This is not the first time the Assembly deals with international exhibitions and I should like to recall the Report on the future international exhibitions (Doc. 6986 of January 1994) and Resolution 1025 (1994) on the same subject. This followed a meeting of the Committee on Culture and Education in Seville on the occasion of the 1992 Universal Exhibition.
The contribution of the Council of Europe to the Seville exhibition was rather limited. A far broader pan-European presentation should be attempted in Lisbon.
In the final part of the above mentioned report and following a few reflections it is specifically stated that "These are some ideas that might be part of a scenario for a Council of Europe presentation at the inevitable future world exhibitions (Budapest, Lisbon or Hanover)".
On the other hand, the Resolution in its paragraph 7 relates the aims of international exhibitions to four well defined principles: