Directorate B - Consultative Work External Relations Division

- 1 -

European Economic and Social Committee
Directorate B - Consultative Work
External Relations Division

- 1 -

Work programme for 2010

The objective of the activities of the EESC in the external relations field is to support the EU in trade, enlargement, development and foreign policies and to express the views of organised civil society in this context. It aims to establish and improve direct contacts with civil society organisations and to support and strengthen civil and social dialogue in third countries and regions.

The section will continue to work on the definition of its Strategic Outlines for External Relations in order to react to the consequences of the Lisbon Treaty onthe EESC's external affairs. Contacts with the new Commission and the European External Action Service will be taken, as well as with the Council and the EP. The section will also continue to strengthen the contacts with the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs of the CoR. The section will preparethe EESC's participation in the International Association of ESCs and Similar Institutions (AICESIS).

In 2010, the section for External Relations will meet on nine occasions. Four extraordinary section bureau meetings will also be organised, two outside headquarters (Melilla, Geneva). In addition to the various meetings of the India, China, Euromed, Latin America and ACP follow-up committees and the Balkans and Eastern European neighbours contact groups, a number of important events will be organised:

2ndmeeting of the EU-Brazil Civil Society Round Table (Belem, Brazil, 25-26 January 2010)
2nd meeting of the EU-The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Civil Society JointConsultative Committee (Skopje, 25 February 2010)
Joint Workshop with the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council(Kiev, 25-26March 2010)
28th meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee (Istanbul, 19-20 April 2010)
7th meeting of the EU-Croatia Joint Consultative Committee (Brussels, 8 April 2010)
7th meeting of the EU-China Round Table (Chongqing, 20-22 April 2010)
Joint seminar with Japanese partners (Brussels, May 2010)
6thmeeting of EU-Latin America civil society organisations (Madrid, 5-7 May 2010)
3rd Western Balkan Civil Society Forum(Brussels, 18-19 May 2010)
18th meeting of the EEA Consultative Committee(Vaduz, Liechtenstein, 18-19 May 2010)
Joint Seminar with the Russian Civic Chamber (Moscow, 28-29 June 2010)
11th Regional Seminar of ACP-EU Economic and Social Interest Groups (Ethiopia,7-9 July 2010)
Seminar on Trade and Development (Shanghai, 22 July 2010)
29th meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee (Edinburgh, 13-14 September2010)
Euromed Summit of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions
3rd meeting of the EU-The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee
8th meeting of the EU-Croatia Joint Consultative Committee
13th meeting EU-India Round Table
8th meeting of the EU-China Round Table
3rdmeeting of the EU-Brazil Civil Society Round Table (September 2010)
Joint seminar with Japanese civil society organisations (Japan, second semester 2010)

In addition, several opinions will be drawn up. Also, the EESC's inter-institutional obligations require the section to add two information reports to its programme.

As in previous years, new work will be decided on the basis of the priorities of the forthcoming presidencies, i.e. the Spanish and Belgianpresidencies. This will be made consistent with work already planned. In addition, the opinions, the activities of the contact groups and follow-up committees and the EESC President's international programme are complementary.

Turkey, Croatia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The Joint Consultative Committees (or their equivalents) remain a valuable tool for the Committee in its work relating to the accession of Turkey,Croatia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The JCCs' role is to channel know-how, experience and information between the EU and the socio-occupational organisations in these countries on the scope of common policies and the actual implementation of the Community acquis.

The EU-Turkey JCC will hold two meetings in 2010. The first will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. The second will be held in Scotland. The main topics on the agenda will be the informal economy, women's rights, environment (climate change) and food security.

The EU-Croatia JCC will also hold two meetings in 2010. The first meeting of the year should take place in Brussels and will focus on transport policy and economic and social rights. The second will take place in Croatia during the second semester.

The EU-Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Civil Society JCC will have economic and social rights as the main topic during the first meeting of 2010. The second meeting of the year will then focus on transport policy.

The European Economic Area

The section will continue its activities regarding relations with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein in the framework of the EEA Consultative Committee’s work. The EFTA side will host the next EEA Consultative Committee meeting that will be held in May 2010 and where the impact of the crisis on EEA financial markets, legislation and supervision as well as the EU2020 strategy (post-2010 Lisbon Agenda) will be discussed. Participation in meetings of the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee will continue.

An important development in this context is Iceland's application for the EU membership. The section will draft an opinion on that subject.

The Western Balkans

The section will maintain the links established with the Western Balkan countries, in particular via the efforts of the contact group whose key objectives include strengthening civil society organisations and developing social and civil dialogue, including in Kosovo.

The section will organise the third Western Balkans civil society forum in Brussels in May 2010. The main topics to be discussed will be transport policy and economic and social rights in the region.The section will draw up an exploratory opinion on EU-Montenegro relations (requested by the European Commission) and will also adopt an own-initiative opinion on Transport policy in the Western Balkans.

The section will ask a consultant to draft a report on ESCs and similar institutions in the Western BalkanCountries.

Eastern Europe neighbouring countries and Russia

The section will continue its efforts to improve communication between civil society representatives of the Union and of Eastern Europe neighbouring countries and at strengthening mutual understanding of cultures, history and values. The section will also support the consolidation of civil society organisations in neighbouring eastern European countries and help to strengthen the ability of stakeholders to influence national decision-making mechanisms.

In particular, the section will continue its involvement in the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and in the thematic platforms of the Eastern Partnership.

