1st meeting of the CARIFORUM-EU Joint Consultative Committee

European Economic and Social Committee (room JDE 63)

13-14 November 2014, Brussels

DESCRIPTION

Article 232 of the Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM and the EU establishes a CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee tasked with assisting the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council to promote dialogue and cooperation between representatives of organisations of civil society, including the academic community, and social and economic partners.
The Consultative Committee shall foster social and civil dialogue through consultation on all aspects of social, economic, environmental and development issues as they arise in the context of implementing the CARIFORUM-EU-EPA.
CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee is composed of 40 standing representatives of organisations of the civil society representing employers' organisations, trade unions, other economic, social and non-governmental organisations, including development and environmental organisations; and the academic community.

Draft programme

13 November
11.00 am- 1pm / Preparatory meeting of the two delegations
Discussion of the Rules of procedure and presentation of co-chairs
1 pm -2.30 pm / Lunch
2.30 p.m.– 3.15 p.m. / Opening session
Chair: EU Co-president of the CC
v  Mr Giuseppe Iuliano, Vice President of the External relations Section of the EESC
v  Mr Remco Vahl, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Trade
v  Mr. Percival Marie, Director General, CARIFORUM Directorate
v  Mr Boleslaw Piecha, Chair of the EP Delegation to the CARIFORUM-EU Parliamentary Committee
3.15 p.m. – 3.30 p.m. / Coffee break
3.30 p.m.– 4:30 p.m.
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
5.30 p.m.-6.30 p.m. / Part 1: CARIFORUM –EU Economic Partnership Agreement: current situation and future prospects
Chair: CARIFORUM co-President of the CC
v  Mr Joachim Zeller, Policy Officer, Economic Partnership Agreements, ACP, European Commission
v  Mr. Neville Totaram, EPA Coordinator, Republic of Guyana and Representative of CARIFORUM States
Debate
Update on the Five Year Review
Chair: CARIFORUM Co-president of CC
v  Sacha Peter Silva, Economist, WTI Advisors
v  Carlos Wharton, EPA Implementation Unit, CARIFORUM Directorate
Debate
Part 2: Financing EPA implementation
Chair: EU Co-president of the CC
v  Mrs Henriette Geiger, Head of Unit, Latin America and Caribbean, DG DEVCO (tbc)
v  Mr. Percival Marie, Director General, CARIFORUM Directorate
Debate
6:30 p.m. / Cocktail hosted by the EESC
14 November
9.30 a.m.–12.00p.m. / Part 3: General discussion on monitoring and evaluation of the EPA
Interventions by members of CC on subjects related to monitoring and evaluation of EPA, civil society participation and other subjects of interest
Interventions
On monitoring, evaluation and strengthening civil society participation :
Karen Ulmer, APRODEV
Brenda King, EESC
On services trade:
Pascal Kerneis, European Services Forum
On fair trade:
Sergi Corbalán, Fair Trade Advocacy office
Intervention from the CARIFORUM side to be confirmed
Interventions should be of around 5 minutes
Debate
12:30 p.m – 12:30 p.m.
12.30 a.m. – 1 pm / Adoption of the rules of procedure
Chair: EU Co-president of the CC
Closing session
Chair: EU Co-president of the CC
Decision on reports to be elaborated for the next meeting of the CC
Adoption of Joint Statement
The Joint Statement will be presented by the two elected co-chairs of the CC

EESC-2014-02304-00-01-TCD-TRA (FR) 2/3