Certain limited measures which are desirable pending the attainment of a real European Federation
Motion for a resolution
| Doc. 88
| 29 November 1951
The Assembly,
Affirming that its aim continues to be the
establishment of a real Federation of all the free
peoples of Europe,
Regretfully realising that a number of European
democratic nations do not yet appear
prepared to accept the transfer, at a European
level, of some of their sovereign rights,
Finding itself therefore faced with the necessity
of proposing a number of limited measures
enabling at least initial steps to be taken in the
desired direction,
Accepting, with this in mind, the proposal
made by the Committee on General Affairs for
the convening of a Conference of representatives
of the Governements and Parliaments of
democratic Europe and of the European Consultative
Assembly,
Believing, however, that invitations to such
a Conference should also be extended to representatives
of European organisations contained
within the European Movement,
1. Desires forthwith to make clear its views
on the partial measures which must be contemplated in order to make the work of such a
Conference more effective :
a Specialised Authorities accessible to all
at all times must be set up in all vital
sectors of European life. Each Authority
shall be headed by a European High
Commissioner;
b It is obvious that a really unified European
Army will necessitate the establishment
of a real political authority; this
authority might consist of a Council of
Ministers of the States participating in
the European Army. Such a Council of
Ministers would take decisions b y a majority
vote, would appoint a High Commissioner
and would be mainly responsible
for defining a common diplomatic
policy;
c A European organisation would be responsible
for the co-ordination of the work
of all the European High Commissioners;
d The Consultative Assembly, believing
that it would be dangerous to set up
separate parliaments for the purpose of
controlling the various Specialised Authorities,
requests that the establishment of
a single Assembly to include all the representatives
of the nations of democratic
Europe be considered forthwith. This
single Assembly would be responsible for
the control of the Specialised Authorities
as a whole;
e The representatives of nations not participating
in all or any of the Authorities
so established shall attend the Assembly
proceedings as observers. Their particular
function will be to bring about the
establishment of close organic links
between their nations and the European
Authorities ;
f The Consultative Assembly believes that
this single Assembly would have greater
authority if its members were elected by
universal suffrage.
2. Requests therefore that Governments of
Member States should examine as soon as possible
ways and means of putting such a measure
into practice.
