Comitato economico e sociale europeo
In Asia il CESE mantiene relazioni con le organizzazioni della società civile nei seguenti paesi: Cina, Giappone, Singapore, Corea del Sud e Vietnam.
Per quanto riguarda la Cina, esiste una tavola rotonda della società civile, istituita nel 2007 a seguito del nono vertice UE-Cina, la quale si riunisce una volta all'anno.
Quanto al Giappone, nel febbraio 2009 è stato istituito un comitato di monitoraggio incaricato di tenere sotto osservazione la dimensione "società civile" nei rapporti UE-Giappone e promuovere la cooperazione tra il CESE e le organizzazioni delle imprese, dei lavoratori, ambientaliste e dei consumatori giapponesi nonché altre importanti OSC di tale paese. Inoltre, il capitolo relativo al commercio e allo sviluppo sostenibile dell'accordo di partenariato economico UE-Giappone ha conferito alla società civile un ruolo di monitoraggio e consulenza, dando luogo alla creazione di un GCI dell'UE sul Giappone e di un gruppo consultivo nazionale giapponese sull'UE.
L'UE ha concluso accordi di libero scambio con i seguenti paesi asiatici: Corea del Sud (2011), Giappone (2019), Singapore (2019) e Vietnam (2020). Tali accordi sono caratterizzati dalla presenza di un capitolo sul commercio e lo sviluppo sostenibile e conferiscono ufficialmente al CESE e ad altre OSC dell'UE, come pure alle OSC dei rispettivi paesi partner, il ruolo di monitorare la loro attuazione e consigliare le pertinenti autorità politiche in materia di norme ambientali, sociali e del lavoro nonché su altre questioni di diretto interesse per la società civile, attraverso i gruppi consultivi interni e nazionali. Ogni anno si tengono due o tre riunioni del gruppo consultivo interno dell'UE, e una volta all'anno si tiene una riunione congiunta.
Il CESE porta inoltre avanti il dialogo con la società civile in altri paesi asiatici, nonché nel quadro di eventi internazionali pertinenti organizzati ad hoc.
The EU and the Japan Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), established under the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), attended the 3rd EU-Japan Joint Dialogue with Civil Society, which took place in virtual format on 27 January 2022.
A DAG-to-DAG is a joint civil society body between the partner countries of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), bringing together the separate DAGs of each party. This is the 2nd joint meeting of the EU and Singapore DAGs under the EU-Singapore FTA.
This meeting was an excellent opportunity for a timely update by DG Trade on the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter under the FTA, as well as for a constructive exchange with the Director of the ILO office in Hanoi on the labour situation in Vietnam and the state of play of the roadmap.
Additionally, Ambassador Vu Anh Quang, from the Vietnamese Mission to the EU, participated in an exchange with the EU Domestic Advisory Group (EU DAG) members to share his views on ongoing topics within the context of the EU Vietnam relations.
The members of the EU DAG, which is composed of representatives of employers' organisations, trade unions and various interest groups, also further discussed its work programme and prepared the upcoming joint meetings with its Vietnamese civil society counterparts.
The EU DAG and the Korea DAG met for the first time since 2018 to hold the 7th EU-Korea Civil Society Forum (CSF).
This was the first meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG), composed of representatives of employers' organisations, trade unions and various interest groups. At the meeting, the EU DAG received information from the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the EU relations with Vietnam and exchange with representatives of the European Commission's DG TRADE and the European Parliament on the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development chapter of the FTA. The EU DAG had also a first discussion on its work programme.
The EESC EU-Japan Follow-up Committee will meet in the morning of 7 January 2021. It will discuss various aspects of EU-Japan relations and set its work programme for the first half of the new mandate.
The EESC EU-Japan Follow-up Committee met the morning of 17 July. Items for discussion on the agenda were: the EU-Japan Relations in the post COVID-19 era and Research and innovation. In addition to this, the Follow-up Committee assessed the current mandate period and reflected on future perspectives.
During the meeting, the members of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) of the EU - composed of representatives of employers' organisations, trade unions and various interest groups - followed up on the joint meetings with the Japanese counterparts that took place in Tokyo in January this year. They also discussed the work programme of the EU DAG and topics for future cooperation and dialogue. Additionally, the members of the EU DAG exchanged views with representatives of the European Commission on matters related to the implementation of the trade and sustainable development chapter of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
During the meeting, the composition of the presidency was confirmed. The Group discussed its mandate, and proposed topics ahead of the 2019 Civil Society Forum. Moreover, the EU DAG discussed with representatives of the EC matters related to the implementation of the EU-Korea FTA under three pillars of sustainable development.
During the meeting, the Chair of the EU DAG under the new mandate was elected. The Group also discussed its mandate, working methods, reporting procedures and cooperation with other civil society organisations, as well as exchanged views on its rules of procedure and assess possible amendments . Moreover, the EU DAG discussed with representatives of the EC matters related to the implementation of the EU-Korea FTA under three pillars of sustainable development.
