplying, in the most appropriate forms, the technical and financial assistance which it requires ;

11. II. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

11.1 invite the Governments of member countries which are not signatories of the Agreement of 21st May 1962 to become associated with the activities of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies by supplying it with technical assistance and in particular by allocating it a number of scholarships every year ;

11.2 continue and expand the assistance which the Council of Europe supplies to the Centre, in particular by increasing the number of scholarships which it allocates to it each year ;

11.3 invite the Governing Body of the Centre :

a to ensure that the teaching offered in the two Institutes remains highly specialised and unique, in order that it should help at the same time to develop the resources of the Mediterranean area, to further European union in the cultural and scientific sphere and to foster a spirit of international co-operation ;

b to expand, accordingly, on a specialised basis, the teaching relating to the specific problems of forestry, water management and zootechny in the Mediterranean basin ;

11.4 take steps to see that the Assembly is represented on the bodies which run the Centre at least on the Advisory Board ;

11.5 transmit the annual report of the Centre to the Assembly for an opinion.