Council of Europe

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe met for its fifth session in Strasbourg on August 4, 1950 in anticipation of the second session of the Consultative Assembly opening on August 9. At its first meeting the committee discussed the proposed agenda of the Assembly and included on it the following items: 1) a European Charter of Human Rights; 2) a proposal for a convention granting reciprocal treatment of subjects of member states, physical and juridical; 3) uniform civil procedure for member countries; and 4) elimination of double taxation. After the final meeting of the committee on August 9, the chairman of the committee (MacBride, Ireland) announced at a press conference that the ministers had decided to defer until their October meeting decisions on three proposals of the standing committee as the ministers wished to have the further views of the Assembly on them. The General Affairs Committee proposals were: 1) the appointment by each member state of a minister for European affairs to handle Council of Europe matters as a step towards unification; 2) the right of members to accept decisions of the Committee of Ministers in principle but without specific endorsement, to avoid exercise of the veto because of unacceptable details; and 3) the creation of a channel for presentation of the views of the Assembly to the member parliaments for discussion. Mr. MacBride announced at the same press conference that the ministers had decided to hold interim meetings of deputies in order to maintain closer contact with Council proceedings.