Eiropas Ekonomikas un sociālo lietu komiteja
EESK darbība attiecībā uz Austrumu kaimiņvalstīm ir saistīta ar Armēniju, Azerbaidžānu, Baltkrieviju, Gruziju, Moldovu un Ukrainu. EESK galvenais mērķis attiecībā uz Eiropas austrumu kaimiņvalstīm ir stiprināt attiecības ar pilsoniskās sabiedrības organizācijām šajā reģionā un iesaistīt tās dialogā gan ar savu valstu politikas veidotājiem, gan ar ES organizētu pilsonisko sabiedrību.
Galvenie mehānismi sadarbībai ar Gruziju, Moldovu un Ukrainu ir Pilsoniskās sabiedrības platformas, kas papildina politiskās struktūras, kuras pastāv, pateicoties ES asociācijas nolīgumiem ar šīm valstīm. Platformas dod iespēju pilsoniskās sabiedrības organizācijām no ES un partnervalstīm uzraudzīt īstenošanas procesu un sagatavot ieteikumus attiecīgajām iestādēm.
No ES puses šajās platformās iesaistās EESK locekļi, kā arī plašu Eiropas pilsoniskās sabiedrības tīklu pārstāvji. No partnervalstu puses tajās ir pārstāvēts plašs pilsoniskās sabiedrības organizāciju spektrs. Dalība platformās ir balstīta uz visu interešu grupu (darba devēju organizāciju, arodbiedrību un dažādu interešu grupu) līdzsvarotu pārstāvību.
EESK ietvaros Austrumu kaimiņvalstu koordinācijas komiteja tika izveidota 2004. gadā kā īpaša struktūra, kas atbild par attiecībām ar pilsonisko sabiedrību austrumu kaimiņreģiona valstīs. Koordinācijas komitejas sanāksmes parasti notiek četras reizes gadā, un tās locekļi aktīvi piedalās Austrumu partnerības darbībās, piemēram, AP daudzpusējās platformās un AP Pilsoniskās sabiedrības forumā.
The Civil Society Platform complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare their recommendations to the relevant authorities both in Georgia as well as in the European Union.
The 5th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform took place on 15 November 2017 in Kyiv. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play in the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and two reports, prepared by both sides, were discussed and adopted – on the Progress in the implementation of Euro-integration reforms in the field of Science and Technology, and on The rights of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). A Joint Declaration was adopted at the end of the meeting to be forwarded to the EU-Ukraine Association Council, the Association Committee, the Parliamentary Association Committee and other relevant bodies both in Ukraine as well as in the EU.
The 7th Joint Seminar of the European Economic and Social Committee and the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation (CCRF) will bring together EESC members and representatives of their Russian counterpart, representatives of the European Commission, experts and academics, to discuss cooperation in the areas of higher education and rural development. During four thematic sessions, participants will focus on EU-Russia cooperation in the fields of science, research and innovation; aligning higher education in the EU and Russia (the Bologna Process) and Erasmus+, on narrowing the gaps between rural and urban areas, and on cross-border cooperation for businesses and SMEs.
The CSP complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare their recommendations to the relevant authorities both in the Republic of Moldova as well as in the European Union.
The 4th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform took place on 18 May 2017 in Brussels. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play in the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and two reports, prepared by both sides, were discussed and adopted.
The 2nd meeting of the EU-Georgia Civil Society Platform (CSP) will be held on 16 February 2017 at the EESC. The CSP complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare recommendations to the relevant authorities both in Georgia as well as in the European Union.
The CSP is made up of nine members from both Parties, representing the EESC and large European civil society networks, on the one side, and civil society organisations from Georgia, on the other side.
Representatives of the European and Georgian Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), set up under the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia, held their second joint meeting in Brussels on 30 November 2016. The participants expressed their commitment to fulfil the mandate foreseen in the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Association Agreement, namely to monitor the implementation of the Chapter and to provide advice to the Parties to the Agreement.
Representatives of the European and Georgian Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), set up under the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia, held their first joint meeting in Tbilisi on 26 January 2016. The participants expressed their commitment to fulfil the mandate foreseen in the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Association Agreement, namely to monitor the implementation of the Chapter and to provide advice to the Parties to the Agreement.
The EESC and the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum are organising their 3rd joint seminar, on 23 November 2016, in Versailles. The objective of the seminar is to discuss topics of common interest for European and Russian civil society. On the agenda this year will be questions such as the current situation in which civil society in Russia and in the EU are operating, and questions relating to migration, specifically focusing on good practices and experiences in integrating newcomers into host societies.
Article 376 of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement foresees that each Party would establish a domestic advisory group (DAG) on sustainable development, which would advise on issues relating to the Chapter of trade and sustainable development. A joint meeting is held annually. The first meeting was held in July 2015.
