The European Economic and Social Committee reiterated its support for the priorities of the Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the EU

The Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the EU would work for a stable, secure and solidarity-based Europe. Each measure would be guided by the principle of unity and solidarity amongst Member States, said the Bulgarian Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Biser Petkov, during a debate in Sofia with members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The discussion focused on the priorities of the future Bulgarian presidency. There would be three main overarching themes of the presidency: consensus, competitiveness and cohesion, added Mr Petkov.

The quality of a presidency was not proportionate to the size of the country, but rather to the political will to push for policies essential for the future of Europe, emphasised the EESC President, Georges Dassis. The European Economic and Social Committee supported the priorities of the Bulgarian presidency, in particular for the development of the social dimension in Europe, added Mr Dassis.

One of the main topics in the debate was the establishment of a clear European perspective for the countries of the Western Balkans. The Bulgarian presidency's ambition was to develop an action plan for each of the countries, without giving them unrealistic expectations, but setting out clear steps, said Mr Petkov. The EESC members emphasised that they would continue working with civil society organisations from the Western Balkans.

The EESC President, Mr Dassis, also insisted that it was necessary to take urgent measures to stem the brain drain from Europe by offering young Europeans better opportunities for education and work.

The debate with EESC members focused particularly on priorities in the field of employment and social policy: the future of work; opportunities for support from the European Social Fund after 2020; policies for early childhood development; and the integration of people with disabilities. It was of paramount importance to offer more opportunities for employment, to focus our efforts on social inclusion and to support education and life-long learning for all Europeans, concluded Mr Petkov.