Croatia’s Marija Hanževački is the new EESC Vice-President for Communication

At its inaugural plenary session on 22 October, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) elected Marija Hanževački, General Secretary of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, as its new Vice President. She will head up the EESC’s communication activities for the first half of its new five-year term of office, representing the voice of civil society across Europe.

A longstanding and active member of EESC’s Workers’ Group, Ms Hanževački is the first Croatian to be appointed to the EESC’s top leadership. A dedicated trade unionist with extensive European and global experience, she has devoted her career to defending workers’ rights and strengthening social dialogue. 

She now brings her unwavering commitment to draw more attention to the concerns and contributions of Europe’s civil society and to strengthen the EESC’s message across the EU and beyond.

"It is an honour and a pleasure to take on this responsibility today in an institution whose values I strongly share and believe in", Ms Hanževački said shortly after her nomination. "In an era of information overload, rapid technological change, social and economic challenges, armed conflict and fake news, listening to citizens’ views has never been more important. We represent citizens who are part of social partner and civil society organisations. To make sure their perspectives truly shape our core mission – advising the EU institutions – we must communicate with clarity, consistency and transparency."

Ms Hanževački will serve alongside newly elected president Seamus Boland (Ireland, Civil Society Organisations’ Group) and newly elected vice-president for the budget Alena Mastantuono (Czech Republic, Employers’ Group). The new leadership will remain in office until March 2028.

Advocate for labour rights and EU integration

Ms Hanževački joined the EESC in 2013 as part of Croatia’s first delegation following its accession to the EU. Prior to Croatia joining the EU, she was a memberof the Croatian Economic and Social Council’s Committee for international relations and accession. In 2007, she joined the EU-Croatia Joint Consultative Committee, paving the way for Croatia’s civil society to play an active role in shaping EU policies. She has been on the EESC’s Communication Commission since 2019, and joined the EESC Bureau in 2023.

After earning a Master’s degree in English language and literature from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zagreb, Ms Hanževački joined the trade union movement and has since represented Croatian and European workers at both national and international levels.

She currently serves as General Secretary of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, and previously held the same post at the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, where she also worked as Secretary for International Relations.

Her international roles include serving as Vice-President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and member of the ITUC General Council and Executive Bureau. She is a member of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Executive Committee and serves on the Management Board of Eurofound.

One Voice for Europe

In her new job, Ms Hanževački will help advance the EESC’s broader objectives for the 2025–2030 term of office, promoting a Europe of opportunity, security and resilience and ensuring that citizens’ voices remain at the centre of EU decision-making.

"My commitment is to ensure the EESC speaks with one voice, a voice that fully reflects the breadth and depth of our members’ experience, while ensuring our priorities reach both the European institutions and the wider public. I will strive to demonstrate the immense importance of civil society for European democracy", said Ms Hanževački.