Brussels, 22/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The “Euro-Mediterranean social summit”, the annual session of which was held in Amman on 17 and 18 October, closed with the adoption of a “non-binding charter” on the principle of European “reinforced cooperation”, committing its members to work more determinedly to reinforce social dialogue. The charter also calls upon them to grant civil society an increased role.
All of the economic and social committees (ESCs) and similar organisations, from all the countries of the EU and the Mediterranean basin, describe their commitment to this charter as a major step towards the consolidation of the existing partnerships and towards the creation of an assembly or Euro-Mediterranean forum of ESCs and civil society organisations. This possibility will be the subject of an exchange of views at the next session in one year's time, which is likely to be held in Barcelona, the headquarters of the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean), to which they affirm their commitment.
In selecting the members and civil society actors, the emphasis will in future be put on autonomy from governments. The ESCs will have a separate budget and their joint decision-making bodies will be subject to a democratic electoral process, including for the economic and social committees, the president of which will be appointed rather than elected.
At the end of the session, during which the situation of the countries on the southern shore was the subject of debate fed into from various angles - fate of the media, women, commitment to quality social dialogue, human development, energy as an essential sector and driving force behind the Euro-Mediterranean community of interest - the President of the European ESC, Staffan Nilsson, said that he was “concerned” by events in the region. He said that what worries him is the inability of certain governments to respect fundamental human rights and freedoms, the worsening of the social and economic situation, for women in particular, politics and lack of respect for union rights.” (FB/transl.fl)