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Enhancing the accession process - A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans

Em curso (updated on 04/12/2020)
Referência: 
REX/533-EESC-2020
Referral: 
COM(2020) 57 final COM(2020) 641 final COM(2020) 641 final COM(2020) 660 final COM(2020) 660 final
Rapporteur: 
Andrej ZORKO (Workers - GR II / Slovenia)
Co-rapporteur: 
Ionuţ SIBIAN (Diversity Europe - GR III/Romania)
Reunião plenária: 
559 -
Mar 24, 2021 Mar 25, 2021

Composition of the Study Group

Administrator in charge: David Hoić / Assistant: Nadja Kačičnik

On 5 February 2020, the European Commission adopted the 2020 Communication “Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans” (COM(2020) 57 final). The Communication proposes changes to reinvigorate the process based on four principles: more credibility, a stronger political steer, a more dynamic process, and greater predictability.

Nota Informativa: Enhancing the accession process - A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans

EU and Africa: Making an equal development partnership a reality based on sustainability and common values (own-initiative opinion)

Adotados on 18/09/2020
Referência: 
REX/527-EESC-2020
Rapporteur: 
Dimitris DIMITRIADIS (Employers - GR I/Greece), Dilyana SLAVOVA (/Bulgaria), Thomas WAGNSONNER (Workers - GR II/Austria) (Employers - GR I / Greece)
Reunião plenária: 
554 -
Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020
  • The common foundation of any EU political engagement leading to an equal development partnership with Africa shall be based on a multidimensional approach, articulating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the respect of Universal Human Rights (UHRs) - including fundamental rights, the right to a healthy environment and the freedom to conduct a business.
  • The EESC advocates promoting a decent life and good prospects, creating a middle class and supporting equal partnerships by strengthening sustainable social-liberal democratic structures in Africa.
  • The EESC highlights that the EU strategy on Africa must focus on Development and welcomes the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
  • The EESC reiterates the important role of organised civil society in the up-coming ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.

    Parecer do CESE: EU and Africa: Making an equal development partnership a reality based on sustainability and common values (own-initiative opinion)

    Contribution of civil society to the Green Agenda and sustainable development of the Western Balkans as part of the EU accession process (own-initiative opinion)

    Adotados on 18/09/2020
    Referência: 
    REX/528-EESC-2020
    Rapporteur: 
    Dragica MARTINOVIĆ DŽAMONJA (Employers - GR I / Croatia)
    Co-rapporteur: 
    Pierre Jean COULON (Workers - GR II/France)
    Reunião plenária: 
    554 -
    Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

    On 5 February 2020, the European Commission published its Communication Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans, proposing a new methodology for candidate countries of the Western Balkans with the objective to render the accession process more coherent, respond to concerns of certain Member States expressed in October 2019 and enable the enlargement process to continue.

    Parecer do CESE: Contribution of civil society to the Green Agenda and sustainable development of the Western Balkans as part of the EU accession process (own-initiative opinion)

    Sustainable supply chains and decent work in international trade (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

    Adotados on 18/09/2020
    Referência: 
    REX/532-EESC-2020
    Rapporteur: 
    Tanja BUZEK (Workers - GR II / Germany)
    Reunião plenária: 
    554 -
    Sep 16, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

    Key points

    Global supply chains (GSC) are key and complex in economic activities across the world and in global trade. Economic growth, job creation and entrepreneurship are also contested by evidence of negative implications for working conditions as well as for sustainability in some supply chains.

    The COVID-19 crisis has unveiled the serious downfalls related to highly fragmented and undiversified supply chains. It exposed the vulnerability of workers' health and safety, and it highlighted violations of human rights. Trade will have to play a key role in promoting a sustainable economic recovery. However, stronger instruments need to deliver on a socially and environmentally responsible business, trade and investment agenda.

    GSC need to become more resilient, diversified and responsible, and ambitious actions need to ensure they contribute to a fairer economic and social model, based on sustainability and decent work.

