Brussels, 29/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 26 and 27 April 2011, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Brazilian Council for Economic and Social development (CEDS) held their fourth EU-Brazil civil society round table meeting in Brasilia., where EU and Brazilian civil society representatives discussed food safety and security and sustainable development. The aim of the round table was to allow the EESC and its international partners to present their recommendations for the United Nations sustainable development conference in Rio de Janeiro next year (Rio+20). A joint statement was issued at the round table on the issues discussed in Brasilia ahead of an EU-Brazil summit in October 2011.
The EESC President, Staffan Nilsson, (a Swedish farmers) welcomed the pledge by Dilma Rousseff to ensure the economic and social growth of Brazil to enable millions of Brazilians to enjoy full rights. Rousseff said she wants to help people who have been excluded from the financial and economic system for a long time, giving them the power to express themselves and the hope of taking a full part in the drawing up of future policies in Brazil. As a flourishing new democracy, Brazil has everything needed to help civil society take part in the political process, explained Nilsson.
The EESC was represented by 14 members including the President and the head of the Foreign Relations section, Sandy Boyle (former president of the Scottish TUC). The EESC attended the CDES plenary on 26 April in the presence of the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and the CDES general secretary, minister Moreira Franco. (G.B./transl.fl)