Republic of Bulgaria Economic and Social Council

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Republic of BulgariaEconomic and Social Council

• 1000 Sofia, 22 Kn. Maria Louisa Blvd., e-mail
  office_at_esc.bg, www.esc.bg

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ESC- characteristic

• The structure and functions of the Bulgarian
  Economic and Social Council are set up following
  the model and procedures of the European Economic
  and Social Committee
• National Council of Tripartite Co-operation still
  exists in Bulgaria.

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Promoting the dialogue and co-operation with
State Bodies
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Actions to the Lisbon Strategy

• opinions
• public discussions
• seminars and workshops
• deliver information to a range civil society
  organisations and NGOs, aimed at increasing
  public awareness and their participation in the
  decision - making process

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Activities - public discussions

• Agreement for collaboration between the ESC and
  the Council of European Integration at the
  Council of Ministers
• aimed at providing information on the decision
  making process of the Government on social and
  economic policy issues, fulfilling existing
  information gap by informing the civil society
  organisations on the EU accession process and the
  Lisbon Strategy
• How to develop a civil dialogue in the EU
  accession process - Seminar (March 2005)
• Participants - the Vice Premier, Mr.Plamen
  Panajotov,Minster of Labour and Social policy
  Mrs.H. Hristova, the EESC Member-Mr. Henry
  Malosse, the ESC Members, representatives of NGOs
  of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro

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Discussion on the Government management
programNovember 2005

• Participants
• The Prime Minister, Mr. Sergej Stanishev,
  the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Georgi
  Pirinski, Deputy Premiers and Governments
  members, Presidency and the ESC Members.

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public discussion

• Objective - forcing the Lisbon Strategy
  implementation (December 2005)

• Result adopted opinion by the ESC Plenary
  Session on The Lisbon Strategy of the EU and the
  policy of the Republic of Bulgaria for achieving
  competitive and prosperous economy.

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public discussion

• on programming documents - National Development
  Plan,National Operative Programs (February 2006)
• Participants ESC Members, the Minister of
  Finance, Deputy Ministries, Experts of
  ministries and media

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public discussion

• Results
• involving socio-economic partners in programming
  and managing the European structural and cohesion
  funds.
• defying the responsibilities of the
  socio-economic partners in developing capacity
  for management and absorbing the European
  structural and cohesion funds
• outlining the priorities in the operative
  programs towards innovation, information based
  society, competitiveness and sustainable
  development, according to the Lisbon Strategy
  objectives
• defying a necessity to promote competitive export
  sectors based on innovation and IT

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Activities Opinions

• Competitiveness
• The EU Lisbon Strategy and the policy of the
  Republic of Bulgaria for achieving competitive
  and prosperous economy (own initiative opinion)
• (December 2005)
• Challenges faced by the tourism development and
  European integration
• (July 2005)
• Current issues of the textile industry and
  clothing in Bulgaria (own initiative opinion)
• (January 2005)
• Development of the human capital quality
• Problems of the vocational education and training
  in Bulgaria (November 2005)
• Demographic trends and the demography policy
  challenges (own initiative opinion)
• (March 2005)

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The Lisbon Strategy of the EU and the policy of
the Republic of Bulgaria for achieving
competitive and prosperous economy

• Key recommendations to the Parliament, Government
  and President
• to launch a Lisbon National Reform Program for
  Growth and Competitiveness
• to improve synergy between the Strategy
  dimensions - economic, social and environment
  development
• to enhance competitiveness and growth jobs
  through innovation and RD
• to promote export sectors
• to develop flexible labour market
• to promote education (link business and
  universities)

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The problems of the vocational education and
training in Bulgaria

• Recommendations to the Parliament, Government and
  President
• National Program for Human Capital Development
• long-term National Strategy for developing
  education
• National Strategy for vocational education and
  training (adapt education and training in
  response to labour market requirements)
• annual action education plans
• monitoring on development of education and
  training
• forcing public debates