International Relations
The ESCs cooperate on many levels, both within the framework of the European Union (EU) and within the broader international framework, for the purpose of forming joint positions capable of influencing EU and national policies, as well as the activity of private actors in each country. Examples include the Greek ESC's close collaboration with the European ESC and the other national ESCs in the EU member states, its membership in the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and involvement in the EuroMediterranean Partnership, cooperation with the countries of South East Europe etc.
Cooperation among continents
In recent years there has been a strong movement to create links between the ESCs on the global level.
The first International Meeting of ESCs took place in France in 1989. Since then, ten more have been held, in Canada (1991), Burkina Faso (1993), Portugal (1995), Venezuela (1997), Mauritius (1999, where the Charter of the International Association of ESCs was approved), the Netherlands (2001), Algeria (2003), France (2005), China (2007) and Hungary (2009). The Greek ESC was a member of Board of Directors of the International Association of ESCs in 1999-2003. It has also been elected as a member of the Board for the period 2009-2011.
Cooperation within Europe
Enhancement of the role of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union (following the Treaty of Amsterdam) and the particular emphasis placed in matters of social consensus for economic and social policy are important components of the European environment of the ESC. The Greek ESC has played an important part within the European environment. In 1997 it organized the annual meetings of the Presidents and General Secretaries of the European ESCs. Since then, it has taken an active part, with interventions and proposals, in all the meetings, and has developed a very good level of cooperation with all the national ESCs.
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, as a multifaceted relationship, began to develop within the framework of the European Union, beginning at the 1994 European Council in Corfu. Before that, there had been cooperation agreements with countries of the Mediterranean basin, but they were on a bilateral level. One of the basic objectives of the ESC's Euro- Mediterranean Partnership is to promote decentralized action, i.e. the action of non-governmental agencies in planning programmes to be financed by the European Union.
In the context of this policy, it was decided to convoke the Barcelona Conference on 27-28 November 1995, with the participation of the Foreign Ministers of the EU and another 12 Mediterranean states: Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Palestine (referred to as “territories” in official texts), Syria, Turkey and Tunisia.
Since the Barcelona Conference, twelve summits of the ESCs and associated organisations of the Mediterranean basin have been held: Madrid (1995), Paris (1996), Casablanca (1997), Lisbon (1998), Antalya (1999), Naples (2000), Athens (2002), Malta (2003), Valencia (2004), Amman (2005), Ljubljana (2006), Athens (2007), Morocco (2008) and Alexandria (2009).
Cooperation with the Countries of South East Europe
One of the initiatives undertaken by the Greek ESC on the international level has been to hold meetings of the social partners from the countries of South East Europe. The first event was held in Thessaloniki in 1997. Following this, the ESC issued an own-initiative opinion on the subject of “Social Dialogue in South East Europe” (April 1999).
In January 2000, together with the European Economic and Social Committee and the Royaumont Process, the ESC organised a conference entitled “Civil Society, Democratisation, Participation and the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe” in Thessaloniki. It was followed in September 2002 by the Final Meeting on the “Thessaloniki Process” Action Plan.
In December 2006 the ESC organized in Thessaloniki, together with the European Economic and Social Committee, a Conference of the institutions for social dialogue of South East Europe entitled “The Role of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions in the EU Accession Process and the Implementation of the Lisbon Strategy.” The ESC has also developed a series of bilateral contacts with the countries of South East Europe.
The “CESlink” Project
In 2000, the European Economic and Social Committee and the national ESCs set the common goal of creating a central information point enabling the broader public to get to know them and their tasks better. The new Internet technology was considered to be the best tool for achieving this purpose. As a result, the need for broader cooperation between the European ESC and the national ESCs became apparent. Thus Project “CESlink” came into being.
The Project started with the creation of a working group of the European ESC and the national ESCs, which was later named the “CESlink Group.” This group meets at regular intervals and monitors, develops and expands the initiative.
During 2006 the Greek ESC was put in charge of the Communication Actions of Project “CESlink”.
Future areas for development include strengthening the cooperation between the European ESC and the ESCs of the EU member states, encouraging and supporting the new EU member states and the members of the International Association of ESCs and similar institutions for their active participation in Project “CESlink,” strengthening the role of Project “CESlink” as a joint project of the ESCs, as well as monitoring and providing information on socioeconomic developments on the national and international levels.