Eingestellte DIW Publikationen 4 / 1970, S. 279-289
Heinrich Machowski
Subject of this study is a survey of functions, powers and relationship of the organs of the "Council for Mutual Economic Assistance" (CMEA). The Council Session, the Executive Committee and the Standing Commissions, three of the principal CMEA-organs, are only entitled to adopt recommendations on matters of economic co-operation. They are, however, empowered to decide on organizational and procedural matters. The only principal organ not being authorized even to adopt recommendations remains the Secretariat, though it seems to be most suitable to represent common interests within the CMEA. It is only competent to initiate recommendations as well as the other auxiliary-organs of the Council. In contrast, the special CMEA-agencies (Common Waggon Pool, Intermetall, lnterchim etc.) are authorized to make binding decisions in certain cases within the bounds of their competence. In any case, recommendations as well as decisions of all CMEA-organs require unanimity; only within the newly created "International Investment Bank" this principle is substituted by the majority rule in some marginal activities. By the present organizational structure the CMEA is characterized as a strictly intergovernmental institution. The power to promote economic co-operation remains with the national governments. Obviously, the member countries have been hesitating to coordinate their economic plans on the multilateral level. The CMEA-Charta, expressing the strict equality of all members, does not reflect the actual divergence of the national economic interests and the discrepancy of political power among the member countries.