European economic relations and Atlantic economic partnership

Recommendation 380 (1964)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 14th and 15th January 1964 (18th, 19th and 21st Sittings) (see Doc. 1694, report of the Economic Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 15th January 1964 (21st Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Welcoming the signature, on 20th July 1963, of the Association Convention between the European Economic Community and the African States and Madagascar and the signature, on 12th September 1963, of the Association Agreement between the European Economic Community and Turkey as a further step towards European integration and congratulating the European Economic Community and the Greek Government on the decisions to accelerate tariff reductions and bring the Greek tariff into line with the common internal tariff;

2. Noting with satisfaction that numerous steps have been taken since January 1963 to develop contacts between the European Economic Community and other member countries particularly through the Council of Ministers of Western European Union, with a view to discussing mutual problems arising out of the present division in the economic field and seeking to foster better mutual understanding, and, in particular, welcoming the fact that exploratory discussions are taking place between the European Economic Community on the one hand, and Austria, Denmark and Ireland on the other, with a view to alleviating the particularly grave problems created for these countries;

3. Hoping that the question of Israel's relations with the European Economic Community, which has been regrettably delayed, will be rapidly resolved;

4. Having examined the decisions taken by the Council of the European Economic Community on 23rd December 1963 regarding a common farm policy and a mandate for the European Commission for the "Kennedy round" of tariff negotiations;

5. Welcoming the fact that the European Economic Community has overcome a crisis of confidence;

6. Convinced that a successful outcome of the "Kennedy round" of trade negotiations is of vital importance for the further development of Atlantic relations, for expanding world trade and economic growth and, not least, for mitigating the impact of the present division in Europe on intra-European trade, and deeply concerned over the difficulties encountered in reaching agreement on the GATT Trade Negotiations Plan,

7. Recommends to the Committee of Ministers :

a to continue to give most serious consideration, in implementation of its Resolution (63) 6, to the closely inter-related problems involved in pursuing the task of integrating Europe and strengthening and developing Europe's relations with North America in a spirit of Atlantic partnership in the economic field;

b to spare no efforts of consultation, if necessary at the highest political level, to ensure that Europe's contribution to the forthcoming GATT trade negotiations, in particular on the part of the European Economic Community as well as of EFTA countries, is positive and constructive;

c that member Governments take advantage of their discussions in the ad hoc working group of the OECD on the UN Conference on Trade and Development and in the Western European Union to agree on a concerted European policy at this Conference, taking into account the interests of third parties, and that consultations should also be held on these matters in the Committee of Ministers.