EESC organiseert conferentie over nauwere samenwerking met Zwarte Zee regio (en)

The EESC takes forward its cooperation with the civil society of the Black Sea Region and the Eastern Partnership countries

On 2-3 March 2009, the conference on "Civil Society in the Black Sea Region and the Eastern Partnership Countries - Promoting Civil and Social Dialogue" will provide a new opportunity for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the International Labour Office(ILO) to take forward cooperation among organised civil society organisations from the EU and the Eastern Neighbours countries, as well as Turkey and Russia.

This event will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the role of civil society within the Eastern Partnership and the Black Sea Synergy initiatives, the promotion of effective social dialogue in the region, and civil society networks at national and regional level. It would also be a first important step towards creating a Civil Society Forum within the Eastern Partnership framework.

The participants of the conference will be addressed by Mario Sepi, EESC President, George Dragnich, ILO Executive Director for Social Dialogue, Liudmyla Denysova, Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Ukraine, Sergiu Sainciuc, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade of the Republic of Moldova, Marian Hošek, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic, and others.

The conference will bring together approximately 100 representatives of employers', employees' and various interests organisations from the EU Member States as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. Other participants will be from non-governmental organisations, think-tanks, regional socio-professional organisations, governmental institutions, the EU, ILO and other international organisations. The conclusions of the conference will be forwarded to the European institutions and national governments of the countries involved.

The conference will take place on 2-3 March 2009 at the EESC, Van Maerlandt building, room VM3, 2 rue van Maerlandt, 1040 Brussels. For more information please contact: enp-rus@eesc.europa.eu