This is the last plenary I have the honour to address as President of the EESC. Two and a half years ago, in April 2018, I invited you to dream with me of a re-energised Europe and to work together for a second European Renaissance! I called for a strong civic engagement for our sustainable European future.

I started in April 2018 thinking we needed to rediscover the humanistic spirit of the Renaissance to speed our journey on the path to a sustainable Europe. On the back of Brexit and ahead of the European elections, I knew civil society had a vital role to play to steer the European economy and society towards more sustainable and smart models.

At the end of my mandate, I can say Europe has once again shown its resilience.

The European Economic and Social Committee welcomes the signature of the bilateral agreement between the EU and China to protect 100 European Geographical Indications (GIs) in China and 100 Chinese GIs in the EU. This is a first step towards a more fair and balanced relationship between the two global partners.

I am deeply shocked by the blaze that devastated the Moria refugee camp. I am relieved that no causalities happened, but the fire put at risk the lives of thousands of people: refugees, migrants and staff.

The EESC strongly defends the democratic right to vote, the right of free speech and the right of expression and has been following closely the developments after the presidential elections in Belarus.
As the voice of EU civil society, we strongly condemn the military and police repression of peaceful protesters. The multiple beating, use of tear gas, rubber bullets and sound grenades is completely shocking and in fact illegal.

After five days of tough negotiations, the EU has reached a deal to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an unprecedented decision for volume, content and key elements of innovation. Europe, today, is stronger than ever.

Today starts the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The European agenda could hardly have been more challenging: the adoption of the Recovery plan to repair the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic, the crucial Brexit negotiations and the launch of the Conference on the future of Europe.

The wind of change is blowing more wildly than ever. Entrenched taboos are falling away, and things that had been awaited for more than 20 years are happening within days and weeks. We must all not waste this historic moment.

Seventy years ago, a group of visionaries laid the foundations for the economic, social and moral reconstruction of the post-war period, giving birth to the greatest project for progress in the history of mankind.