Memorandum by Mr Sukhdev SHARMA, Member
of the EESC, President of the follow-up committee of the EU-China
Civil Society Round Table
THE EU-CHINA
CIVIL SOCIETY
ROUND TABLE
1. In recent years, the European Union has
established formal relations with the majority of the world's
countries and regions. At the same time, international relations
have opened up to new actors, primarily from civil society, and
the international agreements signed by the EU include arrangements
on an almost systematic basis aiming to establish dialogue at
civil society level. In its capacity as institutional representative
of European organised civil society, the European Economic and
Social Committee[49]
has been requested to engage in structured relations with the
equivalent body in China, the Chinese Economic and Social Council
(CESC), by operating a civil society round table.
2. The EESC has close relations with the
Economic and Social Council of China (CESC) with whom it signed
a joint declaration when the latter was set up in 2001. The ninth
EU-China Summit, held in Helsinki in September 2006, acknowledged
that the exchanges and cooperation that had been going on were
an integral part of EU-China relations and advocated the setting
up of an institutional Round Table, which has been up and running
since June 2007.
3. Established in 2001, the CESC is an organisation
gathering of economic and social research institutes, public and
private enterprises, media representatives. It is considered as
an independent body, partly funded by private enterprises. The
CESC's executive body is the Board of Directors, under which 5 committees
work: Economic Affairs, Social Affairs, Environmental Affairs,
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Affairs and External Affairs.
The President of the CESC is Mr Wang Gang, member of the Politburo
of the CPC Central Committee and Vice-Chairman of the 11th CPPCC
National Committee.
4. The objectives of the CESC are to support
China's reform, to contribute to China's opening-up process and
economic and social development. The CESC carries out research,
offers advice and provides information and counselling.
5. The Round Table has 15 members from
each side and is co-chaired by the President of the EESC and the
President of the Chinese ESC. It meets twice a year, alternating
in China and in Europe. It works on the basis of written contributions
on relevant topics, presented by the two rapporteurs, one for
the Chinese side, one for the European side, for discussion. The
reports drawn up by each delegation are available to the public,
but the discussions are held "in camera".
6. Four Round Tables have been organised
so far. They have focussed on the following items:
— Sustainable development; Climate change
— Corporate social responsibility
7. On Sustainable Development: After
debates and negotiations, the Chinese delegation has accepted
the concept of "civil society" and of "sustainable
development".Consequently, the Round Table has recognized
"the importance of the three pillars of "Sustainable
Development": the economic, social and environmental pillars,
as a key element of economic, social and regional cohesion, and
of solidarity between not only generations, but also countries
and regions of the world. It has acknowledged that consultation
and active involvement of organized civil society are necessary
to achieve the objective of Sustainable Development". (RT
1, June 2007).
8. On Climate Change: The Round Table
noted that organized civil society should have a key role to play
in meeting the challenges of climate change. It called for intensification
of the dialogue between EU and China and for consolidation of
the multilateral process. (RT 1, June 2007) It is convinced that
organized civil society has an essential role to play in bringing
the issues of climate change to the citizens, and in promoting
discussions at the local level on how communities can take concrete
steps to mitigate and to adapt to climate change. (RT2, November
2007). More specific recommendations on forestry were adopted
in November 2007.
9. On Trade & Investment: Two
meetings have taken place on Trade & Investment (June and
November 2008); the different chapters of the Partnership &
Cooperation Agreement negotiations have been discussed, some common
ground has been found, in particular in identifying where the
problems actually lie.
10. On Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
The discussion on Corporate Social Responsibility
has been one of the most fruitful. The starting point was difficult
because of opposed views on the nature of Corporate Social Responsibility.
The Chinese side considered CSR as the responsibility of employers
to organise charity for the poor when their profit was high; the
European side saw CSR as (1) the respect of international rules
and conventions related to labour rights and (2) the voluntary
contributions of the employers over and above what is legally
required by them.
After 3 rounds of discussions, a broad
definition of Corporate Social Responsibility has been endorsed
and several commitments taken on further aspects related to rights,
implementation of these rights, association of all players, reporting
and exchange of best practices. See main endorsed recommendations
and conclusions on CSR in annex 1.
11. On the agenda of its 5th meeting are
two topics : Economic and social rights in Europe and in China,
as along with the numerous problems related to this issue, such
as the protection of rights in a context of crisis, the debate
on International Labour Organization (ILO) core labour standards
which have to be respected by all states, whether they have or
not ratified the relevant international conventions and the issue
of "Recycling industries". Before the Round Table some
members will meet several civil society organisations in Hong
Kong in particular on the topics of economic and social rights
in mainland China and in Hong Kong & Macao and on the impact
of the financial crisis from a civil society perspective.
12. A joint declaration is adopted at the
close of each Round Table.[50]
This enables members to summarise the issues on which they have
reached consensus in discussions and to continue talks at the
following Round Table on those issues on which points of view
differ. It includes recommendations to the political authorities
of the European Union and the Chinese Government. At the close
of the third Round Table, held under the French Presidency, Bernard
Kouchner, French Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, wrote:
"Rest assured that the next EU-China summit will certainly
take account of the joint work carried out by the European Economic
Council and its Chinese counterpart. I should like to underline
the importance and usefulness of this original body for discussion
between economic and social partners in the EU and China".
Annex 1
Main EU-China Round Table joint recommendations
and conclusions on corporate social responsibilities
— The aim of CSR is to contribute to the
improvement of living and working conditions for all in a harmonious
society. CSR is based on respect for and the effective and dynamic
application of basic labour standards and laws, the principles
of sustainable development and includes voluntary commitments
by businesses that go beyond the normative framework.
— The RT agrees that reflection and the
exchange of good practices as regards CSR are among the priorities
for all the economic, social and political actors within the framework
of relations between China and Europe.
— It notes that convergences between Europe
and China as regards the aims of CSR and convergences as regards
definitions and standards are more numerous than in the past.
— It also note that difficulties of implementation
exist on both sides and that the lessons drawn from the experiments
undertaken could be used more to bring points of view closer together,
in an approach respecting diversity while adhering to universal
values and principles.
— It recalls the importance of the conventions
of the International Labour Organisation, the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, and other international instruments. It notes
the importance of the initiative taken by the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO) in a spirit of mutual understanding.
— It notes that both China and Europe have
recently made great progress in reporting, and that measuring
of CSR has become more reliable and transparent, although major
progress still needs to be made, particularly as regards the quality
of information.
— It calls for a reinforcement of the structures
for dialogue and partnership between CSR stakeholders and proposes
organising other workshops to continue the reflections.
17 April 2009
49 The European Economic and Social Committee is a
consultative body set up by the Rome Treaties in 1957. It consists
of representatives of the various economic and social components
of organised civil society. Its main task is to advise the three
major institutions, European Parliament, European Commission and
Council of the European Union. The Committee is made up of 344 members
split into three groups, the "Employers" group, the
"Employees" group and the "various interests"
group. The third group brings together representatives from sectors
of economic and social life that are not covered by the first
two groups, ie bodies representing craftsmen, farmers, SMEs, consumers,
family associations etc. EESC members are appointed by the Council
of Ministers of the EU for four years on the basis of nomination
by the member States. Back
50
See http://www.eesc.europa.eu/sections/rex/asia/china/index_en.asp?id=6140rexen
for the Joint Statement of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th EU-China
Round Table. Back
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