Arrangement between the Director-General of the International Labour Office
and the Secretary-General of Western European Union

1. The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Secretary-General of Western European Union have agreed that the positive results achieved hitherto through mutual consultation and collaboration between the International Labour Office and the Social Committee of Western European Union on matters of common concern should be widened and further strengthened.

2. In order to avoid duplication and overlapping, the field of consultation should cover all activities of common concern, including social security, manpower, industrial safety and health, statistics, co-operation between public authorities and employers' and workers' organisations, labour inspection and workers' welfare. Where appropriate, such consultations would lead to the formulation of proposals concerning the collaboration between the two organisations on a specific problem.

3. The International Labour Office and Social Committee of Western European Union will keep each other informed by the transmission of documents or otherwise of developments in the work of the two organisations which are of common interest; restricted documents communicated by either organisation to the other will not be published in whole or in part without the concurrence of the organisation originating them.

4. A representative of the International Labour Organisation will be invited to attend the meetings of the Social Committee of Western European Union and its subcommittees whenever the participation of an observer appears desirable in view of the inclusion in the agenda of questions of mutual interest. Reciprocal arrangements for the attendance of a representative of Western European Union at meetings convened by the International Labour Organisation will be made in appropriate cases.

5. The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Secretary-General of Western European Union will maintain through their duly appointed representatives regular liaison to secure the full implementation of this arrangement through consultations, correspondence or other appropriate means.

11 January 1958.

(Signed)
David A. MORSE.
L. GOFFIN.

This arrangement was noted at its 138th Session (Geneva, March 1958) by the Governing Body of the I.L.O., which authorised the Director-General to invite observers from the Western European Union to participate in I.L.O. meetings whenever their agenda included questions of mutual interest to the two organisations. The following letter was subsequently addressed by the International Labour Office to the Western European Union:

LETTER FROM THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE
TO THE WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION
(Translation)

Geneva, 19 March 1958.

Sir,

On behalf of the Director-General, I have the honour to inform you that, at its 138th Session (Geneva, 11-15 March 1958), the Governing Body of the International Labour Office noted the arrangement concluded with you in Paris on 11 January 1958.

On the same occasion the Governing Body also gave the Director-General the necessary authority to enable him to invite observers from the Western European Union to participate in I.L.O. meetings whenever their agenda includes questions of mutual interest to the two organisations.

The latter decision will permit of the full enactment of the Paris Agreement and I am happy to see this new and important step in the development of relations of close and cordial co-operation between the International Labour Office and the Western European Union.

I have the honour to be, etc.

(Signed) C. W. JENKS,
Assistant Director-General.

***

Published in: Official Bulletin of the ILO, Vol. XLI, 1958, No. 8