European Economic
and Social Committee
EU Renewal
Let me first begin by wishing you all a good start after the summer break.
Before the European elections at the beginning of June, there were fears that the centre would collapse and that the people of Europe would end up with an unworkable European Parliament. While we have seen many changes in the Parliament’s membership and some shifts in the strengths of the various political parties and groups, the fact remains that the Parliament has stayed close to the centre.
In her political guidelines for the next European Commission, President von der Leyen has already noted that voters still have major concerns regarding a range of diverse issues, in particular the cost of living, housing and energy, and the management of migration and asylum processes. She has also stressed that the EU is feeling the effects of at least two major wars, with no immediate signs of peace. In addition, the effects of global climate change continue to threaten our planet’s stability. President von der Leyen has called for solidarity from all citizens in ensuring that the EU continues to promote the preservation of democracy and fundamental values, especially equality.
Clearly, from a civil society perspective, the attitude of the European institutions towards the millions of citizens who devote time and energy on a daily basis to improving their communities must be improved. To give just one example, the recent EESC study entitled ‘How to eradicate skills poverty among the most vulnerable?’ highlights that civil society organisations have a unique opportunity to make a significant impact by actively identifying and reaching out to vulnerable individuals in need of upskilling support. By collaborating with local communities and leveraging their networks, these organisations can play a vital role in ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of education and in developing their skills. I see the study as an
invitation for policymakers to cooperate with
and support civil society organisations. With their flexibility and hands-on experience, these organisations can complement traditional education, serving as knowledge hubs for targeted and inclusive approaches, but also helping to teach life skills and enhancing social cohesion. These organisations’ expertise and outreach to under-represented groups constitutes an opportunity for policymakers to improve the quality of a legislative process and its implementation on the ground. You will learn more about this study in this bulletin.
In this context, the EU institutions must take concrete measures to implement an open, transparent and regular dialogue with civil society organisations, as set out in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union, and in all policy areas. Involving civil society solely in AI, agriculture and food systems, specific societal issues, human rights, policy implementation and tackling administrative burdens, as mentioned in President von der Leyen’s political guidelines, is not enough. The Civil Society Organisations’ Group reiterates its call to the EU institutions to connect with civil society organisations in all policy areas, as this is the only way that the democratic deficit can be tackled.
I emphasised this demand during the various meetings held during my visit to Cyprus at the end of July. The Cypriot delegation to the EESC (across all groups) assisted me in organising this visit, for which I am very thankful. In particular, I would highlight the work carried out by Anastasis Yiapanis and his colleague Panagiotis Champas on behalf of their organisations in Cyprus. One of the key meetings I attended was with the President of the Cypriot House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou. At this meeting, there was agreement on the importance of ensuring a strong EU, based on its founding values and a strong belief in the need to give citizens a voice.
This links with the theme of this bulletin – intergenerational solidarity – which will also be the topic of a conference organised by the Civil Society Organisations’ Group on 10 October. You will note from the many contributors to this bulletin a strong sense of the importance of including voices from all generations when designing policies that affect people’s daily
lives. Intergenerational solidarity should not be used simply as a convenient phrase to describe inclusion. Unfortunately, the demands made by young people, older people and children are often pitted against each other when it comes to distributing resources. The reality is that all generations need to work hard to prevent this and unite against being used as scapegoats to explain away shortages of funds for the vital services that each age group needs.
Finally, I hope that the new European Parliament, along with the new European Commission, do everything in their power to respect all citizens and civil society organisations, in order to strengthen our democracy and create a real Union of Equality.
Séamus Boland