Civil society contribution to the review of the EU-Central Asia Strategy

The EESC received a request from the incoming Latvian Presidency to draft a civil society contribution to the upcoming review of the EU-Central Asia Strategy. A review of the progress made under this strategy in the period spanning 2007 to today will be on the agenda of the Council of the European Union in the very beginning of 2015. The main aim of the review is to assess whether all existing priorities of the EU-Central Asia Strategy remain valid, and whether the EU should maintain its current focus on issues such as security, education, sustainable development (energy, transport and environment), and the rule of law.

A timely opinion of the EESC could serve as a catalyst for the Member States' discussion on the issue, especially since the EESC opinion would bring to the table contributions from stakeholders based in the Member States. Thus, this opinion will help the Council to make the most appropriate decisions, taking into account the views and interests of Europe's broader civil society. The opinion will focus on topical issues such transport infrastructure, energy, environment and trade relations.