Organisation of the Western European Union (WEU) and the links to be established between Western European Union and the Council of Europe
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- (see Doc. 322, Draft fieeolution of the Committee on General Affairs and Explanatory Memorandum by Mr. Maclay, Bapporteur). This Resolution was adopted by the Assembly at its 35th Sitting, on 11th December, 1954
The Assembly,
Having regard to Protocol Ko. I modifying and completing the Treaty of Brussels, signed at Paris on 23rd October, 1954 ;
Considering that, apart from its special responsibilities in connection with the control of armaments, the aim of Western European Union as set forth in the Preamble and in Article VIII of the modified Brussels Treaty is "to promote the unity and encourage the progressive integration of Europe", an aim which is in accordance with that of the Council of Europe as defined in Article 1 of the Statute ;
Having regard to the new Article IX of the modified Treaty of Brussels, which reads :
"The Council of Western European Union shall make an annual report on its activities, and in particular concerning the control of armaments, to an Assembly composed of the Representatives of the Brussels Treaty Powers to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe" ;
Believing it to be in the interests of European unity to link the activities of Western European Union and of the Council of Europe to the greatest possible extent, and to establish lints between the W. E. U. and the Coal and Steel Community ;
Recalling the principles underlying Opinion No. 3 (1952) on the best means of giving effect to the proposals put forward by the United Kingdom in May, 1952 ;
In the hypothesis of the ratification of the Paris Agreements signed on 23rd October, 1954, expresses, with regard to the organisation of the W. E. U. Assembly and the links to be established between Western European Union and the Council of Europe, the following Opinion :
The organisation of the W. E. U. Assembly
I
The provisions which determine the powers, the organisation and the working methods of the Consultative Assembly shall apply mutatis mutantis to the W. E. U. Assembly, without prejudice to the following provisions arising from the special responsibilities of the latter Assembly.
II
1. The W. E. U. shall meet in Ordinary Session once a year. Its Sittings shall be held as far as possible immediately before or immediately after the Sittings of the Consultative Assembly. It may meet in Extraordinary Session whenever necessary.
2. The President and Vice-Presidents of the W. E. U. Assembly may be elected from among those members of the Bureau of the Consultative Assembly who are Representatives to the W. E. U. Assembly.
3. Representatives to the W. E. U. Assembly who are nominated to Committees of the Consultative Assembly shall also serve as members of the corresponding Committees of the former Assembly which are established to consider questions falling within the competence of both Assemblies.
4. The annual Report on the activities of the Council of Western European Union shall be presented to the W. E. U. Assembly by the Chairman or by one of the other members of the Council.
5. The Reports of the Council of Western European Union and of the European Commissioner for the Saar shall be communicated to all Representatives to the W. E. U. Assembly not less than three weeks before the opening of the Ordinary Session of the Assembly at which the Reports are to be presented.
6. In order to enable the W. E. U. Assembly to reply to these Reports in the light of full knowledge of the circumstances, the Committees of the Assembly may request the Council to authorise high officials of Western European Union, and spokesmen of any subsidiary bodies (including Committees of Experts) established by the Council under the new Article VIII (2) of the modified Treaty of Brussels, to appear before them in accordance with regulations to be laid down by agreement between the Council and the Assembly.
7. Proposals for the annual budget of the administrative expenditure of the W.E.U. Assembly shall be submitted to the Council for approval by the President of the Assembly.The President of the W. E. U. Assembly shall be responsible for authorising expenditure on behalf of the Assembly within the limits of the credits specified in the budget mentioned above, once the latter has been approved.
8. The Council shall communicate the annual budget of Western European Union to the W. E. U. Assembly f for an Opinion, before its final adoption.
9.
a The W. E. U. Assembly shall appoint its Clerk.
b The W. E. U. Assembly and the Consultative Assembly shall be serviced by a single secretariat. To that end, the Clerk of the Consultative Assembly shall be assisted by the Clerk of the W. E. U. Assembly, who shall rank as Deputy Clerk of the Consultative Assembly.
Links to be established between Western European Union and the Council of Europe
The Agreement between the Secretary-General of the Brussels Treaty Organisation and the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe shall continue to govern the mutual relations of the two Organisations, it being understood that the provisions contained in that agreement in respect of the social and cultural activities of the Brussels Treaty Organisation shall apply pari passu to all future activities of Western European Union which fall equally within the competence of the Council of Europe.
Links to be established between the Western European Union and the European Coal and Steel Community
The Assembly of the W. E. U. shall submit a report on its activities each year to the Common Assembly of the E. C. S. C.
All other forms of liaison to be established between the W. E. U. and the E. C. S. C. shall be elaborated in an agreement to be made between the two Organisations.
