Local effects of the activities of the European Coal and Steel Community

Recommendation 141 (1957)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

see Doc. 639, Report ofthe Committee on Local Authorities ThisRecommendation was adopted by the Assembly at its 10th Sitting, on 4th May1957

The Assembly,

Noting that the Governmentsconcerned have so far taken no action to give effect to its Recommendation 76of 9th July 1955 ;

Regretting the lack of concern shown by theGovernments in regard to the problems raised in this Recommendation,

Taking note with satisfaction of Opinion No. 2 of the First EuropeanConference of Local Authorities on the local effects of the E.C.S.C., and,particularly, of the paragraph of that Opinion requesting the ConsultativeAssembly "to take energetic action with a view to ensuring that the competentauthorities give early effect to the provisions of this Recommendation"(Recommendation 76);

Urgently recalling the attention of theGovernments concerned to the points raised in Recommendation 76,

Recommends, further, that the Committee of Ministers obtain an assurancefrom the Governments :

1 that they will takeall necessary steps and, if need be, amend the Treaty and the Conventionsetting up the E.C.S.C., so as to allow local authorities, subject to theirapproval, to appeal to the High Authority for assistance in implementing theprogrammes they have drawn up, either individually or collectively asinter-municipal groups or through regional planning committees, in thefollowing fields :

a Conversion of industry orcreation of new industries to ensure the re-employment of redundant manpowerfrom the coal and steel industries;

b Re-training of workersfrom the coal and steel industries obliged to seek new employment as a resultof the institution of the Common Market;

c Vocationalguidance and training of young workers with a view to their full employment inareas where coal and steel are the principal industries;

d Construction of workers' dwellings in the coal and steel industriesand provision of the public and social services made necessary by such housingschemes : roads, schools, hospitals, mains supplies, etc.;

e Assistance to workers in the coal and steel industries on theirtransfer to other areas;

f Cultural relations and exchangesbetween regions from which workers have emigrated and those in which theysettle. The new clauses of the Treaty and Convention should stipulate that,when the High Authority takes action on these lines, financial aid from themunicipalities concerned may take the place of aid from Governments when suchaid is required ;

2 that they will invitethe High Authority to set up a general guarantee fund, maintained according torequirements in the currencies of all the member countries and foreigncurrencies obtained from loans raised by the

High Authority, for the purpose of guaranteeing the loans which the localauthorities concerned may be called upon to raise in order to provide thefinancial aid which is essential to the implementation of the programme set outin paragraph 1.