Firstly, I would like to express my sadness at the unexpected passing of the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli. In May 2020 President Sassoli reflected that the pandemic had shown us that we have a "great resource" within the EU – "that great resource is its civil society". He will be sadly missed.

It is now two years since we first heard of Covid-19. Following those early reports of a virus that had the potential to become a global pandemic, I am sure we did not expect to still be preoccupied by it in 2022.

We welcome the New Year and once again we try to find the energy to reach for optimism and hope.

The motto of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU seems apt: recovery, strength, a sense of belonging. Outlining the three axes of the Presidency, President Macron presented his thoughts on a more sovereign Europe, a European model of growth and a Humanist Europe.

We may look forward to moving beyond pandemic issues, but the challenges awaiting us all are significant and will have to be confronted whichever direction Covid takes next.

There will be a new focus on European defence as tensions around the world, near and far, bring these issues into the spotlight.

Cooperation and collaborations will be essential, as reflected in the scheduled Western Balkans Conference to be held in June.

Next month, together with Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, France will organise a summit that will bring together the leaders of the European Union and the African Union. The objective of this summit is to rebuild an economic and financial New Deal with Africa. The French presidency wishes to deploy an agenda in the field of education, health and climate that is equal to the challenges facing Africa.

This year has already been announced as the European Year of Youth, and the leadership displayed by young people on climate issues has shown the power of an engaged collective group of society. The youth movement has pushed the green agenda up the list of political priorities. A range of legislative proposals this year will set out the difficult detail of how we can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It will be challenging and disruptive but it is also the only option remaining after years of delayed action on climate and emissions. Action is urgently needed, and the disruption has to be accepted but also managed, to ensure fairness of impact and that the right supports are in place to protect the most vulnerable in society. This philosophy has become part of the general psyche in the course of living with a global pandemic that poses an increased threat to the lives of certain vulnerable groups. 

Finally, we will of course have the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe. At the EESC we have engaged, organised events and consultations, and strived to ensure that we act as a conduit for the voices of citizens and communities all over Europe. It is vital that the EU finds its personal touch and connects with all of these voices. It remains to be seen if CoFoE will deliver on this, but the EESC will continue to be a connecting point for citizens, ensuring all perspectives are heard in the debates on shaping our futures together.

Cillian Lohan,

EESC Vice President for Communication