Programme

Annual European Semester Conference 2021

“Building a resilient Europe - Civil society and the National Recovery and Resilience Plans”


The Recovery and Resilience Facility is moving into its next phase, and the European Semester Group of the EESC is following the process. This stock-taking, high-level conference on 31 May will focus on three distinct but interrelated topics:

  • Involvement of Organised Civil Society in the NRRPs
  • The just transition towards a green, digital and sustainable European economy
  • Implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights.

10:00                  Opening session

Chaired by Javier Doz Orrit, President of the European Semester Group (ESG), European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

  • Christa Schweng, EESC President
  • Othmar Karas, Vice-President, European Parliament 

10:30 – 13:00     Involvement of Organised Civil Society in the National Recovery and Resilience Plans

  • Javier Doz Orrit, introduction of the follow up on the EESC resolution on the National Recovery and Resilience Plans
  • Johannes Lübking, Principal Adviser and European Semester Coordinator in the Recovery and Resilience Task Force (RECOVER), European Commission
  • Tiziano Treu, President of the Italian national ESC  
  • Brikena Xhomaqi, Co-chair of the EESC Liaison Group, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform

                             Break

  • Plamen  Dimitrov, Bulgarian EESC delegation
  • Martin Salamon,  Danish EESC delegation
  • Denis Meynent,   French EESC delegation
  • Comments by national ESCs, followed by a general debate

13:00 – 14:30   Lunch Break 

14:30 – 16:00   Towards a green, digital and sustainable European economy, with a just transition

  • Introduction by João Morais Sarmento, Technical Counsellor, Environment, Portuguese Presidency representative
  • Peter Schmidt, EESC NAT section president, on draft findings of the NAT study "Shifting priorities towards post-COVID sustainable reconstruction and recovery"
  • Cillian Lohan, EESC Vice-President for Communication, representing the EESC on the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform
  • Pietro Francesco De Lotto, EESC CCMI President, on the industrial strategy
  • Zsolt Darvas, Senior Fellow, Bruegel

                          Break

16:15 – 17:20   Implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

  • Introduction by Adelaide Carranca, Portuguese Presidency representative – follow up on the Porto Social Summit on 7 May 2021
  • Santina Bertulessi, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner in charge of Jobs and Social Rights
  • Carlos Manuel Trindade and Cristian Pirvulescu, EESC rapporteurs, presentation of draft EESC opinion SOC/679 "Action plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights"
  • Lina Carr, Confederate Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
  • Rebekah Smith, Deputy Director of Social Affairs, BusinessEurope
  • Francesco Corti, Associate Researcher, CEPS

17:20 – 17:30   Closing remarks

  • Javier Doz Orrit, President of the ESG, EESC

Interpreting from ES / EN / FR / IT into ES / EN / FR