Message to the Consultative Assembly on the occasion of its Fifth Ordinary Session

Communication | Doc. 126 | 07 May 1953

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Thesaurus

1 MESSAGE [(1) Tho appendix to this message contains tho Resolutions passed by the Committee of Ministers (53) Nos. 13 to 23. See 5th Session, 1953 : 3rd Sitting, 8th May, 1953 (Statement b y M. van Zeeland, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers) and 6th Sitting, 11th May, 1953 (Referred to the Committee on General Affairs) and Doc. 159 (Draft Reply of the Assembly).] addressed by the Committee of Ministers to the Consultative Assembly on the occasion of its Fifth Ordinary Session

1. The past year has been dominated by a series of political events of t h e first importance; a first supranational restricted Community has been established and has set about creating a common market for coal and steel among six Members of the Council ; t h e Treaty instituting a Defence Community has been submitted to the Parliaments for ratification; and an Ad Hoc Assembly has drafted a Treaty for a European Political Community. The Consultative Assembly has played an important and constructive rôle in the development of this policy. Indeed, some of these projects would never have seen the light of day if t h e Council of Europe had not existed.

2. In noting these undeniable results i t is necessary, however, to stress the following point. Whatever uncertainties surround the real significance of an apparent détente, it is beyond question that the task of unifying Europe?a task which was undertaken irrespective of any threat of war?must be pursued with courage and determination. And, although we shall welcome wholeheartedly any slackening of international tension, we shall, none of us, allow our satisfaction to retard progress towards this goal.

3. Our progress towards unity, already marked by important plans and achievements, has shown t h a t we must consider the establishment of close links between the restricted Communities and the Council of Europe. We have noted with pleasure that the Assembly has kept this aim constantly in view and has achieved substantial results during the past eight months. With the same point in mind we have considered Recommendation 42, adopted by the Assembly last January, and have agreed in principle to the construction of a new wing to be added to the Council's present building.

4. We have recorded in a resolution our wholehearted satisfaction at the results of the negotiations between one of t h e Vice-Presidents of t h e Consultative Assembly and the President of t h e High Authority to establish links between the Assembly and the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community. The arrangements made seem to us to be fully in the spirit of t h e Assembly's Opinion No. 3. We are devoting further study to Section D of this Opinion, insofar as it relates to the co-ordination of the work of t h e two Secretariats, and we have requested the Secretary-General, in conjunction with the competent organs of t h e Community, to seek ways and means of giving practical effect to the principles embodied therein.

5. The six Member States of the Council of Europe which are considering joining together to form a European Community have before t h em a draft Treaty, t o which is attached a protocol on links between the Community and the Council. The draft suggests that a similar protocol be added t o the Statute of the Council. The terms of the protocol follow closely the suggestions made by the Consultative Assembly in Resolution 26, which it adopted in January, 1953.

6. At this stage it seems too early for our Committee to express a view on the draft Treaty as a whole or on any part of it, given t h a t the Treaty has still to be examined by the six Foreign Ministers concerned. The question of representation of the Community in the Council will require most careful study. We have instructed the Secretary-General to keep in touch with the work proceeding at Governemental level on the draft Treaty adopted by the Ad Hoc Assembly. Furthermore, the Assembly will no doubt have noted with satisfaction the decision reached at Luxembourg in September last by the Ministers of the six Governments concerned to transmit to our Committee periodical reports on this subject. We know that the Consultative Assembly intends to continue its work in this very import a n t field and we shall gladly consider any resulting recommendations.

7. We have considered the view of the Consultative Assembly that the Council of Europe should constitute the general framework of European policy. And we are agreed t h a t a common basis is desirable for all international agreements which aim at ensuring closer unity between the countries of Europe. We have, therefore, recommended to our Governments that any proposals which any of them may in the future decide to make concerning the establishment of new organisations of a European character should provide for the establishment of links between such organisations and the Council, and should be submitted foidiscussion to the latter at the earliest possible moment. Moreover, being firmly convinced of the desirability of ensuring the closest possible links between the O. E. E. C. and the Council in the development of a co-ordinated European economic policy, we have asked the Liaison Committee of the Council of Europe, in conjunction with the Liaison Committee of 0. E. E. C. to re-examine the texts governing relations between the two organisations, and to report to us.

