Comité Económico y Social Europeo
Desde el primer Convenio de Lomé (1975) hasta el Acuerdo de Cotonú (2000-2021), las asociaciones UE-ACP han regido las relaciones entre la UE y 79 países del Grupo de Estados de África, el Caribe y el Pacífico (ACP), que se convirtió recientemente en la Organización de los Estados de África, el Caribe y el Pacífico (OEACP).
A lo largo de dicho período, el CESE, junto con la sociedad civil de los países ACP, luchó por el reconocimiento del papel esencial que desempeñan los agentes no estatales en el proceso de desarrollo, hasta que tal objetivo se logró en el Acuerdo de Cotonú, en el que se encomendó al CESE la organización de actividades y consultas con los «medios económicos y sociales ACP-UE» con el fin de recabar los puntos de vista de la sociedad civil organizada y darles voz. El objetivo ha sido fomentar los intercambios y formular recomendaciones sobre cuestiones y políticas pertinentes para las relaciones ACP-UE y, a continuación, remitirlas oficialmente a los dirigentes de la UE y de los países ACP.
En la práctica, las actividades del CESE en lo relativo a las relaciones UE-OEACP se llevan a cabo principalmente bajo la dirección de un Comité de Seguimiento ACP-UE inclusivo, compuesto por miembros del CESE y delegados que representan a los medios económicos y sociales ACP.
El Comité de Seguimiento ACP-UE mantiene contactos periódicos con los representantes de la sociedad civil en los países ACP a diferentes niveles, por medio de:
El CESE también mantiene contactos regulares con los representantes de los medios económicos y sociales de la Unión Africana, en el marco de la estrategia conjunta UE-África. En particular, el CESE celebra reuniones anuales con la red de partes interesadas económicas y sociales África-UE.
Durante muchos años, el CESE ha mantenido contactos periódicos con la Asamblea Parlamentaria Paritaria ACP-UE, presentando un informe de sus actividades en las sesiones de la Asamblea.
Del mismo modo, el CESE mantiene contactos estrechos con organizaciones internacionales de empresarios, trabajadores, agricultores, cooperativas y consumidores. Estas organizaciones nombran a los representantes ACP invitados a las reuniones celebradas por el CESE, incluidas las del Comité de Seguimiento ACP-UE.
The Communication stresses the EU's commitment to safeguarding an online environment providing the highest possible freedom and security, for the benefit of its citizens.
L’année 2017 sera décisive pour le partenariat entre l’Europe et l’Afrique. Dans un paysage mondial en mutation rapide, l’Afrique connaît de profonds changements économiques, politiques et sociaux, et l’importance qu’elle revêt pour les dimensions intérieure et extérieure de la sécurité et de la prospérité de l’Europe est de plus en plus évidente. L’Europe et l’Afrique ont tout à gagner d’un renforcement de leurs liens politiques et économiques, mais elles ont aussi beaucoup à perdre si elles n’agissent pas.
The Commission recently published a Communication on a Renewed Partnership with the ACP Group of countries. ACP-EU relations are currently governed by the Cotonou Partnership Agreement that will expire in 2020, therefore the Commission has published recommendations on what the future structure should be. Last year the EESC already drafted a general opinion on the post-Cotonou framework; this new opinion will have to answer specifically to the Commission's communication.
The EESC is a strong advocate of a fair, well-administered and sustainable development policy at EU level. It is also very committed to the cause of greater tax justice. In recent years, questions have been raised as to whether the international tax policies of the Member States, in particular the concluding of certain types of double taxation agreements, are consistent with EU development policy objectives.
The 2030 Agenda, the new global framework for sustainable development agreed by the UN in 2015, needs to be reflected in EU's development policy, the major orientations of which are set out in the 2005 European Consensus on Development ("the Consensus").
To this end, the Commission issued Communication COM(2016) 740, "Proposal for a New European Consensus on Development: Our World, Our Dignity, Our Future" in November 2016. Interinstitutional negotiations are expected to result in its endorsement in the form of a Joint Statement by the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission, in May 2017.
Development responses to forced displacement should be tailored for each geographic region, whilst ensuring joined-up action across the European Commission and other institutions. While a development-led approach can produce considerable results with the current budget, the need for extra resources should not be ruled out. Civil society, end users, development partners and NGOs should be involved in the delivery and in making the Commission's Communication operational. Social and civil dialogue structures and processes should be enhanced and improved in partner and host countries to assist with its delivery. Entrepreneurship in the affected regions should be supported and developed as a viable development path for many forcibly displaced people. Education and training responses should be based on a lifelong learning approach. The possibility of making EU programmes available to forcibly displaced people should be considered.
The EESC recommends that the EU should aim to achieve a modern, equal and effective partnership with the ACP countries that transcends a donor-recipient relationship and is based on a coherent and integrated EU external policy, based on the principle of Policy Coherence for Development (PCD). This framework should guarantee the involvement of civil society organisations, including the private sector, whose specific task should be to monitor and assess the impact of the implementation of this Agreement on the sustainable development of the Parties. Civil society should be provided with the technical and financial support needed to undertake this role.
The EESC recommends that all forms of development support that the EU gives to third countries should fall under the same legal framework and should be subject to the same democratic scrutiny by the European Parliament, while retaining the same positive aspects of the EDF.
2015 is marked as the European Year for Development (when the process of discussion for the post-Cotonou arrangements will begin to gain momentum), but also as the year where the Millenium Development Goals (defined until 2015) will give way to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To combine development and sustainability, all available resources of financing must be explored. The magnitude of this challenge is so large that all players including governments, private sector, banks, civil society organisations and development agencies must contribute to the implementation of these goals.
The aim of the European Year for Development 2015 is to inform EU citizens about EU development cooperation, highlighting what the European Union can already achieve as the biggest aid donor in the world and how it could do even more with the combined strength of its Member States and its institutions.