Establishment of a European Refugees Office
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Adopted 26th August
1950, at the conclusion of the Debate on the Report of the Special
Committee on Refugee Questions (see Doc, AS (2) 102 and Sitting
of 26th August 1950).
The Assembly,
Anxious to give proof of European solidarity towards refugees
of all categories in Europe,
Considering that only a European Organisation can give greatest
effect to the measures to be taken within the European framework
for the alleviation of the sufferings of refugees,
Decides to instruct the special Committee on Refugees to study
the legal issues involved in the problem and to draw up a draft
Convention relative to the establishment of a European Refugees
Office which will be empowered to do all that is necessary on behalf
of all refugees, whatever their nationality, religion or race. The special
duties of this organisation will be :
1 To make all necessary arrangements for the legal and political
protection of refugees, possibly by aiding the Member Governments
of the Council of Europe to draw up international agreements in
this field ;
2 To determine, in collaboration with other international
organisations, in particular the O. E. E. C, and if necessary with
the Governments concerned, the main lines of a policy of rehabilitation
and full employment of refugees, paying due regard to all aspects
of the problem ;
3 To work out, in collaboration with the Governments concerned
and the competent international organisations, practical plans for
such rehabilitation in Europe and in countries overseas, and to
raise the funds necessary to finance these plans ;
4 To establish contact with the competent organs of the
United Nations, in particular the I. R. O. and the High Commission
for Refugees, so as to work out the ways in which co-operation may
be achieved and to avoid any duplication of work.
