New publication: The EESC's activities during the Spanish Presidency

The European Economic and Social Committee will play a major role during the new Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union, as it has been asked by the presidency to prepare a considerable number of opinions.

The Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a critical juncture for Europe. The time has come for the EU to become more resilient.

Europe has been confronted with a plethora of crises over the last few years: this has shone a spotlight on our vulnerability and made it clear that the European Union needs to develop its strategic autonomy. Open strategic autonomy, a key component which will add resilience to the EU's objectives of a greener, more digital and social Europe, is therefore at the heart of the Spanish presidency's priorities.

In June 2024, EU citizens will participate in the biggest exercise in democracy to take place on this continent: the European Parliament elections. With this in mind, it is paramount to ensure that the safeguards needed to defend our democracy are in place: this is particularly relevant when it comes to combating foreign interference, so that the elections are not fertile ground for disinformation, propaganda and cyberattacks.

The European Economic and Social Committee will be working closely with the Spanish presidency, conveying the views of European civil society organisations. At the Spanish presidency's request, the EESC will prepare no fewer than 22 exploratory opinions on a raft of issues, including the green and digital transitions, the social dimension of the EU and the future of Europe. These in-depth and ambitious opinions, together with a number of events and conferences on topics such as energy poverty, rare diseases and the social economy, will enable the EESC to contribute to the Spanish presidency's debates.

The Committee looks forward to working with the presidency to deliver a more resilient, more inclusive and safer Europe, a Europe which works for its people and is up to the challenges which lie ahead.

This brochure is available in EN, FR, DE and ES on the EESC internet site. (af)