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The International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS) and the Economic and Social Council of Greece (ESC) co-organized an International Conference on «Social Dialogue, industrial relations and civil dialogue: what solutions and role for the ESC-Sis in changing societies?» in Athens, on 8 and 9 October 2014. The Conference was opened by Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Distinguished speakers presented their papers at the Conference and 95 delegates and guests from a wide variety of countries attended. The event was successful and much appreciated by the participants.

On 28 May the Spanish ESC in plenary session adopted its Report on the socioeconomic and employment situation in 2013 with 46 votes in favour and just one abstention, thereby accomplishing its annual mandate of submitting to the government in May an assessment of the state of the country drawn up jointly by the social partners and civil society organisations forming the ESC pursuant to its founding law. This year’s is the 21st Report produced by the government’s chief advisory body on socioeconomic and employment matters.

The European Union is undergoing a profound crisis of legitimacy. While two thirds of Europeans living in the euro area still support the common currency and economic and monetary union, only a third say they have faith in the EU's institutions, which is the lowest level ever recorded. Moreover, a growing majority believe that their voice is not heard loudly enough.

On 27 May, a delegation from the Moroccan ESEC, headed by its recently elected president Nizar Barak, visited the French ESEC to review cooperation between the two councils, established by a protocol signed on 27 September 2011 .