Cohesion policy is key to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis, to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and to reducing disparities in Europe. Its most serious challenge for the foreseeable future, however, is the war in Ukraine, the EESC cautions in a recent opinion. Rapid action is needed to help refugees and ensure the country's European integration.
Comharsana ón Oirthear
Baineann gníomhaíochtaí CESE i leith a chomharsan ón Oirthear leis na tíortha seo a leanas: an Airméin, an Asarbaiseáin, an Bhealarúis, an Mholdóiv, an tSeoirsia agus an Úcráin. Is é an príomhchuspóir atá ag CESE i dtaca lena chomharsana ón Oirthear ná feabhas a chur ar an gcaidreamh le heagraíochtaí na sochaí sibhialta sa réigiún agus páirt a thabhairt dóibh san idirphlé le lucht ceaptha a mbeartas náisiúnta agus le sochaí shibhialta eagraithe an Aontais araon.
Is iad na príomhshásraí comhair leis an tSeoirsia, an Moldóiv agus an Úcráin atá ann ná Ardáin na Sochaí Sibhialta a chomhlánaíonn na comhlachtaí polaitiúla atá ann cheana faoi chuimsiú na gComhaontuithe Comhlachais atá ag an Aontas Eorpach leis na tíortha sin. A bhuí leis na hArdáin sin is féidir le heagraíochtaí de chuid na sochaí sibhialta san Aontas Eorpach agus sa tír chomhpháirtíochta monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar an bpróiseas cur chun feidhme agus a moltaí a ullmhú do na húdaráis ábhartha.
Ó thaobh an Aontais de, is éard atá ar na hArdáin seo comhaltaí ó CESE agus ionadaithe ó líonraí móra na sochaí sibhialta san Eoraip. Ó thaobh na tíre comhpháirtíochta de, speictream leathan d'eagraíochtaí na sochaí sibhialta atá iontu. Tá ballraíocht na nArdán bunaithe ar ionadaíocht chothrom ar na grúpaí sainleasa uile (eagraíochtaí fostóirí, ceardchumainn agus grúpaí de ghníomhaíochtaí éagsúla).
Laistigh de CESE, bunaíodh Coiste Leantach na gComharsan ón Oirthear in 2004 mar chomhlacht tiomnaithe atá freagrach as an gcaidreamh leis an tsochaí shibhialta i dtíortha i gcomharsanacht an Oirthir. Is iondúil go dtagann an Coiste Leantach i gceann a chéile ceithre huaire in aghaidh na bliana agus glacann a chuid ball páirt ghníomhach i ngníomhaíochtaí i gComhpháirtíocht an Oirthir, e.g. ardáin iltaobhacha na Comhpháirtíochta agus Fóram na Sochaí Sibhialta a ghabhann léi.
The situation of civil society in Belarus following the presidential elections in August 2020 and the huge level of repression, as well as the tragic fate of the people in Afghanistan, show that the EU has to speak up with one voice in the geopolitical arena.
On 26 September, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) approved an own-initiative opinion to mark the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership (EaP). In this opinion, the EESC acknowledges the important achievements of this initiative, but also calls for further reforms in the areas of democratisation and fundamental freedoms. The opinion insists on the need to strengthen the role of civil society and to provide credible EU membership prospects to EaP states.
The 3rd meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform (CSP) held in Kyiv on 8-9 November focused on labour market regulation and antidiscrimination legislation and practices in Ukraine, as well as reviewed the progress of the reforms undertaken within the Association Agreement process. The civil society organisations of the EU and Ukraine strongly called for the EU Member States to push, with all necessary political and economic means, for the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, establishing peace and solving the humanitarian problems of the residents of these and adjoining territories. Opening the meeting, Alfredas Jonuška ...