Catalogue description Treasury: European Economic Co-operation Committee (Rowan Committee): Registered Files (EEC Series)

Original subject classifications (see Treasury Registration Systems)

The European Reconstruction Committee (known as the London Committee) was the predecessor to the European Economic Co-operation Committee. It was set up in 1947 and chaired by Sir Leslie Rowan. The purpose of the committee was:

'To provide the UK case to be submitted to Paris, to develop the UK case which would be submitted to Washington later in the year when the bilateral negotiations would take place between the USA and the various European countries, and to co-ordinate the instructions to be given to the Paris committee.'

The European Economic Co-operation Committee was established in 1948. It was also chaired by Sir Leslie Rowan. Its terms of reference were:

'To advise the Economic Policy Committee on matters affecting the European Recovery Programme (except on the Programme to be submitted) including the work of the organisation for European Economic Co-operation and the Economic Commission for Europe; to instruct His Majesty's Ambassador in Washington and the United Kingdom Delegations to the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation and the Economic Commission for Europe and negotiations with Canada'.

The work of the European Economic Co-operation Committee was taken over by the Mutual Aid Committee in 1951.