Brussels, 04/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on 31 May, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Dimitris Dimitriadis and European Commission Vice-President Margot Walström signed an addendum to the protocol on cooperation arrangements between the European Commission and the EESC. This document completes the cooperation protocol signed in November 2005, which allowed closer cooperation on better communication and dialogue with civil society, and sought to enhance coordination of common priorities and improve the follow-up of EESC opinions by the Commission (see EUROPE 9063 and 9062).
In signing this addendum, Ms Wallström and Mr Dimitriadis feel that it is in the general interest of the EU and its citizens to strengthen their relations in the field of communication, and, to this end, to cooperate closely at both centralised and decentralised levels, on the basis of clearly defined communication principles. Within the framework of improved institutional cooperation, the Commission and the EESC agree, through this addendum, to make better use of the EESC's expertise and its communication networks, especially with the civil society bodies represented by its members, national Economic and Social Councils and similar institutions in the member states. Ms Wallström also recognised the specific character and the added value of the EESC. Explaining the EU to citizens is a responsibility shared by all European institutions and organisations, they say in their addendum: it is a key task because the European institutions have to be credible, transparent, open and responsible if they want to retain and enhance their legitimacy in the eyes of the citizens of Europe. Also at the EESC plenary session, Ms Wallström presented the Commission's annual policy strategy for 2008. She noted that the Commission expected the European summit in June to adopt a detailed, ambitious and realistic roadmap (for the Commission statement to the EP on this strategy, see EUROPE 9385). (gb)