EESC Liaison Group Newsletter June 2023

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A new start for civil society and a new leadership  

Dear members of the Liaison Group,  

I am honoured to address you as the recently re-elected co-chair of the Liaison Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and extend my best wishes to the newly elected president, Oliver Röpke. I look forward to working together to bring the voice of civil society to a new level. My long-lasting commitment to civil society has never been stronger thanks to the trust colleagues have shown me for this renewed term. 

The years ahead of us are going to be a defining moment for Europe, with the upcoming European elections. Civil society organisations will be key to reaching out to new voters and those that feel detached from Europe. We cannot afford to lose more time and people. We need young and elderly people on board to build a Europe that lives by its values.  

While preparing for the European elections we cannot neglect the importance of the new European Year of Skills which kicked off in May. A year for Europe to reflect on long-term strategies to empower its people with learning opportunities to thrive in life and work. Much of this learning happens in safe spaces created by civil society organisations. We must take this opportunity to co-design our education and training systems to promote EU values of tolerance, solidarity and democracy.