For a new Governance of International Organisations

For a new Governance of International Organisations

It has become clear that the current major global crisis can only be addressed effectively at the global level. This not only applies to the challenge of the current financial and economic crisis, but also to the food crisis, increased poverty, the effects of climate change and increased migration. These challenges can only be addressed by institutions that have legitimacy. A new governance structure will only have this legitimacy by being inclusive to all nations and its peoples.

This opinion puts forward the EESC position as regards the need for a new world governance that is led by international institutions, and makes proposals concerning the role of the EU in it. Its main recommendations are the following:

• The EESC supports the EU in taking an active part in developing a new governance of international organisations.
• The EESC requests the EU to develop effective linkages between the G20 process and the representative UN institutions and to strengthen ECOSOC.
• The EESC supports the further restructuring of the World Bank and IMF to increase the representation of emerging and developing countries.
• The EESC encourages the EU to promote the establishment of monitoring systems in international organisations to allow follow-up of decisions and increase their efficiency.
• The EESC supports the increase of the authority of international organisations to regulate financial markets at the international level in order to prevent a new financial crisis.
• The EESC supports any initiative by the EU to encourage cooperation and coherence among international organisations.
• The EESC wishes to be actively engaged in contributing to a Commission Recommendation to the Member States to ratify the up-to-date ILO Conventions and to actively contribute to their implementation.
• The EESC should be heard in consultative meetings while preparing strategies to increase EU power and strengthen EU position in international organisations.
• The EESC encourages the EU to be coherent in its external policies and consistent with its objectives.
• The EESC expects the EU (EC and Member States) to promote and facilitate an improved consultation of civil society organisations and social partners in the future governance structures of international organisations.