The key role of civil society in modernising the EU-Chile Association Agreement

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The 2nd meeting of the EU-Chile Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) supported the proposal to negotiate the modernisation of the EU-Chile Association Agreement, noting the importance of consulting civil society.

The meeting, which took place in Brussels on 8 November, concluded with a 15-point declaration intended to guide the relationship between the two partners — the EU and Chile — make recommendations for the modernisation of the Association Agreement and take further steps towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the JCC, a more inclusive distribution of the benefits of trade and greater transparency are crucial for the modernisation of the Agreement and to facilitate the contribution of civil society organisations. In addition, the JCC called for a specific chapter on SMEs and micro-enterprises and stressed the importance of the mobility of knowledge between the two partners in terms of innovation and revitalisation of the economy.

With regard to the SDGs, the JCC asked that the countries take a multilateral approach to their implementation, and called for the promotion of decent work and conservation of the environment. For this reason, the declaration included the need for a strong and ambitious chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) in the modernised EU-Chile Association Agreement.

The EU-Chile Joint Consultative Committee is a permanent body for consultation between civil society in Chile and the EU, made up of members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and members of organisations representing Chilean civil society. The JCC is co-chaired by Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, member of the EESC, and Abraham Armijo Cáceres, Vice-President of the Central Autónoma de Trabajadores de Chile.

 

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PR 56/2017 - The key role of civil society in modernising the EU-Chile Association Agreement