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European Economic and Social Committee

CES3827-2013_16_01_TRA_NB item 6c) rev.

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Item6c)rev.

BUREAU

605thmeeting – 11June 2013

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Subject: / Agenda item 6c) rev.
The future of the Liaison Group and of cooperation with European civil society organisations and networks
FOR DEBATE AND DECISION

A)Introduction

The election of a new EESC president and the appointment of a new co-chair of the Liaison Group makes this is a good time to review the Liaison Group's activities in the light of the new political context created by Article 11 TEU.

Nine years after the Liaison Group was created, the EESC needs to decide on the future mission, activities and structure of the Liaison Group. The European civil society organisations and networks that belong to the Liaison Group also need to define their expectations and priority objectives for the future.

The EESC and the European civil society organisations and networks need to reach a consensus on the ultimate objectives of their cooperation and on the future priorities to be pursued jointly, with a view to[1]:

  • increasing effectiveness, added value and cooperation as part of the political dialogue between the EESC and organised civil society at European level, and with other European institutions;
  • promoting civil dialogue, participatory democracy and, as a result, contributing to the implementation of Article 11 TEU;
  • strengthening the EESC's role as the institutional framework and forum for consultation, debate and dialogue for organised civil society at European level in the light of Article 11 TEU.

B)The way forward for the Liaison Group

To achieve these priority objectives, a number of operational avenues are worth exploring:

  • refocusing the activities of the Liaison Group;
  • possibly and gradually reviewing the membership of the Liaison Group;
  • increasing the involvement of the European organisations and networks in the Liaison Group in the EESC's work.

1.Refocusing the activities of the Liaison Group

When it was set up, the Liaison Group was intended, on the one hand, to provide a framework for political dialogue between the EESC and European civil society organisations and networks and, on the other, to create, the necessary conditions for a coordinated approach of the EESC towards these organisations and networks and the development of strong synergies on issues of common interest. In order to boost the Liaison Group's mission, it is worth considering the need to refocus its activities.

The Liaison Group will have the role of enabling and promoting:

a)structured political dialogue between the EESC's political authorities and the European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group, and with representatives of the EU institutions, on cross-cutting issues of common interest, linked

firstly, to priority themes for the EESC and the European Union such as the EESC's political priorities, the Europe 2020 strategy, the financial perspectives, sustainable development, etc., and

secondly, to the effective implementation of Article 11 TEU and thus to the implementation of a framework for structured civil dialogue with the EU institutions (European statutes for associations, mutual societies and foundations, establishing a formal structured framework for civil dialogue based on guidelines and a code of best practice for consultation, etc.).

b)the possible implementation of joint initiatives and the organisation of joint events such as "civil society days", "open days", as well as hearings, conferences and workshops on themes of shared interest.

This "new recipe" Liaison Group could meet twice a year.

2.The Liaison Group's membership

a)In order to keep the Liaison Group as a framework for political dialogue between the EESC and civil society organisations and networks, it would be a good idea to review the EESC's current representation within the Group. The Committee would be represented by its president, as co-chair of the Liaison Group, its two vice-presidents, the three group presidents, the six section presidents, and the chairs of the CCMI and the Europe 2020 steering committee, i.e.14members in total.

b)The issue of the representation of European organised civil society within the Liaison Group is vital and needs to be reviewed in the light of developments in civil society structures at EU level, and a gradual extension to other "families" of organised civil society in Europe.

Against this background, the issue also arises of the term of office of representatives of European organisations and networks within the Liaison Group, which could be a renewable five-year term, as is the case for EESC members and CCMI delegates. This could be implemented by the end of the ongoing term.

3.Involving the European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group in the EESC's work

New working methods are required if the European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group are to participate effectively in the Committee's consultative work and the shaping of its views on cross-cutting issues of common interest on the EU's agenda.

In view of this, and building on current practice, it would be appropriate to confirm:

a)the possibility for sections, when drawing up opinions on issues of common interest, to request input from European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group through participation to the public hearings. Such requests could be submitted by section presidents in agreement with members of the section bureaux and the rapporteurs concerned;

b)the good practice of inviting European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group to make contributions on cross-cutting themes of common interest, along the lines of successful cooperation during preparations for the Rio Conference in June 2012. In this context, 2main areas of work could be considered:

  • Europe 2020 strategy – Annual Growth Survey – European Semester

The European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group could present their transnational and pan-European perspectives to the EESC's consultations and statements on the new mechanism involving the European semester and the Annual Growth Survey (AGS). This could take the form, for example, of inviting a number of representatives of these organisations and networks to one or two meetings of the Europe 2020 steering committee, alongside the representatives of national ESCs and similar institutions, on the basis of issues on the agenda of this EESC forum forhorizontal discussion.

  • Commission's annual work programme

This work programme is essentially based on interdepartmental consultation within the Commission, with no current provision for coordinated consultation with civil society. The European organisations and networks belonging to the Liaison Group could be involved, in some way yet to be decided and upstream of formal adoption by the EESC's bodies, in the development of the Committee's main political priority proposals regarding this work programme, as foreseen in the cooperation protocol with the Commission. This process usually takes place in April/June and is steered by the EESC president and coordinated by the enlarged presidency.

Other areas of joint activity could be established by the co-chairs of the Liaison Group, depending on developments in the EU agenda and the EESC's priorities, not to mention the priorities of civil society organisations and networks.

C)Conclusion

This is a concrete and pragmatic work plan, which could bring added value to the EESC's institutional and consultative role and could be improved as work progressed. It would in any case be evaluated on a regular basis and at least once every two and a half years.

The Bureau is asked to approve the guidelines and proposals set out in this memo.

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CES3827-2013_16_01_TRA_NB item 6c) rev.

[1]In line with the terms of the cooperation protocol between the EESC and the Commission of 22 February 2012 and the Committee's own-initiative opinion of 14 November 2012 on Principles, procedures and action for the implementation of Articles 11(1) and 11(2) of the Lisbon Treaty.