Euroopan talous- ja sosiaalikomitea
The 24th meeting of of the European Economic Area Consultative Committee took place in Vaduz (Liechtenstein) on 19-20 May 2016.
The members of the Committee discussed the latest developments in EEA and well as EU/EFTA issues. The Consultative Committee adopted two resolutions on the following topics:
Exhibition of photographs taken by the British photojournalist Giles Duley
In the framework of a cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Giles Duley is capturing the stories of the refugees arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos.
Mr Duley will take part at the opening and present his work in person
The 14th EU-China Civil Society Round Table took place in Brussels on 18 and 19 May 2016. Topics set up for discussion during this meeting of the Round Table were Innovation and economic development in rural areas, and Infrastucture and investment, in the framework of the One Belt One Road initiative and the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The aim of the discussions was to find common ground and exchange ideas and best practices.
This public hearing will discuss the current state of multilateral trade negotiations on agriculture. After the Nairobi agreement of export competition, some progress could be made on the areas of market access (tariffs and quotas) and, to some extent, on domestic support.
On 17th May 2016, a delegation of EESC Members of the "Transport, energy, infrastructures and information society" section went on mission to the Aegean islands (EL), with the objective to learn about the islands' production of energy.
The UN CRPD and its Optional Protocol were adopted by the EU in 2010. They are the first international human rights convention ever to be signed and ratified by the EU.The EU has to periodically submit to the UN CPRD Committee a report detailing the measures taken to implement the convention. The first report was submitted in 2014, and in 2015 the UN Committee responded with a series of recommendations (“concluding observations” - COs) on how the EU can, within its remit, promote and safeguard the rights of people with disabilities in Europe.
The EESC is currently drafting an own-initiative opinion focussing on the implications of the CO's for future EU disability policy. The objective of the hearing is to offer a forum for debate and gather contributions from relevant stakeholders.
The conclusions of the hearing will feed directly into the work of the drafting group which will hold its second meeting in the afternoon of the same day.
The outcome of COP21 clearly recognised the efforts of all non-party stakeholders, including civil society to address and respond to climate change. The EESC has advocated for civil society and citizens at global, national and subnational levels to be fully involved in the development, review and, above all, implementation of the COP21 Agreement. This opinion will be an opportunity to address the issue of climate governance in the context of implementation of the Paris Agreement and to identify the mechanisms and measures for civil society to be involved.
The first and inaugural meeting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform (CSP) was held on 10 May 2016 at the EESC. The CSP complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare recommendations to the relevant authorities both in the Republic of Moldova as well as in the European Union.
The CSP is made up of nine members from both Parties, representing the EESC and large European civil society networks, on the one side, and civil society organisations from Moldova, on the other side.
The first and inaugural meeting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform (CSP) will be held on 10 May 2016 at the EESC. The CSP complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare recommendations to the relevant authorities both in the Republic of Moldova as well as in the European Union.
The CSP is made up of nine members from both Parties, representing the EESC and large European civil society networks, on the one side, and civil society organisations from Moldova, on the other side.
On 4th May 2016, a delegation of EESC Members of the "Transport, energy, infrastructures and information society" section is on mission to the island of Samsø (Denmark), with the objective to evaluate the islands' smart projects developed in the area of energy autonomy.
