Series AC/15(SG) - Restricted Committee of the Planning Board for Inland Surface Transport (1952-1958); Steering Group of the Planning Board for Inland Surface Transport (1958-1965)

The AC/15(SG) chronological series contains the documents of the Steering Group of the Planning Board for Inland Surface Transport (hereinafter referred to as the Restricted Committee). The Restricted Committee was established by the PBEIST (or AC/15) on 23 September 1952 (see AC/15-R/3). The initial terms of reference established on 06/10/1952 (see AC/15(SG)D/1) were approved by the PBEIST on 02/12/1952 (see AC/15-R/5). These terms of reference were revised on 22/07/1954 (see AC/15(SG)R/13) and approved by the PBEIST on 21/03/1955 (see AC/15-R/10). The PBEIST was one of the Civil Emergency Planning (CEP) Planning Boards and Committees. To help it in its mission (i.e. in the event of an attack to ensure the survival of the population, support to military operations, protection of vital resources and national recovery, see AC/12-D/357), the PBEIST created a Restricted Committee. The organization and functions of the Restricted Committee were established in close collaboration between the PBEIST and SHAPE (see AC/15(SG)-D/2). The Restricted Committee was responsible for preparing the work of the PBEIST and coordinating the tasks entrusted to all the bodies which were answerable to the PBEIST, in particular the three regional committees (North, Centre and South Europe) and the seven working groups set up within them. To this end, it was authorized to give these groups all required information and instructions (see AC/15-D/1). The Restricted Committee was headed by a chairman who was assisted by a rapporteur (see AC/15-D/1). From 1952 to 1954, it included delegates from Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, and also a representative of SACEUR (see AC/15-R/3). Following a revision of its terms of reference in 1954, it included a representative of each of the regional committees and a representative of SACEUR. Any representative of a member nation could also ask to take part in meetings (see AC/15-D/35). The Restricted Committee reported to the PBEIST. It notified (with its opinion) the PBEIST of all the kinds of work with which it was charged, as well as the final reports of each working group and their sub-groups (see AC/15-D/1). The Restricted Committee was renamed the Steering Group in September 1958 (see AC/15(SG)-R/25). It held its last meeting on 23 and 24 May 1966. A further meeting was scheduled for 5 and 6 December 1966, but no meeting was held on those dates or subsequently (AC/15(SG)R/45). The Restricted Committee can therefore be regarded as dormant since 1966.