Location of the institutions of Euratom and the Common Market and the other European organisations

Recommendation 148 (1957)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

(see Doc. 704, Report of the Political Committee). This Recommendation was adopted by the Assembly at its 24th Sitting, on 25th October 1957

The Assembly,

Considering that it is desirable for as many European organisations as possible to be located at the same place, in order to ensure closer relations between them, greater unity of purpose, increased efficiency and economy ;

Considering, that according to the Treaties of Rome, the Governments of the Six will have to decide on the location of the new institutions of Euratom and the Common Market ;

Having regard to the various proposals on this subject recently made in the Consultative Assembly and elsewhere,

Recommends to the Committee of Ministers :

1 that they should request the Governments of the six-Power Communities not to take a decision on the location of the institutions of these Communities without consultation in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe ;

2 that the following principles should be respected when this choice is made :

a the parliamentary, executive and intergovernmental organs of all the institutions of the six-Power Communities to be established at the same place, it being understood that certain other organs, for example the Court of Justice, might be located elsewhere,

b the three European parliamentary assemblies to be located at this same place, if possible as soon as the six-Power Assembly is constituted, and, if not, within a reasonable time ;

c other existing intergovernmental organisations (Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, O.E.E.C., Western European Union) also to be situated at this same place;

d any rivalry based on interests or prestige between cities or countries in connection with the choice of the location of European institutions to be firmly opposed ;

e the choice to rest on a city that is central and has, or can be given, up-to-date transport facilities and international press services.