Evropski ekonomsko-socialni odbor
EESO že od 70. let 20. stoletja organizira redne sestanke z ekonomskimi in socialnimi interesnimi skupinami iz skupine afriških, karibskih in pacifiških držav (AKP). Ti sestanki so priložnost za pripravo priporočil o vprašanjih, pomembnih za odnose med AKP in EU.
Do leta 2020 bodo odnosi med EU in 78 državami AKP urejeni v skladu s Sporazumom iz Cotonouja, ki priznava bistveno vlogo nedržavnih akterjev v razvojem procesu. V skladu s tem sporazumom lahko EESO organizira sestanke in posvetovanja z ekonomskimi in socialnimi interesnimi skupinami AKP-EU.
EESO vzdržuje redne stike s predstavniki civilne družbe v državah AKP na različnih ravneh, in sicer z:
EESO je v rednih stikih z Ekonomskim, socialnim in kulturnim svetom Afriške unije.
Poleg tega že več let vzdržuje redne stike s skupno parlamentarno skupščino AKP-EU, tako da na njenih sejah predstavlja poročila o svojih dejavnostih.
Tesno sodeluje tudi z mednarodnimi organizacijami delodajalcev, delavcev, kmetov in potrošnikov. Te organizacije imenujejo predstavnike skupine držav AKP, ki so povabljeni na seje EESO, vključno s spremljevalnim odborom EU-AKP.
The opinion of the EESC should consider different options and scenarios for post-2015 and develop proposals on how to involve civil society more extensively in the process.
In this opinion, the EESC will aim to adopt a stance on the role of social protection in development policy. This is likely to be one of the main topics in the debate about the new goals of development policy which are to replace the Millennium Development Goals after 2015.
The EESC considers that the EU's underlying objectives for the renewed EU-Pacific development Partnership are ambitious, but believes that the implementing arrangements, which mainly concern environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in the region, are not clear. Synergies are needed with other organisations to address the impact of climate change, which has a cross-cutting impact on national and multilateral policies as well as social and economic repercussions. Issues associated with the impact of climate change should be incorporated in the area's comprehensive environmental policies and ensure coherent behaviour and actions. To this end, the active involvement of all local stakeholders is necessary.
EU support for good governance and human rights (pillar of the agenda for change) should be aimed at promoting a human rights-based approach to development whose features are: participation in political processes, democratic ownership and empowerment of rights holders; human rights compliance systems on internationally agreed commitments; policy coherence between human rights, aid, and economic policies.
On 22 November, participants in the 17th regional seminar of ACP-EU economic and social interest groups adopted a declaration highlighting the potential of the blue economy as a key factor for development in many eastern and southern African countries. The event, hosted by the EESC in Mauritius, was also an opportunity for civil society representatives to call for a greater role for civil society in the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements and bilateral Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) and to acknowledge the role played by African and EU economic and social groups in the development of infrastructure.
Speech of Ms Brenda King - EESC Member during the 35th Joint ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