8. We believe that it is important to establish a well-defined programme of work for the Council, not only in order t h a t it may effectively further the cause of European unity, but also t h a t the people of Europe may understand more clearly the rôle which the Council should play. We have, therefore, recommended our Governments to consider immediately what should be the substance of such a programme and by what methods it could best be implemented. And we have instructed our Deputies to consider the question further and report to us without delay.

9. The aims of t h e Council of Europe are entirely pacific. Therefore, no matter how relations between the Powers may develop, i t is t h e duty of t h e European countries which have signed its Statute and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, united as they are by a common ideal, jointly to ensure their economic prosperity and social well-being.

10. The solidarity of Member States of the Council is an' established fact, to which their spirit of co-operation within the Council of Europe and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation has testified over the past years. On the human plane, a striking proof of this was afforded by the spontaneous aid given by Member States to their fellow- Members which suffered in t h e recent flood and earthquake disasters. They will continue to be animated by this same solidarity in their common effort to build a better world.

11. Considering t h a t it is desirable to facil i t a te participation of those European countries which are not members of t h e Council in certain of its activities, they declare the Council's readiness to conclude with such countries as would like to be associated with it agreements governing the ways and means of such association. On this, the.fourth anniversary of the foundation of the Council of the Europe, the Member States, convinced, as they affirmed in the Preamble to the Statute, that the pursuit of peace based upon justice and international co-operation is vital for the preservation of human society and civilisation, solemnly declare t h a t the Council of Europe remains open to the accession of all European nations which, as the Statute requires, acknowledge the rule of law and the sanctity of fundamental freedoms.

Appendix

Resolution (53) 13

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Considering that a common basis is desirable for all international agreements which aim at ensuring closer unity between the countries of Europe;

2. Taking into account the opinion expressed by the Consultative Assembly that the Council of Europe should constitute the general framework of European policy,

3. Recommends to the Governments of Member States that any future proposals towards the creation of new organisations of a European character should at the earliest possible moment be submitted to the Council of Europe for discussion, and that these should provide for the establishment of links between such organisations and the Council.

Resolution (53) 14

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Recognising the need of a well-defined programme of work for the Council of Europe, not only in order that it may effectively further the cause of European unity, but also that the people of Europe may understand more clearly the rôle which the Council should play,

2. Recommends Member Governments to consider immediately the substance of such a programme, and by what methods it could best be implemented;

3. Instructs the Committee of Ministers' Deputies to examine in what way this programme is to be drawn up and by what means intergovernmental co-operation within the Council of Europe can be developed; and

4. Invites the Deputies to report without delay to the Committee of Ministers on the results of this work.

Resolution (53) 15

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Having regard to the texts governing relations between the Council of Europe and O. E. E. C;

2. Considering that it is desirable to ensure the closer possible links between the two organisations for the development of a co-ordinated European economic policy,

3. Hereby instructs the Liaison Committee of the Council of Europe, in conjunction with the Committee of O. E. E. C, to re-examine the existing texts to this end and to report on them to the Committee of Ministers.

Résolution (53) 16

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Considering that it is desirable to facilitate participation of those European countries, which are not Members of the Council of Europe, in certain of the Council's activities,

2. Declares its readiness to conclude with European countries which are not Members of the Council and would like to be associated with certain of the Council's activities agreements determining the ways and means of such association.

Resolution (53) 17

The Committee of Ministers,

Having regard to Recommendation 26 of the Consultative Assembly on the co-ordination of the economies of Member States of the Council of Europe and of the overseas countries with which they have constitutional links ;

Considering that the importance and complexity of the problems raised by this Recommendation make it necessary to proceed to detailed surveys before reaching any decision,

Resolves :

a to transmit to the Governments of Member States Recommendation 26 of the Consultative Assembly;

b to transmit that Recommendation for study to 0. E. E. C;

c while reserving any decision in the matter to retain the question on the Agenda of its next session.

