The EESC’s Transatlantic Relations Follow-up Committee met to discuss two current and timely topics with the aim of strengthening the EU-US partnership on a global scene, particularly important in the current challenging international context: the state of play of the transatlantic trade policy and the Year of Action between the two Summits for Democracy.
Transatlantiskās attiecības
ES, ASV un Kanādai ir kopīgas tādas vērtības kā demokrātija, cilvēktiesības un ekonomiskā un politiskā brīvība, un daļēji sakrīt to ārpolitikas un drošības intereses. ASV un Kanāda ir divi no galvenajiem ES tirdzniecības partneriem, un tās ir partneri arī starptautiskās tiesiskās kārtības veidošanā. Mūsdienās transatlantiskās attiecības norisinās jaunā vidē un saskaras ar aizvien lielākām problēmām. EESK uzskata, ka pilsoniskās sabiedrības iesaistīšana šajās attiecībās ir garantija, ka transatlantiskās attiecības spēs reaģēt uz sabiedrības vēlmēm un efektīvi palīdzēs veidot abpusēji izdevīgu sadarbību.
ES un Kanādas visaptverošais ekonomikas un tirdzniecības nolīgums (CETA) un Stratēģiskās partnerības nolīgums tika parakstīti 2016. gada 30. oktobrī. EESK centīsies šo nolīgumu īstenošanā pastāvīgi iesaistīt pilsonisko sabiedrību. Sarunas par ES un ASV transatlantisko tirdzniecības un ieguldījumu partnerību (TTIP) šobrīd ir apstājušās. Tomēr TTIP sarunas palīdzēja nostiprināt ES un ASV pilsoniskās sabiedrības savstarpējās saiknes un formulēt pilsoniskās sabiedrības viedokli par to, kādām vajadzētu būt turpmākajām ES un ASV tirdzniecības attiecībām. Šos sasniegumus nedrīkst pazaudēt. Transatlantiskās koordinācijas komiteja izveidota 2014. gada septembrī, un tās uzdevums ir uzraudzīt transatlantiskās saiknes ar pilsonisko sabiedrību, kā arī nodrošināt regulāru dialogu un apspriešanos par jautājumiem, kas saistīti ar attiecībām ar ASV un Kanādu.
With China and Russia on the offensive, a renewed and reliable transatlantic partnership is the key to maintaining international and legal order and peace. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) supports the idea of an Alliance of Democracies, ensuring that civil society has significant say in the joint defence of universal values and rights.
Through increased transatlantic dialogue, the Trade and Technology Council and the upcoming Summit for Democracy, the United States and the European Union have reached out to each other to jointly face global and internal challenges, and build a strong partnership on the basis of common democratic values.
Transatlantic relations remain strong and important even though they have recently had a very bad press. Business, both in the EU and the US, has a role to play in overcoming current difficulties. Together, we can effectively promote a positive transatlantic agenda and help to fight stereotypes and misinformation. These are just some of the conclusions of the debate with Susan Danger, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU. The debate took place during the Employers' Group meeting on 11 July 2018.
The role of trade as a generator of growth and jobs is undeniable, but public perception of the further liberalisation of trade is getting worse and citizens' concerns must be addressed far more effectively than before. This was one of the conclusions of the conference on "Strengthening European Growth and Competitiveness: Proactive Trade Agenda – NOW!" that took place in Helsinki on 26 October.
The role of trade as a generator of growth and jobs is undeniable, but public perception of the further liberalisation of trade is getting worse and citizens' concerns must be addressed far more effectively than before. This was one of the conclusions of the conference on "Strengthening European Growth and Competitiveness: Proactive Trade Agenda – NOW!" that took place in Helsinki on 26 October. Jacek Krawczyk, President of the EESC Employers' Group, added: It is our responsibility to advocate for trade; we cannot take it for granted that people understand what the benefits ...
With discussions for TTIP now at a critical point, the EESC has published a new opinion, ‘The position of the EESC on specific key issues of the TTIP negotiations’. The own-initiative opinion assesses some key issues of the negotiations and identifies the main considerations for European civil society. This new ...