Evropski ekonomsko-socialni odbor
EESO dejavno sodeluje pri procesu širitve EU in je za svoje odnose z organizacijami civilne družbe v državah širitve razvil dvojni pristop, tj. regionalnega in dvostranskega.
Kar zadeva regionalni pristop, je glavni instrument za usklajevanje dejavnosti EESO v regiji spremljevalni odbor za Zahodni Balkan, tj. stalni notranji organ EESO. Del njegove dejavnosti je forum civilne družbe Zahodnega Balkana, organiziran vsaki dve leti.
EESO tudi dvostransko sodeluje z državami Zahodnega Balkana in Turčijo. Na podlagi pridružitvenih sporazumov med temi državami in EU je EESO z namenom, da bi organizacije civilne družbe vključil v predpristopne in pristopne procese, s predstavniki civilne družbe ustanovil tri skupne organe, in sicer s Turčijo, Črno goro in Srbijo. Vsak organ je sestavljen iz enakega števila članov iz EESO in partnerske države ter se sestane dvakrat na leto.
EESO vzdržuje redne stike in organizira skupne dejavnosti z organizacijami civilne družbe v državah širitve, s katerimi še ni bil vzpostavljen noben skupni organ predstavnikov civilne družbe.
EESO delo skupnih organov dopolnjuje s pripravo mnenj o predpristopnih in pristopnih procesih posameznih držav ter o temah v regionalnem interesu.
The high-level civil society conference on youth policy in the Western Balkans, hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), highlighted the key role of young people for the future of the region and called for their active involvement in policy-making.
On 24 May in Sarajevo, the EESC's Western Balkans Follow-up Committee held its yearly external meeting - for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic - to meet with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and discuss their role and concerns regarding the current situation. The conclusions will be conveyed to the country's political authorities and to the EU institutions.
The May plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted a debate led by its President Christa Schweng and the President of the European Council Charles Michel on Europe's response to this turning point in history.
EESC criticises European Council decision to deny the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is deeply disappointed about EU leaders' decision to further postpone opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania at the European Council of 17-18 October, due to the lack of unanimity between the Member States.
The 7th edition of the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, which took place in Tirana on 16 and 17 April, concluded with a call for the next Commission to maintain the Western Balkans enlargement policy as one of its priorities in the interest of both the region and of the EU.
