EESC en Russische Sociale Kamer verdiepen de samenwerking (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Europese Commissie (EC) i, Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 8 oktober 2009.

CES/09/129

8 October 2009

The EESC and the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation strengthen their cooperation

On 14 and 15 October 2009, a second joint workshop between the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation (CCRF) will be hosted by EESC. The joint workshop aims to strengthen institutional cooperation between the EESC and the CCRF in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between them in 2008.

Venue: EESC, 2 rue van Maerlandt, 1040 Brussels, room VM3

Timing : on 14 October from 14.00 to 18.30 and on 15 October from 09.30 to 12.30

During the first day of the workshop, the members of the EESC and the CCRF will discuss how to better involve civil society in the EU-Russia relations and in particular, the role of civil society in the future EU-Russia agreement. The second day of the seminar will be devoted to an exchange of views and experiences on the current economic crisis and its social consequences. Representatives of the European Commission and independent experts will also participate in the working sessions.

The participants in the workshop will be addressed by EESC President Mr Mario Sepi , Dr Evgeniy Velikhov President of the CCRF, Mr Vladimir Chizhov , Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EC and Mr Knut Fleckenstein i , Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

When i nterviewed on the coming joint workshop, the president of the EESC's External Relations Section, Mr Hamro-Drotz stated that, "it is extremely important to foster contacts between EU and Russian civil societies and to involve better civil society in the EU-Russia relations, especially given the ongoing EU-Russia negotiations on a new Partnership Agreement".

The conclusions of the workshop will be submitted to political authorities of the European Union, the EU Member States and the Russian Federation.

For more information please contact: enp-rus@eesc.europa.eu