The EESC’s annual gathering of civil society communicators, the Connecting EU seminar, will take place in Sofia on 6 and 7 July. This year’s edition will ask how Europe can uphold its core values as economic priorities shift, democratic trust weakens and civic spaces come under pressure – and what civil society can do to defend them.

Entitled ‘In defence of European values: The power of civil society’, the seminar will include two panels and an interactive programme with two breakout sessions and a workshop.

•             Europe’s new economic compass: Balancing competitiveness, social rights and sustainability

As the old global order frays, Europe is doubling down on security, defence and competitiveness, while adjusting its social and environmental ambitions. Can Europe build an economic model that delivers both competitiveness and social fairness? How can the EU secure long-term growth, strengthen its global position and protect what makes Europe distinctive: quality jobs, a resilient social model and democratic stability?

•            Europe’s democratic compass: Can trust and resilience be restored? 

Democracy is taking hits from all sides: civil society is being squeezed, confidence in institutions and independent media is eroding and populist narratives, often boosted by foreign influences, are making it harder for citizens to know whom to trust. Can tools like the EU Democracy Shield fight back fast enough against disinformation and malign influence to restore trust in Europe’s democratic model? Or does the EU have to rethink its social contract to remind people that democracy is not a given, but must be actively defended?

•            AI as a friend, not a foe

Two breakout sessions will look at how AI can help communicators spot fake news, sharpen their message and work faster. The event will wrap up with a LinkedIn crash course for professional communicators on how to sharpen their voices, build visibility and reach the right audiences.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Dave Keating, European affairs journalist and author of the book The Owned Continent.

The programme and information about all speakers can be found on the 2026 Connecting EU website.

The event will take place at the Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ and is organised in partnership with the Bulgarian Economic and Social Council and with the support of the European Parliament Liaison Office and the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria.

The seminar is part of the ‘Connecting EU’ series, now in its 18th year. Every year, this event brings together civil society press and communication professionals, EESC members, EU representatives, partner organisations, journalists and researchers to network and discuss key issues affecting Europe. (ll)