CES/06/33
Brussels, 3 April 2006
4th Meeting of the EU/Latin American and Caribbean Civil Society Organisations Vienna 5-7 April 2006
With the support of the European Commission and hosted by the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce, the European Economic and Social Committee is organising on 5- 7 April, its 4th EU/Latin American and Caribbean organised civil society meeting in Vienna. The meeting will bring together delegates of civil society from across the Latin American and Caribbean countries, EESC Members, as well as representatives of European institutions, national ESCs from Latin America and the EU and several international organisations.
Anne-Marie Sigmund, EESC President; Noemi Rial, Argentina’s Vice-minister of Labour; Jacques Wagner, Minister and President of the Brazilian Council for Social and Economic Development; and Luis Yáñez, Member of the European Parliament, are among the key figures who will be taking part. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations, will speak at the closing session.
The purpose of this fourth meeting will be to:
Continue to promote dialogue between economic and social interest groups in Latin America and the Caribbean and the EU; help strengthen organisations representing economic and social interest groups at national and regional level, in particular the Mercosur Economic and Social Consultative Forum, the Andean Community's Labour and Business Advisory Councils and the Advisory Council of the Central American Integration System; contribute to the conclusion of the Fourth Summit of EU-LAC heads of State and Government to be held in Vienna on 12 May 2006 and convey the view of civil society organisations on topics such as promoting a strategic partnership between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, encouraging social cohesion, and strengthening the involvement of organised civil society in decision-making processes.
The Programme of the meeting is available at:
http://eesc.europa.eu/sections/rex/index_en.asp?id=4010rexen
Background Note:
The EESC holds regular meetings with civil society organisations from the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean in parallel with the summits of Heads of State and Government, which are held every two years. Previous meetings were held in Rio de Janeiro in 1999, Madrid in 2002 and Guadalajara (Mexico) in 2004.
The Committee has also adopted a number of Opinions on economic and social matters concerning the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, the most recent being an Exploratory Opinion on the question of economic and social cohesion in Latin America and an own-initiative opinion on EU-Mexico relations. Please consult our website for the full texts: http://eesc.europa.eu/sections/rex/index_en.asp?id=4050rexen
For further information please contact: Karel Govaert or Christian Weger, EESC Press Office 99 rue Belliard , B-1040 Brussels Tel.: 02 546 9396/9586; Mobile: 0475 753 202 E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu
Website: http://eesc.europa.eu/press/index_en.asp
The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 317 members. Its members are appointed by the Council. 
