Hoorzitting in Nicosia over gevolgen toetreding Cyprus

Public Hearing on Cyprus in the European Single Market - Concrete consequences of EU membership

Nicosia, 8 September 2006

The Single Market Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be collecting contributions from Cypriot civil society actors during the public hearing it is organizing on 8 September in Nicosia. As a peripheral Member State with a unique location and in a complex situation, Cyprus deserves particular attention. Do Cypriots feel that they are benefiting from the Single Market as they expected?

What is the impact of enlargement on Cyprus economic and social life? How do consumers, workers, farmers, small and medium size enterprises, large companies, the professions and many other actors of local life feel about the changes brought about by EU membership?

What recommendations would these actors want to pass on to the European regulator? To what extent can they hope to have an influence on the design of Community legislation? What information relays can they count on to be heard?

The European Economic and Social Committee, composed of representatives of civil society organizations, is an advisory body which, through its membership, is deeply rooted in the everyday life of the Union's citizens. The EESC's Single Market Observatory is a pragmatic instrument designed to feel the pulse of organised civil society in the Member States, to identify where the market's functioning could be improved or where obstacles are preventing citizens from enjoying the full benefits of the market.

The EESC members, as representatives of European organised civil society, will listen to their counterparts in Cyprus with a view to passing their messages on to the legislator and the regulator. They will also answer questions and clarify situations arising from EU membership.

One of the credos of the EESC is that the Member States are the owners of European integration. There, actors on the ground have a direct role to play: their voice must be heard, participatory democracy being a natural corollary to representative democracy.

The Confederation of Cyprus Workers (SEK) is hosting this event which will be opened by its Secretary General, Mr N. Moyseos and by Mr B. Cassidy, Chairman of the SMO. Mr A. Moleskis, of the Planning Bureau, will launch the debate. The event will be concluded with a presentation of the activities of the Cyprus SOLVIT centre.

For more information, please visit the SMO website:

http://eesc.europa.eu/smo/index_en.asp

To tell us about your views, please write to: smo@eesc.europa.eu

For further information please contact:

Karel Govaert or , 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