Europäischer Wirtschafts- und Sozialausschuss
The 4th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform (CSP) in Brussels held a debate to assess the progress in the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. The discussions focused on environmental protection, media freedom and the first year of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement ...
The EESC held the 28th Meeting of Economic and Social Interest Groups of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and EU countries in Brussels on 15-16 May. Trade relations, the new European consensus for development, prevention and reduction of food loss and waste, industrialisation as a development driver, and the future of EU relations with ACP countries were the five main themes of the conference, as outlined in a jointly accepted declaration ...
Georges Dassis, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee, has met with Nizar Baraka, the president of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Morocco. At this meeting, Mr Dassis thanked Mr Baraka for his commitment to working with the EESC. The cooperation between the two institutions was put on a formal footing with the first meeting of the joint advisory group on the free trade agreement between the EU and Morocco. During the meeting, the two presidents stressed the importance of the involvement of civil society organisations in the negotiations, in order to ensure that the agreement is as beneficial as possible for both the people of Morocco and EU citizens and that it is a win-win agreement for both sides.
Following recent developments in Turkey, the EESC invited Turkish journalist Can Dündar to its Plenary session on 26th April. The former editor-in-chief of the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, currently living in exile, called on the EU to stand beside Turkey and the Turkish people in support of media freedom, human rights, rule of law and democracy. The EESC debate also assessed recent developments in Turkey and discussed EU-Turkey relations ...
The condition of the European economy, completing the Single Market, trade and Brexit – these are the top issues for European employers' organisations in the forthcoming months. On 29 March 2017, the Directors-General and Secretaries-General of BusinessEurope, EuroCommerce and Copa-Cogega presented their priorities and debated with the members of the EESC Employers' Group.
EESC calls on Commissioner Malmström to ensure EU industry and jobs are protected from unfair imports.
The importance of Social Dialogue, the role of employers' organisations, the economic situation in the Balkan countries, progress in the accession process and current political challenges: these were main topics of the discussions at the Balkan Employers' Round Table that took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 22 March 2017. The event brought together representatives of employers' organisations from former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia).
The vote for CETA in the European Parliament opens a new chapter of closer relations between Canada and the EU. There is still a bumpy road ahead, however, with ratification of the agreement needed in all EU Member States. CETA is a progressive agreement for inclusive growth that brings substantial benefits for SMEs. Business has an important role to play in promoting the agreement and providing real-life examples of its benefits. These were just some of the views expressed during the debate with Canada's ambassador to the European Union, Daniel Costello, which took place at the Employers' Group meeting on 22nd January 2017.
Georgia has the best track record in freedom of media among the Eastern Partnership countries, but nevertheless sustained efforts are called for in order to raise the standard of journalistic quality, objectivity and ethics, as well as secure their independence and sources of financing. This was one of the main messages of the EU-Georgia Civil Society Platform (CSP)'s second meeting held on 16th February at the EESC. The Platform also made recommendations for the Georgian government to ...