    Parecer do CESE: Sustainable supply chains and decent work in international trade (Exploratory opinion at the request of the German presidency)

    Implementation of Free Trade Agreements 1 January 2018 - 31 December 2018

    Adotados on 15/07/2020
    Referência: 
    REX/525-EESC-2020
    Referral: 
    COM(2019) 455 final
    Rapporteur: 
    Tanja BUZEK (Workers - GR II / Germany)
    Co-rapporteur: 
    Alberto MAZZOLA (Italy)
    Reunião plenária: 
    553 - Jul 16, 2020

    The Covid-19 impact is having a profound and unprecedented impact and Europe needs to respond with a strong, social, sustainable and inclusive EU Recovery Plan that will support companies and people. The upcoming early EU Trade Strategy review needs to draw important lessons from this crisis. The EU is not self-sufficient and depends on access to international markets. It needs resilient, diversified and responsible Global supply chains. Stronger instruments need to deliver on a sustainable trade and investment agenda in all its dimensions. It needs to be consistent with the Green Deal and show equal ambition on the effective implementation and enforcement of labour provisions. European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recommendations made in a series of recent and ongoing key opinions on EU trade must inform this strategy review.

    Parecer do CESE: Implementation of Free Trade Agreements 1 January 2018 - 31 December 2018

    A post COVID-19 emergency: the design of a New Multilateral Matrix (own-initiative opinion)

    Adotados on 15/07/2020
    Referência: 
    REX/529-EESC-2020
    Rapporteur: 
    Emmanuelle BUTAUD-STUBBS (France)
    Reunião plenária: 
    553 - Jul 16, 2020

    The unprecedented magnitude of the COVID crisis requires an unprecedented, long-term and unequivocal response. International trade is a vital tool to finance recovery ge get out of the crisis. In these efforts, the EU must stay true to its values and ensure the protection of businesses, workers and people, leaving no one behind. Recovery must be based on sustainability, and inclusive and green growth. Green Deal measures are therefore more relevant than ever.

    Parecer do CESE: A post COVID-19 emergency: the design of a New Multilateral Matrix (own-initiative opinion)

    External aid, investment and trade as instruments to reduce the reasons of economic migration, with a special focus on Africa (own-initiative opinion)

    Adotados on 11/12/2019
    Referência: 
    REX/516-EESC-2019
    Rapporteur: 
    Arno METZLER (Germany)
    Co-rapporteur: 
    Thomas WAGNSONNER (Workers - GR II/Austria)
    Reunião plenária: 
    548 -
    Dec 11, 2019 Dec 12, 2019

    When it comes to development and EU-Africa relations, the EESC consistently emphasised the importance of sustainable development and cooperation based on the rule of law and the respect for human rights. Initiatives focused on trade, investment and business relations with Africa could be welcomed, but not to the detriment of traditional development policies focusing on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EU and Africa leaders agreed in 2015 at the Valletta summit on migration on setting up the EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), as the main instrument of EU external migration policy. The Fund finances the development of border protection capacities, but also long-term development policy projects so as to decrease the likelihood of further migration.

    Parecer do CESE: External aid, investment and trade as instruments to reduce the reasons of economic migration, with a special focus on Africa (own-initiative opinion)

    Binding UN treaty on business and human rights (own-initiative opinion)

    Adotados on 11/12/2019
    Referência: 
    REX/518-EESC-2019
    Rapporteur: 
    Thomas WAGNSONNER (Workers - GR II / Austria)
    Reunião plenária: 
    548 -
    Dec 11, 2019 Dec 12, 2019

    A system of corporate liability for human rights abuses is currently being negotiated in the UN, within the UNHRC’s open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises concerning human rights (OEIGWG), established by the UN General Assembly on 26 June 2014. The mandate of the working group is to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

    Parecer do CESE: Binding UN treaty on business and human rights (own-initiative opinion)

    The role of the EU's trade and investment policies in enhancing the EU's economic performance (own-initiative opinion)

    Adotados on 30/10/2019
    Referência: 
    REX/517-EESC-2019
    Rapporteur: 
    Tanja BUZEK (Workers - GR II/Germany), Jonathan PEEL (/United Kingdom) (Workers - GR II / Germany)
    Reunião plenária: 
    547 -
    Oct 30, 2019 Oct 31, 2019

    Parecer do CESE: The role of the EU's trade and investment policies in enhancing the EU's economic performance (own-initiative opinion)

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