Upcoming events
Cetățenii pot combate dezinformarea, in the candidate countries as well!
The EESC is continuing its work against disinformation, visiting the countries most affected by the phenomenon. After last year’s event held in Bulgaria on 12 June (see issue No 6 of this newsletter), the Committee is going to Moldova for the conference Citizens can defeat disinformation: Civil society for an open democratic debate, which we are organising together with the Moldova State University in Chișinău on 18 April 2024. The event, which will be held in three languages (English, Romanian and Russian), will involve high-level participants from Moldovan and Ukrainian civil society, as well as Moldovan and EU institutions and members of the EESC and of different national economic and social councils. For more information, including the webstreaming links and our social media campaign, you can visit the website.
Public hearing on REX/586 – Deforestation of the Amazonian forest
On 30 April 2024, there will be a public hearing to discuss the main topic of opinion REX/586 Deforestation of the Amazonian forest. Impacts on the climate change and global environment; consequences for companies, workers and population. Policing actions is not enough to stop the deforestation of the planet’s green lungs. To preserve the rainforests we need to create different means of subsistence for the local populations. The question is now how to do it. The EESC has decided to draw up an opinion to reflect on this issue, which is affecting the whole world and is responsible for part of the reticence delaying the signing of the UE-Mercosur trade agreement. Throughout 2023, EESC members took part in various EU-Latin American dialogues, from the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Forum to the EU-CELAC Summit and EuroLat events, meetings with representatives of Latin American parliaments and civil society, and also bi-regional events in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. The issue of deforestation in the Amazon was raised constantly on these occasions. The document, to be adopted in September 2024, will try to leverage a collaboration with partners and incorporate the views of the representatives from European and Latin American civil society. More information can be found here, including the webstreaming link.
Opinions in the spotlight REX/581 – New growth plan and facility for the Western Balkans
The Commission is proposing a new growth plan for the Western Balkans, based on four pillars and aimed at: enhancing economic integration with the European Union’s single market; boosting economic integration through the common regional market; accelerating fundamental reforms and improving sustainable economic growth; and increasing financial assistance to support the reforms through a reform and growth facility for the Western Balkans. The new instrument, worth EUR 6 billion in non-repayable support and loan support, will allow the Western Balkan countries to enjoy the benefits of EU integration ahead of their actual accession. In view of ensuring a level playing field among enlargement countries, it aims to progressively add further opportunities to those available under the existing stabilisation and association agreements.
The EESC was asked by the Commission to produce an opinion on the new plan, highlighting a civil society perspective and exploring means for the concrete inclusion of social partners and civil society organisations in its implementation. A hearing was organised for 13 March, after which the opinion will be discussed in the REX section on 3 April, and then adopted at the 24-25 April plenary.
REX/579 – European Economic Security Strategy
At the February plenary, the EESC adopted the REX opinion on the Commission’s communication on the European Economic Security Strategy. The Committee appreciates the communication’s approach to address economic security measures and to assess the threats, risks and vulnerabilities, but also calls for analysing and making use of the opportunities provided by the global challenges, based on a comprehensive assessment of the EU’s strengths.
The Commission took a holistic approach to addressing European economic resilience, which is welcomed by the EESC. The EU needs to strengthen its competitiveness by forging international partnerships with like-minded countries, and by ensuring a well-functioning single market, including by completing the capital markets union and the banking union.
Ongoing opinions and information reports REX/590 – Screening of foreign investments in the Union REX/586 – Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest – impact on climate change and the global environment; consequences for companies, workers and population REX/585 – Water Politics: Empowering Youth, Women, and Indigenous and Local Communities REX/581 – New growth plan and Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans REX/580 – EU-UK Youth Engagement
An interview with Régis Genté
Régis Genté is a French journalist based in Georgia. A specialist of the post-Soviet area, he has written on Russia and Ukraine, the Caucasus countries and Central Asia. He has participated in different EESC initiatives and, during his last visit to the Committee, was interviewed by our Press Unit.
