INVITATION TO COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL COHESION (CDCS)

UNCLAS PARIS 005473 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/PGI, IO/SHA, DRL/IL, DRL/MLA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM SOCI XG FR COE SUBJECT: INVITATION TO COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL COHESION (CDCS) MEETING AND FORUM, COUNCIL OF EUROPE, NOVEMBER 15-18 2005, STRASBOURG ¶1. This is an action request, see para 5. ¶2. The U.S. is invited to send a representative to the 15th meeting of the European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS) on November 15-16 2005 and a forum entitled "Reconciling Labor Flexibility With Social Cohesion" on November 17-18 ¶2005. ¶3. Draft agenda includes: -- Implementation of the decisions taken by the third summit of the Council of Europe (Warsaw, May 16-17 2005); -- Committee of Experts on children and families; -- Coordination of activities relating to children; -- Platform for political dialogue on socially responsible consumption and finance systems; -- Progress report on intergovernmental cooperation and bilateral and multilateral assistance activities; -- Cooperation with other Council of Europe bodies: the European Committee of Social Rights, the Council of Europe Development Bank and others; -- Activities of other international bodies relevant to social cohesion. ¶4. The program for the accompanying forum includes: -- Labor flexibility and social cohesion: a political challenge for Europe; -- Contribution of labor flexibility to social cohesion; -- New forms of labor flexibility: how labor law should evolve; -- Workshops on the effects of labor flexibility and considerations for reconciliation; -- Perspectives and proposals from international organizations. ¶5. Please contact john.murray@coe.int and ConGen Strasbourg concerning any planned attendance. The U.S. expert will have observer status; i.e., without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses from the Council of Europe. Hofmann