Coiste Eacnamaíoch agus Sóisialta na hEorpa
Tá CESE rannpháirteach ar bhonn gníomhach i bpróiseas an mhéadaithe agus tá cur chuige déach aige – ar cur chuige réigiúnach agus déthaobhach é – le haghaidh an chaidrimh atá aige le heagraíochtaí na sochaí sibhialta i dtíortha an mhéadaithe.
Maidir leis an gcur chuige réigiúnach, is é an Coiste Leantach um na Balcáin Thiar – comhlacht inmheánach buan de Choiste Eacnamaíoch agus Sóisialta na hEorpa – an phríomhionstraim chun gníomhaíochtaí CESE sa réigiún sin a chomhordú. Is cuid d'obair an Choiste Leantaigh é Fóram na Sochaí Sibhialta um na Balcáin Thiar agus déantar an fóram sin a reáchtáil uair sa dá bhliain.
Oibríonn CESE ar bhonn déthaobhach freisin le tíortha na mBalcán Thiar agus leis an Tuirc. Ar bhonn comhaontuithe comhlachais idir na tíortha sin agus an tAontas Eorpach, chruthaigh CESE trí chomhchomhlacht i gcomhar le hionadaithe na sochaí sibhialta sa Tuirc, i Montainéagró agus sa tSeirbia d’fhonn ról a thabhairt d'eagraíochtaí na sochaí sóisialta sna próisis réamhaontachais agus aontachais. Is éard atá i ngach comhlacht líon comhionann comhaltaí ó CESE agus ón tír chomhpháirtíochta agus tagann siad i gceann a chéile dhá uair sa bhliain.
Coimeádann CESE teagmháil rialta le heagraíochtaí na sochaí sibhialta sna tíortha is iarrthóirí nó is iarrthóirí ionchasacha nár bunaíodh aon chomhchomhlacht d'ionadaithe ón tsochaí shibhialta iontu go fóill agus eagraíonn sé gníomhaíochtaí comhpháirteacha i gcomhar leo.
Déantar obair na gcomhchomhlachtaí a chomhlánú trí thuairimí CESE a ullmhú maidir le próisis réamhaontachais agus aontachais na dtíortha aonair, agus maidir le hábhair spéise réigiúnacha.
The 51st Western Balkans Follow-up Committee meeting, held on 3 December 2021, placed conflict resolution and normalisation of relations between Kosovo* and Serbia in the spotlight. The meeting, presided by Ionuţ Sibian, hosted prominent speakers from the ranks of EU officials, Western Balkans experts, as well as civil society representatives from the local communities, all of whom agreed that EU-facilitated dialogue was the only way to move forward.
Members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and representatives of the Montenegrin organised civil society held on the 1st March the 14th meeting of the EU-Montenegro Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), which took place online. Members of the JCC adopted a joint declaration urging the EU to assist Montenegro to face the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has strongly supported the enlargement of the European Union to the six Western Balkans countries provided they fulfil all the necessary criteria for membership. In the aftermath of the Council's non-decision to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia in October 2019, we have reacted swiftly by adopting, on 31 October, a Resolution expressing our profound disappointment by the lack of unanimity from the Member States. The EESC has since been committed to working closely and intensively with the civil society in the Western Balkans to support and reassure them that their place is in the European Union.
The EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) held a meeting in Podgorica on June 7 to discuss the state of play in Montenegro's EU accession negotiations. The members of the JCC agreed on a joint declaration, which calls on the EU institutions to continue to be supportive of the EU enlargement policy after the European elections in May 2019 and on the Montenegrin authorities to produce tangible results in the areas of rule of law, media freedom, fight against organised crime and corruption.
Civil society representatives from both the EU and Turkey called on Turkish authorities to undertake major reforms in the fields of rule of law and human rights as a prerequisite to resume accession negotiations with the EU. This was one of the main conclusions of the 38th meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) held in Brussels on 8 and 9 April, which also agreed on the important role of the JCC as an open channel for exchanges at civil society level.
The importance of Social Dialogue, the role of employers' organisations, the economic situation in the Balkan countries, progress in the accession process and current political challenges: these were main topics of the discussions at the Balkan Employers' Round Table that took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 22 March 2017. The event brought together representatives of employers' organisations from former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia).
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held the 9th edition of the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum on 19-20 October 2023, just a few weeks ahead of the European Commission's Enlargement Package and the New Growth Plan. The Forum signalled a renewed momentum for the region to join the EU, in view of the current geopolitical situation and a clear commitment of EU leaders to the enlargement policy.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed representatives from civil society organisations from candidate countries at its July plenary session, announcing the initiative to appoint Honorary Enlargement Members and invite them to participate in the daily advisory work of the Committee
The high-level civil society conference on youth policy in the Western Balkans, hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), highlighted the key role of young people for the future of the region and called for their active involvement in policy-making.
On 24 May in Sarajevo, the EESC's Western Balkans Follow-up Committee held its yearly external meeting - for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic - to meet with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and discuss their role and concerns regarding the current situation. The conclusions will be conveyed to the country's political authorities and to the EU institutions.
