The future of democracy in Europe Athens 2018

Τhe upcoming President's Conference on The Future of Democracy in Europe will be held on March 1–2, 2018 in Athens at the Acropolis Museum amphitheatre.

As an institutional body of the EU, the EESC provides civil society organisations from Member States a formal platform to express their views at European level. Committed to European integration, the EESC emphasises the need for a more participatory European Union that is relevant to citizens' concerns bringing into play the EESC members' expertise and representativeness. Working closely together with the Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, our Committee plays a key consultative role in the Union's decision-making process promoting policies and legislation that tie in better with economic, social and civic circumstances on the ground.

Marking the end of the President's mandate of the EESC, the Conference aims to provide a platform of debate and awareness regarding the choices and challenges bearing upon the project of a truly integrated and democratic European Union, which he considers as the only valid future for Europe. The thematic sessions of the Conference will address challenges and risks posed by populism and technocracy, rising inequalities as a major threat to democracy and the prospect of European federalism vis-à-vis national sovereignty. This event will bring together leading exponents of the European and Greek political, academic and civil society spectrum.