EESC President

On 31 January, EESC President Oliver Röpke joined European leaders in commemorating the former president of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, Jacques Delors, who passed away on 27th December 2023. The European ceremony in honour of Jacques Delors was hosted by the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

Jacques Delors, an avid advocator of the European social dialogue, attached great importance to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). As a testimony to the close cooperation and a strong connection, in 2006 the EESC President Anne-Marie Sigmund chose to honour Jacques Delors by naming the main EESC building after him. On this occasion Jacques Delors remarked: “This is the home of participatory democracy, in the name of proximity, expertise and the voice of the European people: the heart and soul of European construction."

The EESC commemorated the memory of the former European Commission President during its own Plenary session on 17th January 2024. At the time, President Röpke stated that: "Jacques Delors had a profound impact on European construction and left an extraordinary legacy. He was a visionary devoted to the European cause and a fervent defender of civil society. I would like for us to be inspired by him, his life and his ultimate commitment to Europe. He believed that Europe is the solution."

In addition to Jacques Delors' family and former colleagues, the European Commission's ceremony was attended by a number of European leaders, among others: Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany, António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia, and Alexander de Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium.

The video and photo footage from ceremony is available online.