Q. Half of the planet is going to the polls this year, including the US for its presidential elections, which are of paramount importance. If Donald Trump were to return to the White House, how would this affect EU-transatlantic relations and Russia’s war against Ukraine?
R. Donald Trump’s election could be a factor that pushes Russia to extend the war beyond Ukraine, meaning, for example, to start hybrid wars in the Baltic States and to generally start creating a situation to destabilise the region. Also, with Trump in the White House, Moscow would have an ally in weakening if not dismantling NATO and the security architecture built around it. With Trump’s return to the White House, and following his statement that he ‘would never help Europe if it were attacked’, and given what John Bolton, former National Security Advisor (April 2018–September 2019), said about withdrawing the US from NATO, he would probably put EU-transatlantic relations in a state of coma for a while, despite the very likely huge resistance that it would provoke within the US administration.
Q. How deeply can disinformation influence voters in the upcoming European elections?
R. Disinformation works as much as the target – we, as Europeans in this case – have weaknesses. Russian disinformation doesn’t create the problems; it uses the existing ones. Our societies are going through a deep political and moral crisis, which creates a favourable ground for disinformation. But I feel that as Europeans and as citizens of the world, we are more educated now and experienced on how to handle news on social media than we were 10 years ago. We should not be too pessimistic, because this makes us already the victims of disinformation. Societies are not that naïve anymore, and people are aware that States and other political players can use social networks to manipulate public opinion. On social media, I would say, only minorities are active. The immense majority of the average population, who are educated people, is often silent. And this important number of people is not swallowing every crazy thing that is written on social media.
Q. Which perspective do you see for the European integration of Ukraine and Moldova?
R. Europe is very attractive for these countries. It’s such a contrast with what we hear in Europe about Europe. Whenever I have been to Ukraine and Moldova over the past twenty years, I could observe how their societies were polarised over the political model they had to choose – more Russian or more European? But over the years, especially after the beginning of the war in Ukraine in 2014, even the Eastern part of Ukraine (which is mostly Russian-speaking) started to look more favourably at Europe. Or more negatively at Russia, that brought war in the Donbass, destroyed the local economy and supported brutal and corrupted regimes. So the consensus around Europe increased, despite the fear of making Russia angry. However, this does not apply to Georgia, because there has never been a pro-Russian part. The latest survey shows that 85% of the population is in favour of the EU.
Q. Georgia was given candidate status. Do you think that the country will manage to continue with the necessary reforms? Do you see any potential for the civil society there?
R. Georgia has implemented an enormous number of reforms over the last two to three decades. However, the current government has done very little, and the past two years have shown that the real agenda of the country’s leadership, that of the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, is pro-Russian, with their attempt to impose Russian-inspired laws against ‘foreign agents’ and LGBTQI rights. I think that there won’t be any new EU-inspired reforms in Georgia for the moment. Civil society resists, and thanks to its demonstrations, the government was forced to withdraw the law on foreign agents. But civil society cannot stand without support. They face strong pressure from the State and political forces probably supported by Russia.
Q. The EU is extending its engagement with Central Asia, given the growing interest of the region. Do you think that a greater EU presence can change the balance of powers in Central Asia?
R. I think the EU should continue to deepen its relations with Central Asia, promoting its values and culture. In the face of fierce geopolitical competition, with China and Russia trying to keep the region under authoritarian rule, Europe should be itself: democratic and respectful of human rights, engaging these countries in rule of law and social dialogue. What I also observe, especially in Kazakhstan, is that young people there are more connected to the world, and dream to have a better future. Young people and other sectors of society are very gradually forcing those in power to listen more to the people. The 2022 January events in Kazakhstan are very telling in this regard, but there is still a long way to go. Follow REX on Twitter!Subscribe! If this newsletter was not sent to you directly, but via another party, you can subscribe to it here. Previous issues of this newsletterWant to know more about our past activities? Click here. |