Programme

Annual Conference on Fundamental rights and the Rule of Law "Five years of civil society perspectives"

EESC - VMA22 & online, 06&11/2024/ 10.00-17.30

Moderator: Florence Ranson, REDComm

09:00-10:00 | Online test and coffee

10:00-11:30 | Opening session: keynote speeches

• Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Julien Mousnier, Director for Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy, European Commission Directorate General for Justice and Consumers
• Gabriella Civico, President, Civil Society Europe

Q&A

11:30-12:30 | Part 1 – Presentation of the EC and EESC Reports

Presentation of the FRRL Group's 2018-2024 report (first cycle of visits) and 2023-2024 synthesis report:

• José Antonio Moreno Díaz, former President of the EESC FRRL Group (2018-2020)
• Cristian Pîrvulescu, former President of the EESC FRRL Group (2020-2022) – online
• Paul Soete, President of the EESC FRRL Group 

Presentation of EESC Opinion SOC/797 on the evaluation of the EC rule of law reports:

• Ozlem Yildirim, Rapporteur
• Christian Moos, Co-Rapporteur

Presentation of the European Commission's 2024 Rule of Law Report:

• Sara Vassalo Amorim, Policy Officer, European Commission Directorate General for Justice and Consumers, Directorate C (Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law)

Q&A

12:30 - 14:00 | Lunch break

14:00-17:00 | Part 2 – Civil society's perspectives

14:30-14:30 | Theme 1: The rights of social partners

• Maxime Cerutti, Director of the Social Affairs department, Business Europe
• Joakim Smedman, Legal Advisor, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

Q&A

14:30-15:00 | Theme 2: Freedom of association and freedom of assembly/checks and balances

• Kristine Zonberga, Director, Civic Alliance (Latvia)
• Esther Meester, Senior Legal Advisor, European Center for Not-For-Profit Law (ECNL) (the Netherlands)

Q&A

15:00-15:30 | Theme 3: Freedom of expression and media freedom 

• Maja Sever, President, Croatian Union of Journalists (SNH), President, European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
• Julie Majerczak, Representative to the European Institutions, Reporters Without Frontiers (RSF)
• Tom Gibson, EU Representative, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Q&A

15:30-16:00 | Coffee break

16:00-16:30 | Theme 4: The right to non-discrimination

• Jakob Rosin, Board Member, The Estonian Chamber of Disabled People (EPIK) (Estonia) – online
• Tamás Kádár, Co-Director, Equinet - European Network of Equality Bodies – online
• Sandrine Gashonga, Inclusion & Anti-Discrimination Expert (Luxembourg) 

Q&A

16:30-17:00 | Theme 5: Justice and corruption

• Manuel Delia, Executive Officer, Repubblika (Malta) 
• Nico Moons, Lawyer, Order of the Flemish Bars (Belgium)
• Simone Cuomo, Secretary General, Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE)  

Q&A

17:00-17:10 | Conclusions

• Sara Vassalo Amorim, Policy Officer, European Commission Directorate General for Justice and Consumers, Directorate C (Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law)
• Paul Soete, President of the EESC FRRL Group