General policy of the Council of Europe
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 14th and 15th January 1964 (18th, 19th and 21st Sittings) (see Doc. 1712, draft Resolution presented by the Political Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 15th January 1964 (21st Sitting).
1. The Assembly,
2. 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" on tariff negotiations;
3. Welcoming the fact that EEC has overcome a crisis of confidence;
4. Considering that decisions on the price of grain have not yet been taken, that the implementation of the mandate depends to a large extent on future decisions by member Governments of EEC, and that equally important decisions have to be taken concerning direct relations between EEC and a number of other countries;
5. Being aware of the possibility that in the course of the year 1964 important steps will be taken in the political relations between the member States of EEC;
6. Considering therefore that the European Community will have to take a number of decisions which will deeply affect the position of other States and the future of Europe as a whole;
7. Recalling its abiding concern :
a for the progressive development of a European Community for all those member States of the Council of Europe able and willing to accept the economic and political obligations of integration;
b for the establishment of a differentiated system of European unification, allowing for the association with the Community of States which will not be able or will not wish to commit themselves to full membership;
c for close and permanent co-operation between a united Europe and the United States,
8. Appeals to the Governments directly concerned :
9. to reopen negotiations for the accession of Britain and the accession or association of other member States of the Council of Europe to the EEC before 1966;
10. to strengthen the institutions of the European Communities with due regard for democratic processes and parliamentary control;
11. to respect, in every form of intra-European political co-operation, the unity of Europe and the possibility of an Atlantic partnership with the United States;
12. to respond positively to the American proposal for an Atlantic partnership, in the knowledge that the next step must come from Europe;
13. to face up to the dangers arising from present disagreements on the purposes and methods of nuclear defence ;
14. to promote contacts with the Soviet Union in order to explore the possibilities of further steps in the control and reduction of armaments and to improve the Berlin situation.
