The Assembly has taken account with the greatest interest of the information supplied in the Third Report of the Brussels Treaty Organisation on its work in the social field.
It is happy to note that this work complements that of the Council of Europe, with which it harmonises most satisfactorily. Whether as promoter or as a model, the Brussels Treaty Organisation plays a most useful role within the framework of the activities of the Council of Europe.
This satisfactory harmonisation is at the present moment apparent in such fields as the ratification of the International Labour Conventions, the implementation of the multilateral Convention and bilateral Agreements on social security, and the employment of foreign workers.
The Assembly has taken note of the activities of the Working Party of statistical experts with regard to average earnings in certain industries, statistical methods for evaluating family budgets and the international classification of items of expenditure. Such work is of the highest importance in any action to be taken in connection with European integration in the social field.
The Assembly will particularly appreciate receiving detailed information on the results obtained, and, in a general way being kept informed each year, as hitherto, of the work of the Brussels Treaty Organisation.
With regard also to the cultural section of the Report, the Consultative Assembly wishes to emphasise its great appreciation of the work being done by the Brussels Treaty Organisation.
I n particular, it notes the wish expressed by the Brussels Treaty Organisation to' transfer some of its activities to the Council of Europe.
The Consultative Assembly, wishing to improve still further its methods of cooperation with international organisations, believes that these problems should be considered under three headings, corresponding to the three forms of activity now being pursued or contemplated.
I t appears desirable to consider in the first place those questions with which the Council of Europe has already concerned itself. This section is the counterpart of the Report transmitted by the Brussels Treaty Organisation.
Secondly, the Assembly desires to make reference to the desire expressed in the Report of the Brussels Treaty Organisation that some of the latter's activities should be transferred to the Council of Europe.
Finally, the Assembly is disposed to consider ways and means by which closer cooperation between the two organisations might be achieved in the cultural field.
In the field of education, the Assembly notes with satisfaction that there is no duplication between its activities and those of the Brussels Treaty Organisation.
(i) The Council of Europe has given careful consideration to the question of the equivalence of diplomas in the field of higher education. In that connection, the Assembly would remind the Brussels Treaty Organisation that on December 12th, 1953, the Committee of Ministers of the Council signed a Convention dealing with the recognition of examinations qualifying for entrance to universities. This Convention has come into force after ratification by three Member States. Hitherto six instruments of ratification have been deposited, namely those of Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, the Saar and the United Kingdom. In addition, the Committee of Cultural Experts of the Committee of Ministers of the Council is at the moment considering the possibility of submitting two further draft Conventions dealing respectively with the recognition of periods of study spent, and examinations passed, in foreign universities and with the equivalence of professional degrees..
(ii) Another educational problem which has been examined by the Council of Europe is that of training in European civics. The problems involved in publishing a Handbook of European Civics are being studied on the basis of the work undertaken during courses held under the auspices of the Committee of Cultural Experts in Bruges, Nancy and Calw, the Round Table meeting at Rome, and a course which was held in Oslo in August.
(iii) With regard ot the improvement of textbooks, the Council of Europe has devoted particular attention to the revision of history textbooks. During the course held in Oslo, it was possible to examine the possibility of co-ordinating the efforts made by Member States in this respect with a view to introducing the European idea into the teaching of history.
(iv) Both the Assembly, through its Committee on Cultural Questions, and the Committee of Cultural Experts are at the moment considering the manner in which collaboration can be assured between the Council of Europe and the various European youth organisations.
(i) In implementation of a Eecommendation adopted by the Assembly,Note the Committee of Ministers approved the allocation in the annual cultural budget of the Council of Europe of a sum to be employed in promoting exchanges between workers of the various Member States. As the result of this decision, the sum of one million French francs was made available to the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom and Belgium in the cultural budget of 1953/54, and in the budget of 1954/55 the sum of two million French francs has been similarly made available to the Governments of Denmark, Italy and Sweden.
(ii) The Council of Europe has subsidised the award of fellowships for the purpose of encouraging research in the following fields :
(iii) The Committee on Social Questions is at the moment studying the means of giving effect to a Motion referred to it by the Assembly calling for an " Examination of the possibilities of promoting foreign travel by citizens of Member States on an exchange basis or otherwise, in order to improve mutual understanding and a knowledge of each other's way of life ". This question will, of course, be examined in the light of what is being done on the same lines elsewhere, and in particular by UNESCO.
(i) At the request of the Council of Europe, M. Piovene kindly agreed to represent the Council at the Conference organised by UNESCO and held at Sao Paulo on 16th August on the following theme : " The European contribution to cultural life and humanism among the Peoples of the Americas. "
(ii) The Assembly would like to recall in this context the ceremony which took place in London on 16th June to mark the presentation to the Secretary-General of the publication : The European Inheritance. The choice of the Council of Europe as the repository of this important contribution to the history of European civilisation testifies to the importance of its vocation as a champion of Western civilisation.
As an example of what might be undertaken jointly by the Council of Europe and the Brussels Treaty Organisation, we may mention the issue of the Cultural Identity Card, which was put into effect on 1st June, 1954.
The Council of Europe has not yet received from Member States the reports for which it asked on the results achieved since this card was issued. However, the information it has so far received indicates that the Card is meeting with some success. I n its forthcoming account of developments supplied to the Brussels Treaty Organisation, the Council will provide interesting statistics in this subject.
The Assembly notes that the Brussels Treaty Organisation offers it the benefit of its experience. It thanks the Organisation for this offer and regards it as opening up a prospect of doing valuable work, which will, however, require careful preparation.
The Assembly therefore suggests that a meeting between .a limited number of representatives of each organisation should be held in the near future to study what particular projects might benefit through such cooperation.