On 20 September 1976 in Brussels, representatives of the Member States of the European Communities adopt the Act concerning the election of the representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage. The Act stipulates that the term of office for Members of the European Parliament is five years (Article 3).
Pursuant to Article 6 of the Convention on the Transitional Provisions, annexed to the 1951 Treaty of Paris, the Assembly shall meet, having been convened by the President of the High Authority, one month after the High Authority takes up office in order to elect its officers and draw up its Rules of Procedure.
As the future President of the ECSC High Authority, Jean Monnet is responsible for convening the first session of the Common Assembly. In a letter to Jacques Camille Paris, dated 1 August 1952, he expresses an interest in the facilities which the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe is willing to offer him, for the holding of the first session on the premises of the Consultative Assembly in Strasbourg. At the same time, he indicates his desire to maintain in full the independence and the inherent character of the new institution.
In his reply, four days after receiving Jean Monnet’s letter dated 1 August 1952, Jacques Camille Paris, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, assures the future first President of the High Authority that the ECSC Assembly will have complete autonomy concerning decisions on its future, without the services of the Council of Europe having any influence thereon.
In a letter dated 14 August 1952, Jacques Camille Paris, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, sends to Jean Monnet, President of the High Authority of the ECSC, a list of the services which the Secretariat-General of the Council of Europe can provide for the Common Assembly of the ECSC, on the occasion of its inaugural session on 10 September in Strasbourg.
With a view to enabling the ECSC Common Assembly to begin its work independently, Jean Monnet, President of the High Authority, informs Jacques Camille Paris, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, on 15 August 1952, of his decision to set up a temporary Preparatory Committee, consisting of officials from the national parliaments of the six Member States of the Community, to be responsible for organising the first session of the Assembly in Strasbourg.
Le 15 août 1952, Sforza Galeazzo Sforza, Secrétaire du Cabinet de Jacques Camille Paris, se rend à Luxembourg pour remettre deux lettres de la part du Secrétaire général du Conseil de l’Europe au président de la Haute Autorité de la CECA. Dans un compte-rendu du 18 août, il expose ses conversations avec les membres du Cabinet de Jean Monnet au sujet de l’organisation de la première session de l’Assemblée de la CECA à Strasbourg.
Dans cette déclaration du 8 septembre 1952, Jacques Camille Paris, Secrétaire général du Conseil de l’Europe, fait le compte-rendu de ses entretiens avec Jean Monnet, président de la Haute Autorité de la Communauté européenne du charbon et de l’acier (CECA), au sujet des liens organiques à établir entre les deux organisations.
Discussion between François de Menthon, President of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe (on the left), and Jean Monnet, President of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), in Strasbourg on 10 January 1953.
Paul-Henri Spaak (on the left), President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and Jean Monnet, President of the ECSC High Authority, in Strasbourg in January 1953.
The rules of procedure of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe were an important source of inspiration for the rules of procedure of the Common Assembly (see aforementioned rules).
Rules of Procedure of the Common Assembly, adopted during sessions on 10, 11 and 12 September 1952 and 10 January 1953. These rules of procedure were largely inspired by the rules of procedure of the Common Assembly of the Council of Europe (see aforementioned rules).