European Youth Centre in Budapest

European Youth Centre in Budapest

Doc. 7448

5 January 1996

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

presented by Sir Russell JOHNSTON and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The European Youth Centre in Budapest has come into operation (December 1995) as an additional base for the expanding youth activities of the Council of Europe carried out so far in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg.

2.       The building in Budapest has been generously made available by the Hungarian authorities. It is centrally located, with residential meeting facilities renovated to Council of Europe specifications.

3.       This is the first institutional step the Council of Europe has taken into the new democratic countries of central and eastern Europe.

4.       In addition to the usual co-managed youth activities, the Budapest Centre might also offer possibilities for wider cultural and political Council of Europe activities. There are many ways for example in which the Assembly might make use of the facilities of the centre, in particular through such activities as hearings or conferences related to young people.

5.       There will inevitably be at the outset a number of practical problems (largely related to the new situation of operating in central and eastern Europe). These must be progressively but resolutely overcome. In particular full use of the premises must be secured as soon as possible as on this the economic viability of the centre depends.

6.       It is important that this exciting new initiative succeeds. The positive support of all member states is highly desirable.

7.       For these reasons, the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers

a.       take urgent steps to restore a budgetary allocation for the Budapest Centre in 1996 commensurate with its capacity (which is virtually the double of the Strasbourg centre);

b.       establish a secretariat for running the centre at full occupancy, taking account both of European and of current local employment conditions, and relate the administration of the centre to local practice;

c.       invite the European Union to enter into a formal agreement for the holding of certain joint activities in the centre.

Signed [1]:
JOHNSTON , United Kingdom, LDR
MOCIOI, Romania, UEL
ROBERT, Switzerland, LDR
BERG, Norway, EDG
KARAS, Czech Republic, PPE
FLEETWOOD, Sweden, EDG
FISCHER, Germany, PPE
KOLLWELTER, Luxembourg, SOC
HOOPER, United Kingdom, EDG
CHRISTODOULIDES, Cyprus, UEL
VEIDEMANN, Estonia, LDR
STAES, Belgium, PPE
PROBST, Germany, PPE

[1]      SOC : Socialist Group
          EPP : Group of the European People's Party
          EDG : European Democratic Group
          LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group
          UEL : Group of the Unified European Left