April 1961 The mayors of Amsterdam, Bonn, Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris and Rome skilled by unanimous vote, have, previously, ratified the friendship treaty bundling the six capitals of the C.E.E. This friendship treaty has got a double objective: On the one hand, maintaining the permanent links between the communities of the six cities by encouraging, in all fields, the trade between its inhabitants in order to develop “the living feeling of European solidarity.” On the other hand, encouraging the conjunction of the efforts of the signatory cities so that they’ll contribute as much as possible to the success “of this necessary start of peace and prosperity: the European unity”. The signature ceremony is preceded, on 26 April, by a work seminar during which the representatives solve different procedure problems and questions concerning the working of the Union. It is surrounded by fantastic gatherings worthy of this event. On proposal of the Amsterdam delegation and of the applause of its colleagues, Mr. Lucien Cooremans is elected chairman of the Union of Capitals of the European Community for a period of two years.
It is considered to let the city of Athens join in, in view of Greece’s association to the Common Market. On the other hand, if Berlin should one day become Germany’s capital once again, Bonn will make way for it in the Union. The six delegations have decided to align themselves, for the linguistic part, with the actual rules or those coming from the European Institutions and to adopt, for reasons of protocol, the alphabetical order of capitals.
A board made for this event through “Presence of Brussels” provides all details concerning the status of the Union of Capitals as well as the ceremonies organised during the signing of the friendship pact between the six cities. |