Committee’s post-elections resolution urges EU institutions to focus on security in new legislative term

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted a resolution tracking democratic progress in the European Union and calling for a stronger EU with a new six-fold concept of security.

The new European Parliament and Commission should, given the current multi-crisis, make use of the EESC’s diversity of representation to strengthen the European Union. The new legislative term should aim to reinforce the EU’s international position, deal with the problems in its institutional architecture, provide a solid anchor for Europe’s common values, and lead the economy into a sustainable future built around an advanced, inclusive social model – something that is vital for progress, unity and competitiveness.

These are – in a nutshell – the key requests put forward by the Committee in its Resolution on Charting the EU’s democratic progress: a resolution for the next legislative mandate. It was drafted by Christa Schweng, Cinzia Del Rio and Ioannis Vardakastanis and adopted at the plenary session on 18 September after a debate with representatives of civil society organisations.

‘Today’s Resolution is more than a document: it’s a call to action for a more inclusive, resilient and democratic Europe,’ said Committee president Oliver Röpke. ‘Rooted in the insights from our first-ever Civil Society Week, it amplifies what people are saying at grassroots level to ensure that our policies truly reflect the needs of our diverse communities. As we enter a new legislative term, this Resolution offers a strategic roadmap that is aligned with our core values and addresses key challenges such as global leadership, economic sustainability and social cohesion. Our task now is to ensure that these recommendations are translated into meaningful action.’

The Resolution includes a comprehensive set of actionable steps to strengthen and safeguard democratic principles during the next EU mandate. It is the outcome of the first ever Civil Society Week, held by the EESC in March 2024 to sound out the views of Europeans of all ages, social partners and civil society organisations.

‘We have built in the views and opinions that we listened to that week. In this way, we can ensure that our policies are more inclusive and reflective of the diverse experiences of Europeans,’ added Brikena Xhomaqi, co-chair of the EESC Liaison Group and President of the Ad Hoc Group on the EESC Resolution.

The Committee’s recommendations

In the Resolution, the Committee asks the EU institutions to establish a six-fold concept of security, based on a Union that:

− protects its people against external threats;

− protects people against internal risks, mainly those relating to health, demographic change and poverty, and that provides accessible, universal social protection and well-being across Europe;

− guarantees a competitive social market economy built on ecosystems that ensure productivity, innovation, good quality jobs and full employment;

− creates a resilient economy for all;

− ensures dialogue and the participation of the social partners, organised civil society and the public in order to cope with the challenges and far-reaching changes of today and the near future;

− protects against the current and future threats of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

More specifically, the Committee recommends:

- partially including candidate countries in the daily work of the EU through stronger partnerships;

- reinforcing single market rules to foster cross-border mobility of people, goods, services, capital and data. This will entail developing an integrated Capital Markets Union, a fully-fledged Banking Union and a robust European Industrial Strategy aligned with the EU’s climate goals in order to maintain high quality jobs in Europe;

- taking steps to reinvigorate the EU’s farming sector and foster rural development by making rural areas more attractive to young people, family-run, small and medium-sized farms and enterprises, supported by a properly funded post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy;

- improving the Youth Guarantee and similar programmes such as the ALMA initiative, that offer work opportunities to young people and assess the European Child Guarantee;

- supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and a comprehensive EU anti-poverty strategy which must include coordinated, EU-wide efforts to reduce poverty;

- supporting the appointment of a Commissioner for housing, with a dedicated portfolio and a proper directorate-general, and adopting a holistic approach in the form of a European action plan on social housing to address the housing crisis;

- recognising the YEYS request for further youth engagement and representation in EU decision making, as well as the establishment of a youth quota in European Parliament elections.

The debate with civil society representatives

During the debate, the President of the EESC’s Employers’ Group, Stefano Mallia, pointed out that ‘the EU needs the courage to make progress because the people we represent count on us. Although the EU can list a number of successes such as 30 years of the internal market, issues still remain such as fragmentation and overregulation, bringing about difficult conditions for businesses.’

On behalf of the EESC’s Workers’ Group, its president Lucie Studničná noted that ‘this wording of “democratic progress” might be misleading. We have not seen much of this recently. We are still paying the price for the 2008 crisis austerity policies. Extremist positions are on the rise because inequality and injustice abound. A massive cost of living crisis, following price hikes for essential goods, threatens our livelihoods.’

Séamus Boland, President of the EESC’s Civil Society Organisations’ Group, spoke about the extremely high levels of poverty within the EU and their impact on EU democracies. ‘We will not be able to quieten the angry political disconnect in our societies unless we involve people more,’ he stressed, before calling for efforts to completely eradicate poverty in the EU.

On behalf of SME United, Véronique Willems called for fewer rules and more tools for businesses, saying that SMEs provided for people’s daily needs, especially in rural areas.

Claes-Mikael Stahl, representing the European Trade Union Confederation, stressed the importance of social rights which could turn future challenges into opportunities.

Jessica Machacova from the European Anti-Poverty Network said that poverty must be referred to not only as lack of resources but also as lack of opportunities.

Lotte Prins, representing the Dutch National Youth Council, pointed out that it was policy makers’ responsibility to stay in touch with people, including young people, and follow up on policies.

For more information on the EESC’s Resolution Charting the EU’s democratic progress: a resolution for the next legislative mandate, please check the EESC website.