Europski gospodarski i socijalni odbor
Aktivnosti EGSO-a koje se odnose na istočno susjedstvo uključuju Armeniju, Azerbajdžan, Bjelarus, Gruziju, Moldovu i Ukrajinu. Glavni je cilj EGSO-a s obzirom na istočno susjedstvo Europe poboljšati odnose s organizacijama civilnog društva u regiji i uključiti ih u dijalog s njihovim nacionalnim tvorcima politika kao i s organizacijama civilnog društva iz EU-a.
Glavne mehanizme suradnje s Gruzijom, Moldovom i Ukrajinom čine platforme civilnog društva koje upotpunjuju politička tijela koja postoje u okviru sporazumâ o pridruživanju koje je EU sklopio s tim zemljama. Te platforme omogućuju organizacijama civilnog društva iz EU-a i partnerskih zemalja da prate proces provedbe i pripreme svoje preporuke za nadležna tijela.
Na strani EU-a te platforme čine članovi EGSO-a i predstavnici velikih europskih mreža civilnog društva. Što se tiče partnerskih zemalja, u platformama je zastupljen širok spektar organizacija civilnog društva. Članstvo u platformama temelji se na uravnoteženoj zastupljenosti svih interesnih skupina (organizacija poslodavaca, sindikata i raznih interesnih skupina).
Odbor za praćenje istočnog susjedstva osnovan je 2004. kao posebno tijelo EGSO-a zaduženo za odnose s civilnim društvom u zemljama istočnog susjedstva. Odbor za praćenje obično se sastaje četiri puta godišnje i njegovi članovi aktivno sudjeluju u aktivnostima Istočnog partnerstva kao što su multilateralne platforme Istočnog partnerstva i Forum civilnog društva Istočnog partnerstva.
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.
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 ...
