Establishment, at the seat of the Council of Europe, of a European Executive Committee

Motion for a recommendation | Doc. 80 | 28 November 1951

Signatories:

Mr François de MENTHON, France

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

Considering the need to co-ordinate all the steps taken since 1947 with a view to the gradual unification of Europe on the political, economic, military, social, cultural, legal and demographic planes,

Believing that such co-ordination must be achieved within the framework of the Council of Europe,

Considering, moreover, that the creation of a European Army requires the establishment of a European Political Authority,

Recalling that from its very first Session the Assembly has maintained that it is the aim of the Council of Europe to create a European Political Authority endowed with limited functions but real powers,

1. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers appoint a European Executive Committee at the Seat of the Council of Europe,

a The European Executive Committee will consist of seven Commissioners :

A Commissioner for External Affairs responsible for the diplomatic relations delegated to him,

A Commissioner for Economy, responsible for economic, financial, and monetary co-ordination between Member States,

A Commissioner for European Defence,

A Commissioner for Social Justice and Health,

A Commissioner for Cultural Problems,

A Commissioner for Justice, responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Convention on Human Rights and for promoting the unification of internal legislation,

A Commissioner for Population, responsible for dealing with problems of emigration and refugees.

b The Members of the European Executive Committee shall be appointed for one year b y the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. They shall be responsible for the administration of their office to the Consultative Assembly.

c The Members of the European Executive Committee shall elect their own Chairman.

d The European Executive Committee may be required by the Committee of Ministers to be responsible for the execution of certain decisions taken by the latter. It may also be entrusted b y the Consultative Assembly, in liaison with its competent Committees, with certain information functions or preparatory tasks.

e The European Executive Committee shall also be authorised to undertake any tasks at present performed by another organisation.

f Special powers may be delegated to various Members of the European Executive Committee by agreements reached between the Members of the Council of Europe or between any of them.

2. Requests that there shall be convened as soon as possible a conference of members of Governments and representatives of Parliaments for the purpose of drawing up a draft agreement on the above-mentioned lines.