L-Amerka Latina u l-Karibew
Il-KESE ilu jaħdem mal-organizzazzjonijiet imsieħba mill-Amerka Latina u l-Karibew mis-snin disgħin. Diversi Opinjonijiet tal-KESE ffukaw fuq ir-relazzjonijiet ma’ dan ir-reġjun, f’livell reġjonali, sottoreġjonali u nazzjonali. Il-prijoritajiet tal-KESE jinkludu l-iżvilupp tal-organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili, l-iżvilupp ekonomiku u soċjali, l-integrazzjoni reġjonali u l-kooperazzjoni fl-isfera multilaterali.
Fil-livell reġjonali, il-KESE jorganizza laqgħat biennali bejn ir-rappreżentanti tal-organizzazzjoni tas-soċjetà ċivili fl-Ewropa, fl-Amerka Latina u fil-Karibew, bħala wieħed mill-avvenimenti ta’ tħejjija qabel is-Summit EU-CELAC.
Fil-livell sottoreġjonali u nazzjonali, ġew stabbiliti diversi strutturi permanenti: fl-2009, il-KESE waqqaf Round Table tas-soċjetà ċivili mal-Kunsill Ekonomiku u Soċjali Brażiljan bil-għan li jipprovdi forum għad-djalogu u l-kooperazzjoni kontinwa bejn rappreżentanti tas-soċjetà ċivili mill-Brażil u mill-Ewropa. Il-Ftehim ta’ Assoċjazzjoni bejn l-UE u ċ-Ċilì ta lill-Kumitat mandat biex jistabbilixxi Kumitat Konsultattiv Konġunt mal-kontraparti tiegħu mis-soċjetà ċivili Ċilena, bil-għan li jiġi ssorveljat il-ftehim, li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ġie stabbilit fl-2016. Fejn jidħlu l-pajjiżi tal-Komunità Andina, il-KESE jieħu sehem fil-Grupp Konsultattiv Domestiku li jissorvelja l-ftehim ta’ kummerċ ħieles bejn l-UE u l-Kolombja/il-Perù/l-Ekwador. Jipparteċipa wkoll fil-Kumitat Konsultattiv CARIFORUM-UE, li jissorvelja l-Ftehim ta’ Sħubija Ekonomika CARIFORUM-UE. Ġew stabbiliti relazzjonijiet permanenti mal-kontrapartijiet istituzzjonali tal-KESE fil-MERCOSUR (il-Forum Konsultattiv Ekonomiku u Soċjali) u fl-Amerka Ċentrali (il-Kumitat Konsultattiv tas-Sistema tal-Integrazzjoni tal-Amerka Ċentrali).
"I am also here as a spokesperson for Latin American civil society organisations, who have given me the honourable task of bringing our joint recommendations - civil society recommendations - to our heads of state or government. We produced these recommendations at the 7th EU-Latin America meeting of organised civil society that we held here, in Santiago, in December last year. We are convinced of the importance for civil society to be at the centre of EULatin America relations. Participation is crucial in order to secure more transparent relations and increased ownership of political and trade exchanges, and also to ensure the more efficient implementation of policies."
Staffan Nilsson's speech for the EU and Latin American organised civil society at the EU-CELAC Summit in Santiago de Chile
Civil society must be at the centre of the EU-Latin America relations. Participation of civil society is crucial in order to have more transparent relations and an increased ownership of political and trade exchanges, and also to have a more efficient implementation of policies. This can be better achieved through the existence of consultative bodies, which is why the EESC has always worked on the creation and strengthening of Latin American consultative institutions.
EESC President`s opening sppech at the 7th meeting of civil society organisations of the EU and Latin America
The purpose of today's meeting is two-fold.
We thought it would be good if we, representatives from European organised civil society, would meet to exchange information about planned activities in Rio and to see how we could further foster our common values and positions throughout these diverse activities.
The second reason for today's meeting turns out to be very timely. Originally we had invited Timo Makela, Director of DG Environment, to give us a de-briefing on ongoing Rio negotiations in New York.
Staffan Nilsson's Opening Speech at the EU Brazil Round Table Brasilia