Europski gospodarski i socijalni odbor
EGSO aktivno sudjeluje u postupku proširenja EU-a, a za svoje odnose s organizacijama civilnog društva u zemljama proširenja razvio je dvojni pristup – regionalni i bilateralni.
Što se tiče regionalnog pristupa, Odbor za praćenje zapadnog Balkana – trajno unutarnje tijelo EGSO-a – glavni je instrument za koordinaciju aktivnosti EGSO-a u toj regiji. Forum civilnog društva zapadnog Balkana, koji se održava svake dvije godine, sastavni je dio tog Odbora za praćenje.
EGSO također radi na bilateralnoj razini sa zemljama zapadnog Balkana i Turskom. Na temelju sporazuma o pridruživanju između tih država i EU-a EGSO je osnovao tri zajednička tijela s predstavnicima civilnog društva Turske, Crne Gore i Srbije, kako bi organizacije civilnog društva uključio u pretpristupni i pristupni proces. Svako to tijelo sastoji se od jednakog broja članova iz EGSO-a i partnerske zemlje, a sastaje se dvaput godišnje.
EGSO održava redovite kontakte i organizira zajedničke aktivnosti s organizacijama civilnog društva u zemljama proširenja s kojima zajedničko tijelo predstavnika civilnog društva još nije uspostavljeno.
Rad zajedničkih tijela upotpunjen je izradom mišljenja EGSO-a o pretpristupnom i pristupnom procesu pojedinih zemalja, kao i o temama od regionalnog interesa.
The Communication stresses the EU's commitment to safeguarding an online environment providing the highest possible freedom and security, for the benefit of its citizens.
This own-initiative opinion will draw upon the first-hand experiences of the non-state actors (civil society, business and trade unions) engaged in the accession negotiations between Croatia and the EU over the period 2005-11, as well as experiences of EESC members who have been engaged in the work of Joint Consultative Committees (JCCs) with accession countries over the past seven years (Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and Montenegro) as well as the Western Balkans Follow-up Committee.
The EESC welcomes the special attention devoted to drawing up a European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in order to support cohesion and competitiveness in the light of challenges that cannot be satisfactorily resolved by single regions or countries through the usual means. The EESC believes that EUSAIR must adopt a comprehensive programme with an action-oriented list of projects and schemes, and strongly recommends that better use be made of the private sector's potential to attract investment (both local and international) and to create business opportunities. Simultaneously, the strategy should include a stronger social dimension, in order to better support inclusive growth in the Adriatic and Ionian region.
The opinion should take stock of the current situation of civil society in Serbia (legal environment, relations with the authorities, situation of social and civil dialogues) and propose recommendations for possible EU action in this field. The opinion will provide an opportunity to get the views of Serbian civil society organisations in the course of a study visit to Serbia.