Welcome to this Medina Session on 'Integrating Civil Society in policy-making'. This session has been organised by the European Economic and Social Committee, but as you can see it also involves many notable guest speakers from a variety of civil society organisations who will share their experiences with us.….I shall not name you all because I think it is important we move to the discussion but you shall all have the opportunity to take the floor.
EUROMED
Ir-relazzjonijiet bejn l-UE u l-ġirien tagħha tan-Nofsinhar jikkostitwixxu waħda mill-prijoritajiet tagħna. Ħidmitna tkopri firxa wiesgħa ta’ oqsma, bħalma huma s-sehem tas-soċjetà ċivili fid-djalogu politiku u ċivili, it-tranżizzjoni demokratika, l-impjieg taż-żgħażagħ, l-iżvilupp sostenibbli, il-mobilità u l-immigrazzjoni, il-kummerċ, l-enerġija rinnovabbli u l-iżvilupp tan-negozji.
Il-KESE ilu jaħdem fuq dawn il-kwistjonijiet mill-1995. Wara t-tibdil fir-reġjun fl-2010, adattajna l-għanijiet tagħna biex nirriflettu dan, u issa l-għanijiet tagħna huma dawn li ġejjin:
- L-appoġġ lill-organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili fil-pajjiżi li għaddejjin minn tranżizzjoni. Dan l-appoġġ huwa wieħed immirat, b’mod partikolari għat-trade unions u l-organizzazzjonijiet ta’ min iħaddem kif ukoll għall-assoċjazzjonijiet tan-nisa, iż-żgħażagħ u l-bdiewa.
- Iż-żamma tar-relazzjonijiet bilaterali mal-kunsilli ekonomiċi u soċjali nazzjonali fir-reġjun, u ħidma favur il-ħolqien ta’ kundizzjonijiet għall-inklużjoni tas-soċjetà ċivili fid-djalogu politiku fil-pajjiżi msieħba tan-Nofsinhar.
- Il-pubblikazzjoni ta’ Opinjonijiet u rapporti konġunti dwar l-isfidi ewlenin b’rabta ma’ dan ir-reġjun.
- L-organizzazzjoni ta’ laqgħat regolari ma’ istituzzjonijiet Ewropej u organizzazzjonijiet internazzjonali bil-għan li jiġu diskussi l-politiki li jirrigwardaw lis-soċjetà ċivili madwar ir-reġjun.
- L-organizzazzjoni ta’ summit annwali għall-kunsilli ekonomiċi u soċjali u istituzzjonijiet simili, fejn jitressqu rakkomandazzjonijiet ta’ politika ewlenin dwar l-isfidi prinċipali tar-reġjun quddiem dawk responsabbli għat-tfassil tal-politika fi ħdan il-gvernijiet nazzjonali u l-UE.
Pages
Civil society has everything to win from free and vibrant media.Not only does the latter support and foster civil society but it can also help to hold the authorities to account, to put civil society’s ideas and principles into action and influence the social change.
The Jordanian ESC is playing a crucial role in what is a crucial country in the region. Jordan is a country facing many challenges. But we know from the past that it has the resourcefulness to positively embrace such challenges. Proof of this is the fact that is has now taken over the Co-Presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).
Staffan Nilsson`s opening speech at the Amman summit
Gaddafi's regime is now falling apart and the EU under UN leadership is mobilising to help the Libyan people build a free, open, secure and democratic state. The fight is not over yet, however I do hope for a positive outcome. I salute the determined action taken by the UN and some EU Member States to protect civilians from their dictator's mad fight against his own people.
Following the natural disaster of unprecedented proportions that has hit Japan, it would be all too easy for us to shift our focus away from current events in Libya.
The fact that this country's leader, who claims to be loved by his people, is bombing his own citizens and is ordering the armed forces to open fire on their compatriots underscores this dictator’s true nature.
"At this important moment in history the EESC calls for the involvement of all democratic forces in the transition process, including civil society representatives, and underlines the important role of participatory democracy. Economic and social partners and civil society organisations play a pivotal role in efforts to develop a constructive and fruitful dialogue about the future of these countries."...