Kumitat Ekonomiku u Socjali Ewropew
Mill-ewwel Konvenzjoni ta’ Lomé (1975) sal-Ftehim ta’ Cotonou (2000-2021), is-Sħubiji AKP-UE rregolaw ir-relazzjonijiet bejn l-UE u 79 pajjiż mill-Grupp ta' Stati Afrikani, tal-Karibew u tal-Paċifiku (AKP), li dan l-aħħar sar l-Organizzazzjoni tal-Istai Afrikani, tal-Karibew u tal-Paċifiku (OACPS).
Matul dan il-perjodu, il-KESE flimkien mas-soċjetà ċivili tal-AKP ġġieldu għar-rikonoxximent tar-rwol essenzjali tal-operaturi mhux statali fil-proċess ta’ żvilupp sakemm dan inkiseb fil-Ftehim ta’ Cotonou, li ta mandat lill-KESE biex jorganizza attivitajiet u konsultazzjonijiet ma’ gruppi ta’ interess ekonomiku u soċjali tal-AKP u l-UE bil-għan li jinġabru l-fehmiet tas-soċjetà ċivili organizzata u biex din tingħata leħen. L-għan kien li jiġu promossi l-iskambji u jitressqu rakkomandazzjonijiet dwar kwistjonijiet u politiki relatati mar-relazzjonijiet tal-AKP-UE, li mbagħad jiġu indirizzati mill-mexxejja tal-UE u tal-AKP.
F'termini prattiċi, l-attivitajiet tal-KESE dwar ir-relazzjonijiet bejn l-UE u l-OACPS jitwettqu prinċipalment taħt il-gwida tal-Kumitat ta’ Segwitu UE-AKP, magħmul minn membri tal-KESE u delegati li jirrappreżentaw lill-gruppi ta’ interess ekonomiku u soċjali mill-AKP.
Il-Kumitat ta’ Segwitu UE-AKP jżomm kuntatti regolari mar-rappreżentanti tas-soċjetà ċivili fil-pajjiżi AKP f’diversi livelli, permezz ta’ dawn li ġejjin:
Il-KESE jżomm ukoll kuntatti regolari mar-rappreżentanti tal-gruppi ta' interess ekonomiku u soċjali tal-Unjoni Afrikana fil-qafas tal-Istrateġija Konġunta Afrika-UE. B'mod partikolari, il-KESE jorganizza laqgħat annwali man-Network tal-Partijiet Interessati Ekonomiċi u Soċjali UE-Afrika.
Il-KESE ilu snin twal iżomm kuntatt regolari mal-Assemblea Parlamentari Konġunta AKP-UE billi jippreżenta rapport dwar l-attivitajiet tiegħu fis-sessjonijiet tal-Assemblea Plenarja.
Bl-istess mod, il-KESE jinsab f’kuntatt mill-qrib ma’ organizzazzjonijiet internazzjonali ta’ min iħaddem, il-ħaddiema, il-bdiewa, il-kooperattivi u l-konsumaturi. Dawn l-organizzazzjonijiet jinnominaw ir-rappreżentanti tal-AKP li jiġu mistiedna għal-laqgħat tal-KESE, inkluż il-Kumitat ta’ Segwitu UE-AKP.
Under the auspices of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)-European Union relations, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organises regular consultation meetings with ACP and EU economic and social stakeholders, including representatives of civil society originating from the 79 ACP countries.
This meeting is opportunity to take stock of the EU-Africa comprehensive agenda and strategy, the role of the organised civil society and social partners and the cooperation on development in the new negotiated partnership agreement between the EU and the organisation of ACP states as well as to prepare the 29th meeting of the ACP-EU economic and social interest groups.
The Meeting of the ACP-EU Follow-up Committee will virtually take place on 2 March 2021, 9.30 - 12.30 a.m. Brussels time.
This meeting will be the opportunity to welcome the delegates to the new mandate (2021-2013) of this ACP-EU Follow-up Committee.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Seventh meeting of the EU-Africa Economic and Social Stakeholders' Network originally scheduled in 2020 had been postponed to 2021.
The EESC proposes holding the Seventh meeting of the EU-Africa Economic and Social Stakeholders' Network at the EESC building in Brussels, on 2 March 2021, from 2.30 to 6.15 pm.
The meeting will be held virtually from the EESC building in Brussels. The system INTERACTIO will used as it allows simulations interpretation in EN, ES FR and PT, which is the linguistic regime applied to EESC regular activities with Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP).
The Meeting of the Follow-up Committee ACP-EU will virtually take place on 14 December 2020, 5-7 p.m. Brussels time, which is 4-6 p.m. G.M.T., 12 a.m.-5 p.m. in Trinidad and Tobago, 7-9 p.m. in Nairobi or 4-6 a.m. in Suva (Fiji).
This meeting will be the opportunity to properly say good-bye and thank our delegates for the good cooperation during the 2018-2020 period, before the EESC launches call for the nomination of new delegates.
Meeting of the Follow-up Committee ACP-EU
The EESC organised a regional seminar in Eastern and Southern Africa, which comprises the Indian Ocean islands (Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles), countries from the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan) and some countries of Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
The regional seminar took place in Mauritius, on 21-22 November 2019.
The sixth meeting of the EU-Africa Economic and Social Stakeholders' Network took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 3 and 4 July 2019. A political declaration was adopted by the network to be addressed to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the African Union.
On the basis of the Cotonou agreement, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is mandated to organise consultation sessions and meetings of ACP-EU economic and social interest groups in order to voice these actors' views on the ACP-EU partnership and foster cooperation between civil society organisations.
Within this framework, the EESC organises regional seminars every year in one of the ACP regions.
This year, the EESC is organising a regional seminar in Windhoek (Namibia) on 8-9 November 2018.
The EU-Africa economic and social stakeholders' network will first deal with the up-coming EU-Africa Action Plan for the period 2018-2020. The annual meeting will specifically address migration and economic issues, focusing on the implications for young people. The youth focus is essential as young people clearly represent an increasingly important proportion of African populations. Moreover, youth unemployment in both Africa and Europe is a shared concern of economic and social actors. It is helping to feed migration flows, especially for young Africans who are facing a lack of prospects.
