The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is responsible for dialogue between European civil society organisations and their homologues from the countries with which the European Union has formal relations (e.g. under the form of a Free Trade Agreement). Through this dialogue, made possible by a series of bilateral bodies, and through specialized opinions and information reports, the Committee is able to concretely contribute to EU foreign policy.
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 European Economic and Social Committee has been an ardent supporter of the Eastern Partnership from the very outset and the EESC's Employers' Group has continually emphasised the need to strengthen the partnership's economic dimension. An appropriate tool was needed to enable the representatives of employers, entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises from the EU and its partner countries to meet and openly assess the process of convergence with the European acquis and its impact on the economic situation.
The EU is highly dependent on energy resources. More than a half of EU energy consumption is linked to imports. Increasing instability in the Middle East together with the deterioration of EU-Russia relations mean that energy security will remain at the top of the EU's agenda in the coming years. How can we achieve a true energy union? How can interconnectivity be increased between Member States? What should the ideal energy mix look like and how can energy efficiency be increased within the EU? The publication summarises the debate that seeks answers to these questions.
Members' conclusions after the conference held in Vilnius on 25 October
The main messages of the 6 EESC opinions on Eastern Partnership.