Liaison Group Newsletter December 2023

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Dear members, colleagues,

With the year coming to an end, let me share with you some final thoughts and best wishes for a smooth transition to 2024, while hoping we will enjoy our end-of-year festivities. This is the last newsletter of the year, showcasing some of the main recent and upcoming activities of Liaison Group members, and as you can see there is a wealth of information.

The Spanish Presidency is drawing to a close, having produced a number of positive outcomes such as the Council conclusions on the contribution of education and training to strengthening European values and democratic citizenship, which highlight inclusive education and a European dimension in teaching.

Unfortunately, its proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework were not promising, featuring cuts to most EU programmes. This sends the wrong message with regard to the EU's current ambitions of achieving a just transition that leaves no one behind. As inflation is gripping Europe and impacting the most disadvantaged, the Member States are once more being pressured by the restrictive and austerity-driven European Semester.

Meanwhile, the Belgian Presidency has announced its priorities, with security and borders at the top of the list – yet another very protectionist approach to our democracy instead of embracing our role as a global player in order to reduce world rising inequalities