Resolution (53) 18

The Committee of Ministers,

Having considered the Consultative Assembly's Recommendation 37 that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should be requested to provide the requisite information for a report on the general problems of European Defence to be drawn up each year by the competent committee of the Council of Europe with a view to its discussion in the Assembly;

Considering that arrangements embodied in the exchange of letters between the Secretary- General of the Council of Europe and the Secretary- General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation include appropriate provision for the exchange of information between the two organisations,

Resolves that no other measures altering the existing relationship between the Council of Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation need to be taken at the present time.

Resolution (53) 19

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Considering that, in order to be in a position to lay down a European policy for emigration to the other continents, the European Governments should first reach agreement on opportunities for mobility of surplus manpower among the countries of Europe itself,

2. Instructs the Secretary-General to submit to the Committee of Ministers a study of the possibilities of improving the organisation of migration within Europe by limited but concrete plans to settle workers from over-populated countries in the countries which are ready to receive them.

Resolution (53) 20

The Committee of Ministers,

1. Conscious of the importance for the peace of Europe that a satisfactory solution be found for the European demographic problem;

2. Considering that in certain European countries this problem is becoming disturbingly acute and has undesirable repercussions on the social and political stability of Europe as a whole;

3. Considering that all necessary steps should be taken to maintain and increase emigration from those countries whose policy it is to encourage emigration ;

4. Believing that a number of problems raised by the integration of Europe cannot he adequately solved without greater facilities for the migration of surplus elements of European population to certain overseas territories to whose economic progress they could contribute,

5. Resolves to support all such action taken in the technical and economic field to secure the above end as may further the economic assimilation of emigrants from Western Europe;

6. Appeals to the Governments of extra- European countries to facilitate the immigration of Europeans as an element in development programmes designed to bring about an expansion of world economy;

7. Draws the attention of these Governments to the advisability of increased financial support of international organisations concerned with migration, requesting that the Governments take part in co-ordinating the activities of the said organisations.

Resolution (53) 21

The Committee of Ministers,

Having regard to the opinion of the Special Liaison Committee expressed in its Recommendation No. 7,

Resolves to invite Member Governments :

a to support action undertaken on behalf of the Berlin refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner, and in particular :

a to facilitate the rehabilitation of refugees in Western Germany, especially by the construction of accommodation which would allow of their living near their place of work;

b to afford material aid to refugees (spring mattresses, mattresses, blankets, clothing, shoes, food and pharmaceutical products, particularly intended for children);

c to afford refugees the greatest possible facilities for immigration;

b to instigate measures which might facilitate the liquidation of refugee camps and the construction of living accommodation.

Resolution (53) 22

The Committee of Ministers,

Its attention having been drawn to the grave and urgent practical and human problems arising out of the presence of refugees in European countries, more especially in the German Federal Republic;

Considering that it has been suggested that the existing machinery is inappropriate to deal with all aspects of this problem, as also the problem of overpopulation,

Requests the Governments concerned to furnish the Council of Europe and Member Governments with full information on the problem and to suggest practical measures of assistance which might be taken to deal with it;

Resolves, consequently, to appoint for a period of one year an eminent European personality whose special interest shall be European refugee and overpopulation problems;

Requests the Deputies to recommend urgently what measures of co-ordinated action should be undertaken by the Council of Europe.

Resolution (53) 23

The Committee of Ministers,

Having regard to Opinion No. 3 adopted by the Consultative Assembly in September, 1952 ;

Having taken note of the arrangement in pursuance of which the Common Assembly of the E. C. S. C. and the Consultative Assembly will hold an annual joint meeting, with the High Authority attending the meeting in order to take part in the discussion of questions raised therein;

Having regard to the fact that the first such meeting will shortly take place,

Resolves to inform the E. C. S. C. and the Consultative Assembly that :

a it welcomes wholeheartedly the establishment of the links between the two Assemblies which it considers to be in harmony with the spirit of paragraph 1 (d) of Section B of Opinion No. 3;

b it attaches great importance to the principles enunciated in Section D of Opinion No. 3 and it suggests therefore that the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe should continue in this spirit to seek with the competent organs of the E. C. S. C. what effect could be given to them insofar as this Community is concerned;

c it authorises the Secretary-General to enter into the discussions envisaged in paragraph (b) above, in the event of the E. C. S. C. being agreeable to the proposal.