CES/08/37

Brussels, 18 April 2008

The EESC's April plenary session: freedom of association in the Euromed countries and new trade agreements negotiations

Two opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee's Section for External Relations (REX) are going to be put to the vote in the next plenary session taking place on 23 and 24 April 2008.

In the first opinion entitled "Freedom of association in the Euromed partner countries" with Mr Juan MORENO PRECIADO (Group II ? Employees - Spain) as rapporteur, the EESC calls on the European Commission to ensure that the democratising commitments of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, the association agreements and the neighbourhood policy action plans are fulfilled. The Committee believes that the emergence of free associations of social groups in different sectors of civil society is a prerequisite for the process of democratisation in the Mediterranean partner countries. Furthermore, it will facilitate meetings and dialogue between employers' organisations (UMCE) and trade unions (Euromed Trade Union Forum) and support their development, as it will support the development of , other Euromed civil society organisations such as the Euromed Social Economy Network (ESMED) and women's organisations.

In its second opinion on "New trade agreements negotiations -The EESC position" with Mr Jonathan PEEL (Group I - Employers ? UK) as rapporteur and Ms Evelyne PICHENOT (Group III - Various interests - France) as co-rapporteu the EESC recognises the need to hold such negotiations due to the lack of progress on the multilateral front.. Furthermore, the Committee considers that bilateral agreements must be seen as compatible with and indeed eventually strengthening multilateralism. The Committee supports the Commission's aim to ensure a greater level of monitoring in the negotiations by extending and developing its involvement with civil society in the countries and regions involved in the negotiations. The Committee welcomes in particular the re-emergence of social and environmental considerations in the Commission's brief in the context of these negotiations, and notes to this end that Sustainable Development includes economic, social and environmental considerations and that a basis of fundamental, universal rights enshrined in ILO standards are essential.