In 2010, the section will consolidate its ties with Ukrainian civil society, in particular with the National Ukrainian Tripartite Social and Economic Committee. A third joint seminar will be held in Ukraine (March2010) to monitor negotiations between the European Union and Ukraine and ensure institutional representation of civil society under the Association agreement to be concluded between the EU and Ukraine. This seminar will also deal with the social impact of the crisis and will be coorganised with the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI).

Furthermore, contacts will be pursued with Moldavian and Belarus civil society, through the organisation of a hearing in conjunction with the contact group's activities.

During 2010, a third joint seminar will be held with the Russian Civic Chamber. This seminar will deal with the issue of EU-Russia negotiations, youth entrepreneurship and civil society and social dialogue. In addition, the section will draft an opinion on EU-Russia Relations.Furthermore, the Northern Dimension Policy will be monitored.

The section will also ask a consultant to draft a report on ESCs and similar institutions in the Eastern Europe neighbouringcountries.

Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)

The section work programme on the Union for the Mediterranean will focus on the implementation of the last Euromed Summitconclusions and in particular the need to obtain an institutional recognition of the role of the ESCs in the UFM. In addition, the section will also continue monitoring the implementation of the neighbourhood policy action plans as well as the conclusions of the Ministerial meetings on the Role of Women in Society.

The Euromed follow-up committee will be heavily involved in organising the next Euromed Summit of ESCs and similar institutions, which should be held in Italy. In this context, the section will draw up an information report on "Decent work and sustainable development around the Mediterranean focusing on fresh water, sea water and sanitation sectors", which will be the EESC's contribution to the 2010 summit.

Furthermore, in 2010 the section will adopt opinions on "EU-Morocco relations", "Agriculture in Euromed (including the importance of women's work in the agricultural sector and the role of cooperatives)"and on "The situation of people with disabilities in the Euromed countries".

At last, the section will ask a consultant to draft a report on ESCs and similar institutions in the UfM partner countries.

ACP-EU relations and development

As far as relations with the ACP group of countries are concerned, the section's work programme will focus on monitoring the implementation of the Cotonou Agreement and the negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), ensuring sustainable food security in ACP countries, developing the consultative function in ACP countries and contributing to the implementation of the EU-Africa Strategy.

The main event in 2010 will be the regional seminar of ACP-EU economic and social interest groups scheduled to take place in Ethiopia in July 2010. The seminar will address all of the priorities of the ACP-EU Follow-up Committee outlined above. Particular attention will be given to monitoring the EPA negotiations with the East African Community (EAC) and the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) regions. Moreover, steps will be taken towards structured cooperation with the ECOSOCC of the African Union within the context of the EU-Africa Strategy.

It should be noted that attendance at the sessions of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the ACP-EC Council of Ministers is planned for 2010.

Subject to the first meeting of the Joint CARIFORUM- EU Council in 2010, the EESC will take steps towards establishing the Civil Society Consultative Committee of the CARIFORUM-EC EPA. Within this context, the EESC will act as the Secretariat of the future Consultative Committee, be directly involved in the selection of the European members and actively participate in this body.

Finally, the External Relations section will draw up an opinion on the Development Cooperation Instrument of the European Union and on the subject "What role and perspectives for Africa's social economy in development cooperation?".

Relations with Latin America

The main event as regards the section's activities in Latin America will be the organisation of the 6thEU-Latin America civil society meeting in Madrid on 5, 6 and 7 May 2010.

Innovation as a tool for social cohesion will be the main subject of the next EU-Latin America and Caribbean Head of State Summit. In order to contribute to the work of the Summit, the 6thEESC meeting will focus on the social dimension of innovation.

The EU-Brazil Round Table will have its 2nd meeting on 25-26 January 2010 in Belem (Brazil) and will deal with climate change and deforestation. It will have a preliminary debate of the participatory dimension and social cohesion. The latter subject will be discussed more in depth at the 3rd meeting of the Round Table, which will take place in Europe in the second semester of 2010.

The section will also work with the follow-up committee to monitor the negotiations which are under way with Mercosur, the Andean Community and Central America. With the support of the Mexican Government, it will also organise a seminar with representative organisations of Mexican civil society during the second semester of 2010.

REX delegations will attend the two Eurolat Joint Parliamentary Assemblies that are planned for 2010.

Relations with Asia

The EU-India Round Table, at which the EESC represents the European side, should meet once in 2010.In addition or alternatively, a workshop could be organised with Indian Civil Society Stakeholders following the success of the seminar organised on Trade and Development in 2009.

The EU-China Round Table will meet twice in 2010. The first meeting will take place in Chongqingin April 2010. This meeting will deal with the topics of water resources and sustainable development and children's rights. In addition, the EESC will organise in Shanghai in July 2010 a trade and development seminar with its counterpart of the ESC of China and other Chinese stakeholders.

The EESC will continue its cooperation with Japan's civil society in the form of joint seminars coorganised with Japanese partners.

The section will also adopt an opinion on EU-ASEAN Relations.

International trade and transatlantic relations

The section will continue to closely monitor the negotiations currently under way at bilateral and regional level as well as the progress of trade negotiations at the WTO.

EESC members will actively participate in the civil society meetings organised by DG Trade, whether on the subject of multilateral trade or bilateral negotiations.

The section will adopt opinions on Fair Trade, Trade and Climate change and onSustainability Impact Assessments in the context of the trade agreements. The section will also adopt an opinion on Transatlantic Relations and International Promotion of European Social Model. It will give its position on the current negotiations for a trade agreement with Canada in an opinion on EU-Canada relations.