The EU-Russia and Central Asia Follow-up Committee - Related Events

This is the 2^nd campaign on fighting disinformation that the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising as part of its overall project on disinformation to be implemented with the help of civil society.

The EU-Russia and Central Asia Follow-up Committee met on 6^th November to discuss the current situation of civil society in Russia. Two independent reports, respectively on freedom of speech and on disinformation, were presented by a human rights-defending organisation, and there was a general update by the Russia Division within the EEAS.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is working on a project on disinformation to be implemented with the help of civil society. Disinformation typically spreads among the population, often horizontally, so that the best way to tackle the problem is not in a top-down approach, but in citizens’ reflection and direct engagement. This is where organized civil society can play a crucial role.

The 7th Joint Seminar of the European Economic and Social Committee and the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation (CCRF) will bring together EESC members and representatives of their Russian counterpart, representatives of the European Commission, experts and academics, to discuss cooperation in the areas of higher education and rural development. During four thematic sessions, participants will focus on EU-Russia cooperation in the fields of science, research and innovation; aligning higher education in the EU and Russia (the Bologna Process) and Erasmus+, on narrowing the gaps between rural and urban areas, and on cross-border cooperation for businesses and SMEs.