Europa

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I Europa opretholder EØSU forbindelserne med arbejdsmarkedets parter og civilsamfundets organisationer på Vestbalkan, i de østlige nabolande, i EØS-EFTA-landene Island, Liechtenstein og Norge samt i Storbritannien.

Opfølgningsudvalget for det vestlige Balkan, som er et permanent, internt EØSU-organ, er det vigtigste instrument til koordinering af EØSU's aktiviteter i regionen. Civilsamfundsforummet for det vestlige Balkan, der afholdes hvert andet år, er en del af opfølgningsudvalgets arbejde.

EØSU har også et bilateralt samarbejde med de lande på Vestbalkan, der har indledt tiltrædelsesforhandlinger, samt med Tyrkiet, gennem særlige organer oprettet på basis af associeringsaftaler mellem de pågældende lande og EU. Formålet med disse blandede rådgivende udvalg er at inddrage arbejdsmarkedets parter og civilsamfundsorganisationerne i overvågningen af førtiltrædelses- og reformprocessen hen imod et eventuelt EU-medlemskab. Hvert enkelt organ består af lige mange medlemmer fra EØSU og partnerlandene, og de mødes normalt to gange om året.

EØSU har også nedsat et opfølgningsudvalg for de østlige nabolande, som er et internt organ med ansvar for at styrke forbindelserne med civilsamfundet i landene i denne region, dvs. Armenien, Aserbajdsjan, Belarus, Georgien, Moldova og Ukraine.

De vigtigste samarbejdsmekanismer med Armenien, Georgien, Moldova og Ukraine er civilsamfundsplatformene, som giver civilsamfundsorganisationer fra både EU og partnerlandene mulighed for at overvåge gennemførelsen af aftaler mellem EU og de pågældende lande og udarbejde henstillinger til de relevante myndigheder. Desuden blev Ukraine og Moldova kandidatlande i 2022.

Men hensyn til Belarus og Rusland udvikles der forbindelser med de civilsamfundsorganisationer, der stadig opererer frit, hvoraf de fleste befinder sig på EU's territorium. EØSU mener, at det er vigtigt at holde dialogen i live i afventning af bedre vilkår i fremtiden.

Det Europæiske Økonomiske Samarbejdsområde (EØS) omfatter EU-medlemsstaterne og de tre EØS-EFTA-stater (Island, Liechtenstein og Norge), der danner et indre marked, hvor varer, tjenesteydelser og personer kan bevæge sig frit. EØSU er medlem af det rådgivende udvalg for Det Europæiske Økonomiske Samarbejdsområde, hvor spørgsmål af fælles interesse drøftes med repræsentanter for arbejdsmarkedets parter fra EØS-EFTA-landene.

Endelig har EØSU nedsat opfølgningsudvalget EU/UK, der er ansvarligt for at overvåge forbindelserne mellem EU og Det Forenede Kongerige Storbritannien og Nordirland fra civilsamfundets synsvinkel. Opfølgningsudvalgets arbejde har navnlig fokus på gennemførelsen af udtrædelsesaftalen mellem EU og UK og protokollen om Irland og Nordirland, som det har en igangværende samtale om med civilsamfundsorganisationer fra UK. Det har ligeledes fokus på gennemførelsen af handels- og samarbejdsaftalen mellem EU og UK, som opfølgningsudvalget EU/UK samarbejder om med EU's interne rådgivende gruppe under handels- og samarbejdsaftalen mellem EU og UK.

  • Vedtaget on 27/04/2023 - Bureau decision date: 21/03/2023
    Reference
    REX/575-EESC-2023
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Plenary session number
    578
    -

    In accordance with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, a number of EU legislative acts concerning sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures apply to and in the UK in respect of Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.

    Accordingly, the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK of certain consignments of products of animal or plant origin, including animal food, plants for planting, machinery and vehicles for agricultural or forestry purposes and seed potatoes falls within the scope of these acts and is subject to official controls, certification requirements and prohibitions. This also applies to non-commercial movements of certain pet animals.

    EESC opinion: Specific rules relating to the entry into Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom of certain consignments of goods
  • Vedtaget on 27/04/2023 - Bureau decision date: 21/03/2023
    Reference
    REX/574-EESC-2023
    Workers - GR II
    Plenary session number
    578
    -

    In accordance with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 and Directive 2001/83/EC as well as the Commission acts based on them, apply to and in the UK in respect of Northern Ireland.

     

    EESC opinion: Specific rules relating to medicinal products for human use intended to be placed on the market of Northern Ireland
  • The second meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform (CSP) was held on 10 March 2023 in Yerevan.

    During the meeting, a debate focused on assessing the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. The CSP debated the current challenges in the implementation of the Agreement and in progressing on the reform agenda.

    A joint declaration, prepared by both sides, was discussed and adopted.

  • Joint meeting

    Representatives of the two Domestic Advisory Groups (DAG) from the EU and Moldova, established under Chapter 13 on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, held the seventh joint meeting on 7 March 2023. The objective of the meeting was to prepare a set of recommendations for the Civil Society Forum, which will take place on 17 March 2023.

  • The 6th meeting of the EU DAG set up under the EU-UK TCA featured the participation of the UK DAG Chair, Mr. Sean McGuire, to discuss the recent Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland, the situation of both DAGs and future joint steps. A DG TRADE representative presented and discussed with members the technical aspects of Level Playing Field provisions.

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    In the context of the reinforced follow-up of EESC Information Report

    Following the adoption of the EESC Information Report on the Implementation of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the Committee is now promoting and giving it a reinforced follow-up using various communication channels, considering the relevance and the perfect timing of the subjects covered in the report.

     

  • For the 16th time, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Montenegro held the Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC). The JCC is a civil society platform established between the EESC and Montenegrin civil society. It complements with a civil society point of view the EU institutional framework related to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Montenegro. This joint institution allows civil society organisations on both sides to monitor the country's accession negotiations. It is also a platform to discuss issues of common interest and to inform the public at large on the challenges ahead during the accession period.


     

    This 16th JCC took place in Podgorica and tackled issues such as:

    • Current state of play in EU-Montenegro relations, including 2022 Montenegro Report
    • Revised enlargement methodology – Cluster 1: The Fundamentals of the Accession Process, with a special focus on Judiciary and Fundamental rights and the Functioning of democratic institutions
    • Revised enlargement methodology – Cluster 1: The Fundamentals of the Accession Process, with a special focus on Justice, Freedom and Security
    • Overview of the civil society situation in Montenegro

    A joint declaration was adopted at the meeting and will be distributed to all relevant EU institutions, as well as to the Montenegrin authorities.

  • The European Commission organised the first Civil Society Forum of the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement (TCA) on 4 October 2022.

     

  • The EU Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), set up under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) to advise on the implementation of the agreement, held their first meeting on 3 October 2022, in Brussels. 

     

     

  • The 5th meeting of the EU DAG set up under the EU-UK TCA was dedicated to the assessment of the first year of DAG work -including the recent EU-UK Civil Society Forum, to an update on the Trade Specialised Committees and to a structured discussion of selected issues and recommendations with a DG TRADE representative.