Establishment of a European Transport Council

Recommendation 30 (1952)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

This Recommendation was adopted by theAssembly at its Twenty-second Sitting, 26th September, 1952 (seeDoc. 72, Report of the Committee onEconomic Questions).

The Assembly,

Having regard to the Recommendation adopted on 26th August, 1950, on the co-ordination of European communications ;

Having regard to Article 70 of the Treaty instituting the European Coal and Steel Community and paragraph 10 of Chapter I of the Transitional Provisions ;

Recommends to the Committee of Ministers,

the establishment of a European Council for internal transport, by road, rail and water, in accordance with the following principles :

The European organisation for internal transport shall take the form of a two-tier structure.

I. The basic structure shall be composed of the major organisations representing the various modes of transport: rail, inland waterways, and road, such as :

The International Union of Railways,

The International Union of River Navigation,

The International Road Federation and the International Road Transport Union.

The basic organs should aim to secure the necessary degree of activity and efficiency in each branch as rapidly as possible, for the following purposes :

(a) Studying and achieving internal co-operation and co-ordination in the following fields :

operation of transport services ;

joint utilisation of installations ;

loans, exchanges and pooling of equipment ;

standardisation of equipment ;

equipment and utilisation of the most economical routes in order to reduce charges ;

transport rates.

(b) Drawing up plans for the replacement of equipment and for large-scale investment commensurate with the needs of the European economy.

II. A European Council for Internal Transport shall be established, which, having as its basis the work of the above-mentioned specialised organisations and able to avail itself of the studies carried out by such existing inter-governmental organisations as the Inland Transport Committees of the Economic Commission for Europe and O. E. E. C, shall :

a formulate recommendations for the requisite co-ordination of the three modes of transport ;

b establish an order of priority for investments ;

c formulate recommendations for maintaining the financial equilibrium of the three modes of transport and financing the development schemes of the European transport services.

Countries not Members of the Council of Europe may be invited to take part in the activities of the European Transport Council, with the approval of the Council of Europe.

The European Council for Internal Transport shall be composed of members appointed by :

the Governments ;

the three major organisations representing the three modes of transport ;

the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe ;

the High Authority of the Coal and Steel Community ;

the International Chamber of Commerce ;

the Trade Unions.

The Council shall meet at regular intervals and have a permanent technical secretariat which shall for administrative purposes be incorporated into the Secretariat-General of the Council of Europe,

The Council shall forward to the Council of Europe an annual Report on its activities. This Report shall be submitted to the Consultative Assembly at each Ordinary Session.