Eastern Neighbours

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The EESC's activities concerning Eastern Neighbours involve Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The main objective of the EESC with regard to the European Eastern Neighbours is to enhance relations with civil society organisations in the region and to involve them in a dialogue with both their national policy makers and the EU organised civil society.

The main cooperation mechanisms with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are the Civil Society Platforms which complement the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU Association Agreements with these countries. The Platforms allow civil society organisations from both the EU and the partner country side to monitor the implementation process and prepare their recommendations to the relevant authorities.

On the EU side, these Platforms comprise members of the EESC as well as representatives from large European civil society networks. On the partner country side, they represent a broad spectrum of civil society organizations. The membership of the Platforms is based on balanced representation of all interest groups (employers' organizations, trade unions and various interests' groups).

Within the EESC, the Eastern Neighbours Follow-up Committee was established in 2004 as a dedicated body responsible for relations with civil society in the Eastern Neighbourhood countries. The Follow-up Committee usually meets four times a year and its members take active part in the Eastern Partnership activities such as EaP multilateral platforms and the EaP Civil Society Forum.

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  • Belarus: Repression, Resistance, and the Fight for Trade Union Rights

    The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a debate on 23 February 2026 to address the alarming deterioration of trade union freedoms in Belarus. Despite sustained international pressure and the appointment of an International Labour Organization (ILO) Special Envoy in June 2025, the Belarusian authorities continue to refuse any dialogue aimed at restoring compliance with fundamental labour standards. Around twenty trade unionists remain imprisoned.

    External relations

  • Strengthening cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstani civil society

    On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the ratification of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the EU, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted at its March plenary session an action plan for enhancing cooperation between civil society organisations in the European Union and Kazakhstan. 

    External relations

  • Citizens can defeat disinformation - Lisbon 2025

    Civil society for an open democratic debate
    Event type
    Conference

    Location

    Teatro Thalia, Estrada das Laranjeiras 205, Lisboa 1600-134
    Lisbon
    Portugal

    This conference in Lisbon is the fourth event on disinformation being hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) as part of its ongoing project aiming to fight disinformation with the help of civil society.

  • The importance of institutionalising civil and social dialogue in EU candidate and partner countries

    Adopted on 17/07/2025 - Bureau decision date: 23/01/2025
    Reference
    REX/598-EESC-2025
    Rapporteur
    , Ionuţ SIBIAN (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Romania)
    Plenary session number
    598
    -
    • Follow-up from the Commission REX/598
    Download format:
    Download — EESC opinion: The importance of institutionalising civil and social dialogue in EU candidate and partner countries
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  • 5th meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform

    Location

    EESC, JDE 61, Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99| 1040 Bruxelles/Brussels | Belgium

    The fifth meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform (CSP) is scheduled to be held on 15 October 2024 in Brussels.

    The meeting will focus on assessing progress in the implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with a strong emphasis on its impact in the Areas of Democracy, Rule of Law, Anti-Corruption, and Human Rights.

     

  • Citizens can defeat disinformation

    Civil society for an open democratic debate
    Event type
    Conference

    Location

    Press Center of the Secretariat General for Communication and Media, Frangoudi 11 & Alexandrou Pantou | Athens, Greece

    This conference in Athens is the third event on disinformation being hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) as part of its ongoing project aiming to fight disinformation with the help of civil society.

  • 14th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform

    Location

    Brussels
    Belgium

    The 14th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform (CSP) took place on 15 December 2023. During the meeting, a debate focused on assessing the implementation of the European Commission's opinion and the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

    In addition, the CSP discussed the initiatives for Ukraine's green recovery, economic integration of Ukraine to the EU, as well as current challenges related to labour market.

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

  • External Relations Section

    Published in
    8 pages

    The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is responsible for dialogue between European civil society organisations and their homologues from the countries with which the European Union has formal relations (e.g. under the form of a Free Trade Agreement). Through this dialogue, made possible by a series of bilateral bodies, and through specialized opinions and information reports, the Committee is able to concretely contribute to EU foreign policy.

  • Joint declaration - 7th Joint meeting of the EU and Moldova DAG

    Document type
    Joint declaration
    Latest update
    • Joint declaration - 7th joint meeting of the EU-Moldova Domestic Advisory Groups

  • Specific provisions for the 2014-2020 cooperation programmes supported by the European Neighbourhood Instrument and under the European territorial cooperation goal, following programme implementation disruption

    Adopted on 26/10/2022 - Bureau decision date: 20/09/2022
    Reference
    REX/564-EESC-2022
    Referral
    COM(2022) 362 final 2022/0227 COD
    COM(2022) 362 final 2022/0227 COD
    General Rapporteur
    Andris GOBIŅŠ
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Download format:
    Download — EESC opinion: Specific provisions for the 2014-2020 cooperation programmes supported by the European Neighbourhood Instrument and under the European territorial cooperation goal, following programme implementation disruption
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