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IV. CONCLUSIONS
(1) Establishment of a European Political Authority
Page 659
The Assembly, by adopting paragraphs 5 and 8 of Part IV of Document 87, has shown that it considers one of its aims and objects to be the establishment of a European political authority with limited functions but real powers. This question has been referred to the Standing Committee.
(2) Convocation of an Extraordinary Session
The Assembly considers that it would be right to meet in extraordinary session in the early part of 1950. The Standing Committee will take the necessary steps at the appropriate moment.
The Assembly has also resolved that if its members decide by a simple majority vote to ask the President to call a special session, the President shall communicate with the Committee of Ministers on this matter (paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part IV of Document 87).
(3) Reports of the Committee of Ministers
Finally, the Assembly has requested that Reports of the Committee of Ministers, as provided for in Article 19 of the Statute, shall be as detailed as possible and shall contain clearly defined proposals on the various questions trans- mitted by the Committee to the Assembly for an opinion. This recommendation is the result of the feeling of uncertainty which pervaded the Assembly at the beginning of the session, when it was faced with requests for opinions which, by reasons of the short notice given for the convening of the Assembly, it had proved impossible to formulate very clearly. The Assembly attaches the greatest importance to receiving detailed and complete reports from the Committee of Ministers, in accordance with Article 19 of the Statute.
It would appear that, in general, these Reports should be the first item on the Agenda of the Assembly at each session. They will facilitate the establishment of confident relations between the two organs of the Council of Europe. The Assembly is convinced that it is expressing the sentiments of the Committee of Ministers also, when it affirms that the continuance of the confident relationship which has marked this first session of the Council is a vital necessity for the future of the organisation.
I have the honour to be, Your Excellency,
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed)
PAUL-HENRI SPAAK.
APPENDIX B
LETTER FROM CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO PRESIDENT OF THE ASSEMBLY: AGENDA
Sir,
Council of Europe,
Committee of Ministers, The Chairman's Office, Strasbourg, 10th August, 1949.
In conformity with Article 19 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, signed in London on 5th May, 1949, which, in accordance with Article 42, came into force on 3rd August, I have the honour to inform you that the Committee of Ministers, during its meetings on 8th and 9th August, approved the following documents which the Preparatory Commission had been instructed to draw up :-
Provisional Rules of Procedure for the Committee of Ministers. Draft Budget.
Financial and Administrative Regulations.
Preliminary report on the staff requirements of the Council.
Bag General Agreement on Privileges and Impunities of the Council of
$59
325
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spe&agreement between the Council of Europe
the a¤KHament
of the French Republic relating to the seat of the Council of Europe.
Proposals for the proportionate share of each of the Members in the expenses of the Council of Europe.
I should be obliged if you would transmit this information to the members of the Assembly, together with the provisional rules of procedure for the Assembly and a provisional agenda for the present session.
The provisional rules of procedure, as drafted by the Preparatory Commis- sion, will, in conformity with Article 8 (a) of the Agreement for the establishment of the Preparatory Commission, be operative in the Assembly pending the adoption of its final rules of procedure.
In this connexion, the Committee of Ministers draws the attention of the Assembly to the fact that certain provisions in the provisional Rules of Procedure concern the relations between the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers. The Committee of Ministers suggest that these provisions might be the subject of joint examination between the two bodies before the adoption of the final text.
Article 27 of the Statute reads as follows:-
"The conditions under which the Committee of Ministers collectively may be represented in the debates of the Consultative Assembly, or individual representatives on the Committee, may address the Assembly, shall be deter- mined by such rules of procedure on this subject as may be drawn up by the Committee after consultation with the Assembly."
In accordance with this article, I have been instructed to transmit to you with a request for an opinion the following articles of the Committee's Rules of Procedure as provisionally adopted in this connexion, article 12 unanimously, article 12 (a) by 8 votes to 2.
Article 12
(a) The Committee of Ministers may authorise one of its members to make a statement of its views to the Consultative Assembly on any matter, whether or not it is on the agenda of the Assembly.
(b) The selected representative or representatives shall limit themselves to make a statement which the Committee may approve in advance, unless it decides that it is desirable to take part in the Assembly's discussions on the question concerned.
(c) The President of the Assembly and the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers agree on the date of the hearing of the discussion.
Article 12 (a)
(a) If any representative on the Committee, being a member of the Govern- ment which he represents, wishes to speak as an individual and under his own name on any item on the Agenda of the Assembly, the request shall be addressed to the Committee of Ministers, which is empowered to take a decision on it by a simple majority vote.
(b) If the Committee decides in the affirmative, the Chairman of the Com- mittee shall notify the President of the Assembly, who shall settle with the representative the date on which he shall be heard.
In accordance with Article 36 of the Statute, the Committee of Ministers recommend to the Assembly that Mr. J. C. Paris be selected for the position of Secretary-General and Mr. A. S. Halford for the position of Deputy Secretary- General to the Council of Europe.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Monsieur Edouard Herriot,
President of the Consultative
Assembly of the Council of Europe.