Fifth Meeting of the European Union Brazil Civil Society Round Table

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European Economic and Social Committee /
Council for the Economic and Social Development of Brazil

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FIFTH MEETING

OF THEEUROPEAN UNION – BRAZIL CIVIL SOCIETY ROUND TABLE

PORTO, PORTUGAL, 7, 8 and 9 November, 2011

SHORT DESCRIPTION

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC[1]) and the Brazilian Council for Economic and Social Development (CDES[2]) will be holding theirfifth meeting of the European Union – Brazil Civil Society Round Tablein Porto, Portugal, on 7-9November2011.

The general objectives of the Round Table:

The EU-Brazil Civil Society Round Table implementsthe provisions included in the EU-Brazil Strategic Partnership as concerns civil society dialogue between both parties. Such institutional dialogue has been encouraged by the EU-Brazil Head of State Summits that were held so far and is included in the Joint Action Plan agreed by the parties.

The general objectives of the Round Table include:

to reinforce civil society dialogue, communication and mutual understanding between Brazil and the EU

to provide a concrete civil society contribution to the implementation of the Brazil-EU Strategic Partnership by conducting frank discussions and extensive exchanges of views and research on topics of mutual concern on all issues covered by the Partnership, so as to promote economic growth and social progress in Brazil and in the EU

to complement the political dialogue and the parliamentary dialogue between the EU and Brazil

to highlight the role that civil society consultative bodies can play in relations between the EU and Brazil

to have its own input into the EU-Brazil Head of State Summits.

The fifth EU-Brazil Round Table:

Participants

The Round Table permanent delegations will be made up of 26 members, of whom 12 will be members of the Brazilian CDES, and 12 will be EESC members. The delegations will be respectively led by the President of the EESC and by the Brazilian Minister for Strategic Affairs andExecutive Secretary of the CDES.

In addition to its two institutional components, the Round Table will also involve the presidency of the Council, the European Commission, the Portuguese government and the Brazilian government authorities, as well as the Portuguese civil society organisations dealing with questions related to sustainable development. The press will also be invited to participate.

Topics

Working sessions will be held on the following subjects:

Sustainable consumption and production as a key to greening the economy

Social dimension of greening the economy

On the basis of these debatesand of the reports that both sides have drafted, the CDES and theEESC will draft a joint Final Declaration to the attention of the next EU – Brazil Summit.

Structure

The eventwill involve an opening session plus two working sessions on 8 and 9 November. The first one, in the morning of the 8 November, will be devoted to the theme Sustainable consumption and production as a key to greening the economy. In the afternoon of the same day, the delegations will be visiting some projects realized in the field of sustainable development by the Câmara Municipal de Vila Nova de Gaia. The second one, in the morning of 9 November,will be devoted to a debate on Social dimension of greening the economy.

A special session before closing will be devoted to joint approval of the Round Table Final Declaration.

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For further information please contact:

; tel. +32 2 5469131

; tel. +55 61 3411.2210

See also:

The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is a consultative body of the European Union three main institutions. It was established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the EU Council of Ministers. Its members are organised in three groups: the employers, the workers and the "various interests" group, gathering other economic and social actors (farmers, consumers, SME, social economy, cooperatives, free professionals, etc.).

The Committee is chaired by a President, assisted by two vice-presidents and a Bureau. It organises its work through monthly plenary sessions, six permanent thematic Sections and temporary study groups.

The Brazilian Council for Economic and Social Development was created by President Lula da Silva in 2003 as an advisory body to the Brazilian President on economic, social and environmental issues; it provides consensus positions on Government policiesaimed at coupling economic growth and social justice. It gathers 102 members, who are appointed by the Brazilian President, including Government ministers, employers, trade unionists, social organisations, NGOs, and representatives of academic, religious and cultural areas.

It is chaired by the President of Brazil and has an Executive Secretary that is also the Brazilian minister for Strategic Affairs. Under the guidance of a Steering Committee (Comitê Gestor), it organises its work in thematic working groups and monthly plenary meetings.

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