Westelijke Balkanlanden moeten regels beter implementeren (en)

EESC and Western Balkans civil society organisations call for implementa tion of legislation in the region

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted the third Western Balkans Civil Society Forum in Brussels on 18^th and 19^th May 2010. The Forum reaffirm ed the European perspective of the Western Balkans countries and of their population. This event promote d a better implementation of legislation adopt ed in the Western Balkans to bring it closer to EU acquis.

Ms Irini Pari , EESC Vice-President, Mr Michael Leigh , Director General of DG Enlargement of the European Commission and H.E Mr Aleksandar Andrija Pejovi? , Ambassador, Head of Mission of Montenegro to the EU, were among the key figures taking part. Ms Pari underlined that the conclusions adopted during the Forum "would serve as a roadmap for the future cooperation of the EESC with civil society partners from the Western Balkans". Mr Leigh stated that "DG Enlargmenent would take full consideration of the recommendations put forward by participants, especially those concerning the fine tuning of the Civil Society Facility."

The participants focused on the implementation of economic and social rights. They called on governments to fully respect workers rights and to allocate more means to implement the relevant legislation. They asked the European Agency for Fundamental Rights to extend its membership to all EU candidate and potential candidate countries of the region.

They also advocated an active involvement of civil society organisations of the region in the monitoring of the future treaty, establishing a transport Community between the EU and the Western Balkans, especially through the Social Forum.

The EESC, representing the economic and social components of organised civil society in the European Union (EU), organised this event with the support of the European Commission. The forum brought together 150 participants, including representatives of Western Balkans civil society organisations, EESC members, European and international socio-professional organisations, European NGOs, representatives of the Governments of the Western Balkans, diplomats, EU institutions and international organisations.

This third Western Balkans Civil Society Forum was part of a broader effort to take forward the EU Stabilisation and Association Process in the region and to develop the EESC's ongoing cooperation with civil society organizations of the Western Balkans.

A fourth forum will take place in 2012.

For more details, please contact

Aurélien JULIARD

Aurelien.Juliard@eesc.europa.eu

Tel: 32 25 46 99 69

Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99 - 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel - BELGIQUE/BELGIË

Tel. 32 25469396 - Fax 32 25469764

E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu - Internet: www.eesc.europa.eu

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