Programme

Fundamental rights and the rule of law

Trends in the EU from a civil society perspective

9.00 Registration (coffee)

09.30 Opening session

Welcome

• Luca Jahier, President of the EESC 

State of play concerning fundamental rights and the rule of law in Europe

• Ms Malin Brännkärr, Finland Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
• Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Chair of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)
• Ms Tiina Astola, European Commission Director-General for Justice and Consumers
• Zoltán Taubner, Ambassador, Head of Council of Europe Liaison Office to the European Union

   

Q&A session

Moderator: Sara Carnegie, International Bar Association (IBA)

11.00 Coffee break

11.30 The socio-economic perspective

• Jacek Krawczyk, President of the Employers' Group (Group I)
• Oliver Röpke, President of the Workers' Group (Group II)
• Arno Metzler, President of Diversity Europe Group (Group III)

Q&A session

Moderator: Conny Reuters, Secretary General of SOLIDAR and Co-Chair of Liaison Group of the EESC

12.30 Presentation of the FRRL Group's work and of the workshops

• Jose Antonio Moreno Diaz, EESC Member (Group II), President of the EESC Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group
•  Karolina Dreszer-Smalec, EESC Member (Group III), Vice-President of the EESC Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group 
• Jukka Ahtela, EESC Member (Group II), Vice-President of the EESC Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group

13.00 Lunch break

14.30 Workshops:

• Media
• Civic space
• Discriminated Groups

All workshops will put forward representatives of the main focus of the EESC missions and other actors to discuss identification of the issues and possible avenues for solutions.

16.30   Coffee break

17.00   Report of the working groups

Moderator: Iverna McGowan, Human Rights Advisor, UN Human Rights, Regional Office for Europe 

Reports from the rapporteurs of the three working groups:

• Christian Moos, EESC Member (Group III)
• Andrzej Adamczyk, EESC Member (Group II)
• Daniel Mareels, EESC Member (Group I)

17.15  Further perspectives

Moderator: Iverna McGowan, Human Rights Advisor, UN Human Rights, Regional Office for Europe 

• Piotr Frączak, Chair of the Programming Council of the National Federation of Polish NGOs
• Prof. dr. Kolja Raube, University of Leuven
• Luc Van den Brande, Member of the Committee of the Regions (EPP/BE), member of the Management Board of the Flanders-Europe Liaison Agency, VLEVA
• Jose-Antonio Moreno-Diaz, EESC Member (Group II), President of the EESC FRRL Group 

18.00 End

Participants can speak in EN, DE, FR, ES and listen to EN, DE, FR, ES.