In a recent report, the EESC said civil society organisations should be closely involved in negotiating new free trade agreements under the new EU trade policy. 

The EESC firmly believes that civil society organisations and the social partners should be given a seat in negotiations for the new EU trade strategy. This will help ensure that the benefits of this policy are genuinely distributed among all participants, both in the EU and in the partner countries. 

In February 2021, the European Commission laid out a new open, sustainable and assertive trade policy, with the EU getting tougher on its trading partners and giving sustainability centre stage. The EESC feels, however, that there are a number of prerequisites for the implementation of this policy.

In an own-initiative opinion adopted at the EESC March plenary, the representatives of civil society organisations pointed out that a new framework for free trade and investment agreements is needed, in order to include civil society organisations and at the same time raise public awareness.

Stefano Palmieri, EESC member and rapporteur for the opinion, highlighted that A new negotiating methodology is needed, one able to establish a new roadmap which will ensure that civil society organisations and social partners are actively involved throughout negotiations.

The EESC has been critical of the various negotiation tools used by the EU, and believes that it is time to devise a new negotiating strategy, with new standards and procedures to ensure the broad and constructive involvement of civil society and the social partners. The first step towards this would be the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the negotiating parties, which would guarantee that both parties complete the various stages of the negotiations. The second step is the thorough reform of the Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs). The opinion suggests that every agreement signed must comprise a protocol on the workings of the DAGs.

This dual reform process will build on the new EU trade policy and help deliver on its objectives. (at)