The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is responsible for dialogue between European civil society organisations and their homologues from the countries with which the European Union has formal relations (e.g. under the form of a Free Trade Agreement). Through this dialogue, made possible by a series of bilateral bodies, and through specialized opinions and information reports, the Committee is able to concretely contribute to EU foreign policy.
Euromed
Odnosi med EU in njenimi južnimi sosedami so ena od naših prednostnih nalog. Naše delo pokriva najrazličnejša področja, kot so udeležba civilne družbe v političnem in civilnem dialogu, demokratični prehod, zaposlovanje mladih, trajnostni razvoj, mobilnost in priseljevanje, trgovina, energija iz obnovljivih virov in razvoj podjetij.
EESO ta vprašanja obravnava že od leta 1995. Po spremembah v regiji leta 2010 smo cilje ustrezno prilagodili, da bi:
- podprli organizacije civilne družbe v državah v prehodu. Taka podpora je ciljno usmerjena, zlasti na sindikate in organizacije delodajalcev ter združenja žensk, mladih in kmetov;
- vzdrževali dvostranske odnose z nacionalnimi ekonomsko-socialnimi sveti v regiji ter si prizadevali za ustvarjanje pogojev za vključitev civilne družbe v politični dialog v južnih partnerskih državah;
- izdali mnenja in skupna poročila o ključnih političnih izzivih, s katerimi se srečuje regija;
- organizirali redne sestanke z evropskimi institucijami in mednarodnimi organizacijami, na katerih bi razpravljali o politikah, ki zadevajo civilno družbo po vsej regiji;
- organizirali letno srečanje na vrhu za ekonomsko-socialne svete in podobne institucije, na katerem bi za oblikovalce politike iz nacionalnih vlad in EU pripravili ključna priporočila o politiki v zvezi z glavnimi izzivi regije.
In November 1995, at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona, foreign affairs ministers of the EU and Mediterranean partner countries concluded a regional partnership, the aim of which was to establish a common area of peace and stability, create an area of shared prosperity, develop human resources, promote understanding between cultures and foster exchanges between civil societies.
In November 1995, at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona, foreign affairs ministers of the EU and Mediterranean partner countries concluded a regional partnership, the aim of which was to establish a common area of peace and stability, create an area of shared prosperity, develop human resources, promote understanding between cultures and foster exchanges between civil societies. The Barcelona process was born and provided the foundation for broader cooperation across the Mediterranean.
Civil society has everything to win from free and vibrant media.Not only does the latter support and foster civil society but it can also help to hold the authorities to account, to put civil society’s ideas and principles into action and influence the social change.