Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité en VN-organisatie Ecosoc wijzen op belang 'civil society' (en)

CES/06/72

Brussels, 7 July 2006

EESC reinforces cooperation with Finnish EU presidency and United Nations ECOSOC

The Finnish minister for Foreign Trade, Development and European Affairs, Ms Paula LEHTOMÄKI, Commission vice-President Margot WALLSTRÖM and Ambassador Ali HACHANI, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) have visited the EESC’s July 2006 plenary session and offered a closer collaboration with European organised civil society.

Ms LEHTOMÄKI presented the priorities of the Finnish EU presidency to the Committee, stressing the valuable contributions of the EESC. The EESC has elaborated three exploratory opinions at the request of the Presidency, on the Northern dimension (adopted during this plenary session), as well as logistics and on the development of working life.

Transparency is another priority for the Finish Presidency, a topic vital in order to regain the citizen’s trust in the EU. She applauded the Committee for its actions in this field (see also press release n° 64/2006). A concrete example of collaboration is the upcoming conference on Labour mobility in Helsinki in September 2006, organised by the EESC with the Finnish Economic Council and the full support of the Presidency.

The ensuing debate with members focussed primarily on questions of competitiveness, the Lisbon Strategy and the knowledge society, as well as the implication of the EESC and organised civil society in the external relations of the EU. EESC President Anne-Marie SIGMUND thanked Ms LEHTOMÄKI for her support and urged for a close cooperation with the presidency, notably in preparation of the EU summits with China, India and Russia this year.

A closer cooperation between EESC and the UN ECOSOC

Ambassador Ali HACHANI has addressed the EESC for the first time and pledged for a closer cooperation between the two institutions. He highlighted the shared objective of linking regional, national and international organisations representing organised civil society, which have to play an important role to play in managing globalisation.

He presented the work and priorities of the ECOSOC to the members of the Committee and pleaded for a common work and support in order to reach the UN’s Millennium Goals.

EESC President Anne-Marie Sigmund expressed her hope that this visit is the beginning of further fruitful cooperation.

Commission vice-President Margot WALLSTRÖM

The EESC plenary session was also visited by commission vice-President Margot WALLSTRÖM, who assisted in the debate on the EESC’s opinion concerning the White Paper on Communication. For more information, please consult press release n° 71/2006.

Other key opinions adopted during the Plenary are:

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  Regulating competition and consumer protection
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  A strategy for the simplification of the regulatory environment
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  Competition rules - cabotage and tramp services
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  Future of the Northern Dimension policy (exploratory opinion requested by the Finnish Presidency)
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  The contribution of civil society to European neighbourhood policy (exploratory opinion)
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  Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning
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  Social cohesion: fleshing out a European social model (own-initiative opinion)
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  Thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste (see press release n° 67/2006)
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  EU-Andean Community relations (own-initiative) (see press release n° 68/2006)
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  White Paper on Financial Services 2005-2010
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  Risks and problems associated with the supply of raw materials to European industry (own-initiative opinion)
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  The future of services of general interest (own-initiative opinion)

For detailed information on those opinions please consult press release n° 70/2006.

Revision of the Rules of Procedure

The EESC’s plenary session has also modified the Committees’ rules of procedure in order to rationalise working methods, improve members' involvement in the work of the EESC and its internal bodies, improve the efficiency of the EESC's internal bodies and structures, especially of the plenary session, and prepare the Committee in view of the enlargement.

For further information please contact:

Karel Govaert or Christian Weger , EESC Press Office

99 rue Belliard , B-1040 Brussels

Tel.: 02 546 9396/9586; Mobile: 0475 753 202

E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu

Website: http://eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/index_en.asp