HC Deb 20 February 1954 vol 689 cc240-1W
Mr. Gresham Cooke

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has now been taken with regard to Recommendation 376 on the tasks of the Assembly of the Council of Europe in the present situation of European affairs, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24th September 1963.

Mr. R. A. Butler

Recommendation 376 has been considered by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Committee

  1. (a) instructed the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts, under the supervision of the Permanent Representatives, to report on the feasibility of agreements on harmonisation in social, cultural, legal and administrative matters based on those already taken by one or the other of the two economic groups (the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association);
  2. (b) exchanged views on the GATT tariff negotiations, and agreed to discuss these negotiations again at their next meeting in April 1964.

Proposals by the President of the Consultative Assembly, M. Pflimlin, for consultations between the Assembly and the Committee of Ministers on the question of a Working Programme are under consideration by Ministers' Deputies.