General policy of the Council of Europe

Recommendation 558 (1969)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 15 and 16 May 1969 (6th and 7th Sittings) (see Doc. 2552, report of the Political Affairs Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 16 May 1969 (7th Sitting).

The Assembly,

I.

1. Considering that after twenty years of existence, the Council of Europe is a particularly appropriate institution for the study of solutions to further the construction of Europe in the economic as well as the political fields ;

2. Considering that the European Communities have led to important results in the economic field, but that their enlargement has up to now given rise to difficulties ;

3. Considering that ways and means of overcoming the impasse should therefore be sought ;

4. Considering that the Council of Europe could usefully study how the difficulties, which stand in the way of the enlargement of EEC by the accession or association of the states which have presented their candidature, could be eliminated ;

II.

5. Considering that the recent visit of President Nixon and in particular the undertaking that the United States will consult their European partners before, during and after any contacts they may have with the USSR, has helped to reconcile the respective attitudes of the United States and Europe concerning European problems and East-West relations ;

6. Considering in particular that these consultations will make it possible to work out the principles of a common European policy which is a necessary precondition for any coherent construction of a political Europe ;

III.

7. Considering that, in this spirit, a consultation among the member states of the Council of Europe on the outstanding issues - East-West relations, the future of Germany, the Middle East conflict etc. - is highly desirable ;

8. Considering that the weakness of the international economy, particularly in monetary matters, and the necessity for stimulating co-operation in the fields of education, science and technology, justify the negotiation of partial agreements between groups of states which are concerned with these problems,

IV.

9. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a fully exploit all the possibilities offered by the Council of Europe as an instrument for European unification ;

b urge the member states of the European Economic Community to convene, at the earliest convenient date, a conference at heads of government level, with all those states which have applied or will apply to join, for the purpose of opening negotiations for the enlargement of the Community, in accordance with Article 237 of the Treaty of Rome ;

c in the event that such a conference is not able to be convened within a reasonable period of time, provide the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe with the means to continue to study, with the help of qualified experts, how the difficulties which stand in the way of the enlargement of EEC by the accession or, if that should be preferred, association of the states which have presented their candidature, could be eliminated ;

d make provision for agreements, if need be, partial, in order to give a powerful new impetus in Europe, more particularly in the fields of education, scientific research and technology.