EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27241, 18 November 1949, Page 11

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Admission Of Western

Germany

Controversial Question

Whether Western is to be admitted to the Council of Europe is the most controversial question to be decided by the Committee of Ministers of the Council when it meets in Paris on Wednesday. This meeting will provide the first real indication of how seriously the statesmen now in power in Europe intend to treat the opinions expressed and the recommendations made by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe at its first meeting at Strasbourg in August. The Council of Europe, it is recalled, is composed of two bodies representing 12 European nations. The Consultative Assembly, as its name suggests, is purely deliberative, with delegates nominated by member Governments and in most cases in' consultation with national Parliaments. Its recommendations can only become effective when referred to and approved by the Committee of Ministers, composed of the Foreign Ministers of the member States, which exercises the role of executive in the Council of Europe. In Paris, for the first time, the Committee of Ministers will have to reject or approve a series of proposals adopted by the Assembly at Strasbourg and aimed at bringing Europe a stage nearer to political and eeonbmic unity. A request that the Committee of Ministers should take a decision on the admission of new full members or associate members is contained in the report of the Consultative Assembly to the Committee of Ministers on the recommendations adopted at Strasbourg. These recommendations, together with an explanatory covering letter, were sent to the Committee of Ministers last month by M Paul-Henri Spaak, chairman of the Assembly. Further Candidates Besides Western Germany, whose elections took place during the inaugural session of the Council of Europe at Strasbourg in August, Austria and the Saar are both candidates whose eligibility the Committee of Ministers will be asked to discuss at its Paris meeting. Apart from tne admission of ne.w members, the most topical recommendations which the Committee of Ministers will be asked to consider come under the heading of economic questions. The Assembly is seeking the Ministers’ approval for the creation of a system of multilateral payments between member States and the reestablishment of convertibility of European currencies. It also proposes setting up a permanent body for the co-ordination of credit policy, the promotion of inter-European trade and the preparation of a European Economic Union by maintaining and developing existing preferential systems and to study the development of productivity among member States. In his covering letter, M. Spaak expresses, on behalf of the Assembly, the nope that the Committee of Ministers will agree to submit proposals based on these economic - recommendations at the next meeting of the Assembly so as to enable the Council of Europe to enter into negotiations with the Government of the United States and any other interested Governments on these questions. Under the heading of “ proposed amendments to the Statute,” the Assembly asks to be consulted concerning the admission of new members, to be allowed to fix its own agenda independently of the Committee of Ministers, and to appoint separate de.puty-secretaries-general for the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers. < ,' Social Questions On social questions the Committee of Ministers will receive a recommendation that member States reform their respective system of social legislation so as eventually to achieve a common standard of social security. The Ministers are also asked to draw up, as soon as possible, a draft convention of collective guarantees which would assure to all nationals of member States in all member territories the effective enjoyment of essential rights and freedoms set out in the declaration of human rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Each member State is further asked to study the question of the issue of a European passport. It was also decided by the Assembly at Strasbourg that its various committees should continue work between sessions and that a standing committee should co-ordi-nate the work of the Assembly and of the Committee of Ministers. For instance, the Assembly reports to the Committee of Ministers that the General Affairs Committee is to study the changes in political and constitutional structure of member States which would be necessary to realise the various proposals made for a real federation of Europe. In general, the Assembly has approved the establishment of a European political authority with limited functions but real power within these limits, and has referred the question for further study to its Standing Committee. It has also expressed its opinion that an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly should be held early in 1950, presumably to deal with questions of admission of new members and problems of economic collaboration in the light of the verdict of the Committee of Ministers, to be reached in Paris, •on the Assembly’s recommendations on these subjects. Finally, the Assembly has passed to the Ministers a request for fuller and more detailed reports on its own meetings.—Reuter, London.