The Assembly,
cognizant of the fact that a network of cultural conventions already exists between certain Member States of the Council of Europe, particularly among the Scandinavian States and the Brussels Treaty Powers,
recommends that all Member States of the Council of Europe enter into immediate negotiations with a view to the conclusion of conventions identical or similar to those already in existence in the same spirit of co-operation.
The Assembly,
considering that the draft convention drawn up by UNESCO at its Fifth General Conference held in Florence (May-June, 1950) is of such a nature as to promote effectively the free circulation of cultural material,
recommends to the Committee of Ministers that Member States to be invited to ratify the convention and to conclude agreements consonant there with among themselves.
The Assembly, moreover, expresses the wish that as close and sustained relations as possible be established in the field of cultural relations between the Council of Europe and UNESCO, it being understood that the Standing Committee of the Assembly and Secretariat-General are in a position to ' maintain those relations in the name of the Council of Europe with the assent of the Committee of Ministers.
The Assembly,
noting that, thanks to the activity of the 0. E. E. C, considerable progress has been made in the course of the last year in so far as co-operation between Member States of the Council of Europe in scientific research and technical development is concerned,
recommends that the co-ordination of the activities of the Council of Europe and the 0. E. E. C. in this field be intensified and that the Standing Committee of the Assembly and the Secretariat-General be instructed to develop still further to this end the contacts existing between the Council of the 0. E. E. C. as well as with the Bureau of the International Council of Scientific Unions.
The Assembly recommends that the support of the Council of Europe be given to private international organisations the object of which is to promote European culture. This support may take the form of simple patronage if such is required ; it may be extended to include financial aid if an appropriate sum is subsequently included in the budget of the Council of Europe. This support may also take such other form as circumstances require.
In this connection the Assembly believes that it is its duty to emphasise to the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers the need for the Council of Europe to enjoy sufficient funds in order to be in a position to defray the cost of implementing those recommendations adopted.
In the meantime, where formal patronage is granted by the Council of Europe, the fact should be considered by Member States so that each might give its financial support to organisations under patronage.
The Council, of Europe reserves the right to withdraw its formal patronage at any time if it deems such a measure necessaiy.
The Assembly,
having taken cognizance of the statute and the programme of the European College of Bruges, a private institution of an international character, the seat of which is at Bruges, requests the Bureau and the Standing Committee to invite the Committee of Ministers to grant its formal patronage to this institution.
The Assembly is of the opinion that the Council of Europe should give its encouragement to such other institutions as may be founded in other European countries in the same spirit as the College of Bruges.
The Assembly,
considering that the aims of the European Cultural Centre founded in Geneva on the initiative, and under the auspices of the European Movement, answers the requirements of the Recommendation adopted by the Assembly at its First Session,
requests the Bureau of the Standing Committee to invite the Committee of Ministers to grant the formal patronage of the Council of Europe to this institution. The Assembly expresses the wish that the activities of the European Cultural Centre and those of the College of Bruges should be co-ordinated.
It also wishes to present once more the Recommendation of 1949 according to the terms of which the Council of Europe should not only grant its patronage to a European Cultural centre but also take under its wing and assume the actual administration of such an institution.
The Assembly expresses keen interest in the proposal of the Turkish delegation of the Assembly to contribute, with the support of the Turkish Government, to the foundation of a European Cultural Centre in Istanbul, the object of which would be to add to the lustre of European culture in the Near East.
The Assembly cannot, however, recommend that the Council of Europe grant its patronage to the institution until it is in receipt of more concrete information on the proposal.
The Assembly,
having considered seriatim the conclusions of the Report of the Governmental Experts who met in Strasbourg from 28th to 30th June, 1950, notes with satisfaction that the Committee of Ministers has adopted both the preamble of the Report and the proposals relating to the conditions for the equivalence of diplomas and university degrees in Member States of the Council of Europe. It further notes that the Committee of Ministers had submitted the other proposals contained in the Report to the attention of Governments.
The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers decide :
The Assembly invites the Governmental Experts to encourage the efforts of countries fostering forms of culture which, while peculiar to them, have a universal value.
The Assembly,
while accepting the reasons for which, according to the opinion of the Experts, the meeting of Rectors and Vice-Chancellors of Universities had to be postponed,
readopts its 1949 Resolution in this connection and recommends that the Committee of Ministers invite Rectors and Vice-Chancellors of Universities to meet under the aegis of the Council of Europe at a date to be fixed in the coming months.
This meeting, exceptional as it would be in character, would be a declaration of active interest and positive goodwill on the part of the intellectual authorities most directly interested in the safe-guarding of European culture and the best qualified to express an opinion on the main problems under discussion.
The agenda and the date of the meeting will be determined after the next meeting of governmental experts who will inform the Secretariat of their suggestions on this matter.
The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers instruct the governmental experts to consider the practical conditions in which a European University can be founded if the principle thereof is accepted and to indicate the rules to which existing Universities would have to subscribe in order to receive the title and the rank of European Universities from the Council of Europe.
The Rectors and University Vice-Chancellors will also be invited to formulate their opinion on this proposal which the Committee recommends for inclusion in the Agenda of the next Session.
The Assembly recommends that Member States of the Council of Europe be invited to adopt in due legal form a " cultural identity card " similar to that brought out by the countries signatory to the Brussels Treaty.
The Assembly,
considering that the study and application of the various measures deemed necessary to ensure cultural co-operation within the framework of the Council of Europe will entail additional work and new expenditure,
desiring to bring to a more rapid conclusion the decisions which have been reached,
recommends to the Committee of Ministers and the Governments concerned that the financial and other necessary means be put at the disposal of administrations and qualified organisations in order to bring to a successful issue the new tasks which devolve upon them.
The Assembly,
having noted the replies returned by the Permanent Commission of the Brussels Treaty Powers to the questions submitted to it by a Representative of the Consultative Assembly,
recommends to the Committee of Ministers to invite the Standing Committee to keep the Secretariat-General in periodic touch with its cultural activities with a view to the eventual conclusion by the Member States of the Council of Europe of cultural conventions identical or similar to those existing among the Brussels Treaty Powers.
The Assembly recommends that the question of a European Broadcasting Station be included in the Agenda of the next Session.
This may be accomplished either by setting up a " Radio Europe " broadcasting station or by arrangements to be made between existing broadcasting stations.
The Assembly recommends that courses and lectures be instituted-as soon as possible in all schools and educational institutions of Member States in order to disseminate the idea of European Unity.