The Assembly,
Having regard to the preliminary draft of Vote II of the Budget for 1960 (Expenditure of the Consultative Assembly), transmitted to the Assembly by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe ;
Having regard to the Budget of the Council of Europe for the Financial Year 1959, as adopted by the Committee of Ministers, together with the General Accounts for the Financial Year 1957, this being the latest period for which final accounts are available ;
Having regard to Resolution (53) 38 of the Committee of Ministers ;
Having regard to the decision of the Committee of Ministers concerning the discussion of the Budget of the Council of Europe by the Consultative Assembly, which was transmitted by letter of the Secretary-General to the President of the Consultative Assembly on 19th March 1955,
Adopts the following Opinion :
The Assembly approves the Secretary-General's proposals for the following Sub-Heads :
See Table
For other items, the following estimates are suggested :
See Table
The Assembly considers that the increased work devolving on the Office of the Clerk as a result of the activities of the European Conference of Local Authorities necessitates an increase in the staff provided for under Vote I, Head I, of one post of administrative officer.
The Assembly also trusts that the Secretary-General will take into account the requests put forward in its Opinions Nos. 22 (1957) and 28 (1958), especially with regard to the appointment of Assistants to ensure the satisfactory functioning of the office of the Clerk of the Assembly.
The Assembly, which made a number of proposals in this connection in its Opinion No. 28, has noted with interest the work done by the Committee of Experts on Pay and Allowances and by the Governmental Coordination Committee of Budgetary Experts set up by the Council of Europe, O.E.E.C., N.A.T.O., and W.E.U.
It wishes however that the arrangement applicable to Grade A staff, whereby salaries are to be reviewed every nine months and adjusted according to the cost-of-living index, should also be applied to staff in Grades B and C.
The Assembly notes that the Committee of Ministers has not granted the Assembly's wish, expressed in its Opinion No. 28, that there should be no reduction of the percentage and exchange value of the pay and allowances which non-French staff are authorised to transfer to their country of origin. It regrets that a fresh reduction has taken place in this connection, entailing considerable losses to the staff members concerned.
The Assembly asks that this question be re-examined with a view to finding a fair solution, whereby non-French staff will be allowed to transfer a fixed part of their pay and allowances, the purchasing power of which should remain constant, to their country of origin.
The Assembly has noted the work done in this field by the Working Party on the European Civil Service. Recalling the views on this matter in its Opinion No. 28 the Assembly again urges that this question, which is one of great political as well as social importance, be settled as soon as possible.
The Assembly which, in its Opinion No. 28, proposed estimates concerning guided tours for visitors to Europe House, wishes to re-emphasise the importance it attaches to an improvement of this service and requests once more that adequate appropriations be included for this purpose in the Budget.
| Sub-head (a) - Remuneration of temporary staff | 44,000,000 francs |
| Sub-head (b) - Travel expenses and allowances for travel time | 10,900,000 francs |
| Sub-head (d) - Technical staff seconded by national administrations | 6,000,000 francs |
| Sub-headl (e) - Maintenance of radio-electrical equipment | 800,000 francs |
| Sub-head (h) - Hire of cars | 400,000 francs |
| Sub-head (i) - Representation, travel and subsistence expenses of the President | 3,700,000 francs |
| Sub-head (j) - Expenditure for the President's private office | 2,600,000 francs |
| Sub-head (l) - Official journeys of staff of the Secretariat | 10,100,000 francs |
| Sub-head (m) - Experts' travelling expenses, subsistence allowances and fees | 2,350,000 francs |
| Sub-head (n) - Miscellaneous expenditure and contingencies | 1,100,000 francs |
| Sub-head (o) - European Prize | 500,000 francs |
| Sub-head (c) - Sickness and accident insurance | 500,000 francs |
| Sub-head (f) - Stationery and miscellaneous supplies | 13,500,000 francs |
| Sub-head (g) - Publications | 18,600,000 francs |
| Sub-head (k) - Representational and other official expenses incurred by members of the Assembly | 6,300,000 francs |
| Sub-head (p) - European Conference of Local Authorities | 12,000,000 francs |