The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held an open day to celebrate Europe and highlight the important role played by organised civil society in the achievements of the European Union.
EESC Contribution to the UN Water Conference 2026: from the EU Blue Deal and Water Resilience Strategy to global water action
Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee
On Europe Day, we celebrate not simply a political union or an economic project, but a democratic vision founded on peace, participation and solidarity among peoples.
At the heart of that vision lies an essential principle: democracy is not sustained by institutions alone. It survives because people believe they still have a voice.
Today, across Europe and beyond, that principle is under growing pressure.
Brussells, 8 May 2026 – Relaunching European global leadership by bringing together competitiveness, sustainability and civil society participation: this was the theme of the second stage of the Festival for Sustainable Development, held for the first time in Brussels, entitled “European Leadership for the Future: Civil Society at the Helm of the Post-2030 Agenda”.
