Events

During the meeting, the EU DAG discussed with a representative of the European Commission the preparation for the meetings with Korea under the trade and sustainable development chapter. Preparations of the 7^th meeting of the EU-Korea Civil Society Forum in Brussels were also discussed, along with the state of play of the government consultations.

A system of corporate liability for human rights abuses is currently being negotiated in the UN, within the UNHRC’s open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises concerning human rights (OEIGWG), established by the UN General Assembly on 26 June 2014. The mandate of the working group is to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.  While the EU and its Member States play a role at the OEIGWG, the Commission has no mandate from the Council to conduct negotiations on behalf of the EU concerning its participation in the OEIGWG.

After three sessions dedicated to conducting constructive deliberations on the content, scope, nature, and form of the future international instrument', following the UNHRC mandate, on 16 July 2018, the Permanent Mission of Ecuador, on behalf of the Chairmanship of the OEIGWG, published a Zero Draft legally binding instrument and a draft optional protocol to be annexed to it. The fourth session of the OEIGWG, held from 15 to 19 October 2018, debated this draft and marked the start of formal negotiations. There was a significant civil society presence at the session.

In this context, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is drafting an own-initiative opinion on A binding UN Treaty for Business and Human Rights. With a view to gathering knowledge during the preparatory works for the above-mentioned opinion from a wide range of experts and other civil society stakeholders a hearing is organised at the EESC premises.

The meeting of the Section for External Relations will take place on 24 May 2019 in the room JDE 62. During this meeting, a special attention will be given to the 25th anniversary of the European Economic Area.

The 27th meeting of of the European Economic Area Consultative Committee took place in the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels (Belgium) on 23-24 May 2019.

The members of the Committee discussed the latest developments in EEA and well as EU/EFTA issues. Special attention has been given to the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the EEA Agreement. The Consultative Committee adopted two resolutions on the following topics:

• The European Labour Authority
• Benefits of 25 years of the EEA Agreement for the EEA countries

The 5th meeting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform took place on 23 May 2019 in Brussels. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Reports on public integrity framework in Moldova were discussed. Platform members also had a look at the update of past declarations adopted by the CSP, more specifically through a progress report on the implementation status of the DCFTA with Moldova and a debate on Dniester Water Management.

The 15th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement took place on 29 April 2019 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.

The EESC organised its 7th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum in Tirana on 16-17 April 2019.

The main topics on the agenda were the role of civil society organisations in promoting regional cooperation (trade and investment, connectivity and people to people relations), the state of social dialogue, as well as enabling civic space in the Western Balkans.

It brought together approximately 180 participants, including a broad range of civil society representatives from the EU and the Western Balkans, as well as representatives of EU institutions, international organisations and governments of the region.

Luca Jahier, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Sokol Dedja, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Angelina Eichhorst, Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, participated in this major event.

A final declaration with recommendations from civil society organisations was issued at the end of the event.

The EU-Turkey Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee was established in 1995, based on the mandate given by the Ankara Agreement. This body is composed of members from the EESC and members representing organised civil society in Turkey. Its objective is to contribute to the dialogue among civil society organisations in Turkey and the EU and to issue reports and recommendations to the Turkish authorities and the EU institutions.

The discussions at this JCC meeting will include the EU-Turkey relations and the meeting will focus in particular on "Trade development and investment environment for SMEs - Opportunities between the EU and Turkey" and "Civil society organisations, including the social partners, and Turkey-EU Accession Process". Other topics on the programme are "The modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union" and "The visa dialogue".

The 7th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform took place on 3-5 April 2019 in Lviv in Ukraine. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. And two reports, prepared by both sides, on the rights of trade unions and employees and on ensuring food security were discussed.