Opinion of the Assembly on Resolution 49 (1964) if the European Conference of Local Authorities on the settlement of foreign workers in local communities in member countries

Resolution 287 (1964)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 5th November 1964 (12th Sitting) (see Doc. 1832, report of the Committee on Population and Refugees). Text adopted by the Assembly on 5th November 1964 (12th Sitting).

The Assembly,

Having considered Resolution 49 (1964) of the European Conference of Local Authorities on the settlement of foreign workers in local communities in member countries ;

Having regard to Article 1 (a) and (b) of the Charter of the European Conference of Local Authorities ;

Considering that there is reason to expect the presence of increasing numbers of foreign workers in many member countries because of the combined action of two factors :

the restriction of the labour market as a result of the favourable economic situation prevailing in the industrialised countries ;

the unemployment, endemic as well as structural, in certain European countries both within and outside the Council of Europe coupled with the desire for a higher standard of living apparent among the workers of these countries or of under-developed regions ;

Believing that the contribution of member countries towards achieving free movement of workers is of considerable psychological importance to the cause of united Europe and must not be determined merely by the present shortage of manpower in some parts of this group of countries ;

Being of the opinion that the fact of foreign workers coming to settle in this or that member country is bound to involve some activity on the part of the local authorities in view of the fact that these workers will be employed in some or other local industry or undertaking ;

Considering that the settlement of foreign workers in local communities confronts the latter with serious problems in the following fields :

Social :

accommodation for foreign workers,

reuniting the worker with his family,

the use of leisure,

establishment of clubs,

affiliation to trade unions;

Cultural and intellectual :

reciprocal advance information on the habits and living conditions of the inhabitants of host municipalities and on those of foreign workers,

vocational training for foreign workers,

language courses to pave the way for vocational training,

imparting to the foreign worker the necessary knowledge of the law in force in the receiving country ;

Health :

medical care for foreign workers,

and that the adaptation of foreign workers to local communities and their assimilation into the social and economic framework of the host countries is, in the first place, dependent on the solution of these problems;

Endorsing the suggestions and recommendations made in Resolution 49 (1964) of the European Conference of Local Authorities, particularly those :

1 advocating the formation of municipal or regional committees whose task it would be to make the adaptation of the foreigners to the life of the community as smooth as possible ;

2 relating to State aid, in the form of a special grant, for municipalities called upon to incur expenditure exceeding the normal limits of their resources ;

Considering the importance of helping local communities to overcome the great difficulties with which they are faced ;

Anxious to contribute to the improvement of the condition of foreign workers in member countries,

Resolves :

1 To undertake a detailed study both of the psychological aspects of the settlement of foreign workers in member countries and of their living conditions ;

2 To refer this matter :

a for report, to the Committee on Population and Refugees, acting in liaison with the Special Representative ;

b for opinion, to the Social Committee and to the Cultural and Scientific Committee.