Brussels, 12/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - Following the recent visit to China by a delegation of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCIC) of the European Economic and Social Committee, CCIC president Josly Piette has described this change taking place within the context of the cooperation agreement between the EESC and its Chinese counterpart as providing "and important first". Belgian trade unionist Josly Piette described this visit as providing an occasion to strengthen contacts between the EESC and the Chinese Economic and Social Council and to allow the CESE delegation to describe the workings of the European social market economy model and to discuss the respective experiences of the EU and China in the context of industrial restructuring. The CCIC noted that like the EU, China will have to tackle over the next few years "a major process of industrial change". The CCIC will be drafting an information report on this visit.
The European delegation consisted of senior officials from European industry, unions and other organisations from civil society interested in the issue of industrial change. It also comprised several former members of the former European Coal and Steel Community Consultative Committee.