European Economic and Social Committee CES/06/91 Brussels, 22 September 2006 EESC Biennial Conference on Living Europe 18-19 September 2006 President Anne-Marie Sigmund: 'we must make participatory democracy a reality' Former EC President Jacques Delors: EESC's work a "wake-up call" to civil society Over two intense days earlier this week the EESC brought together a galaxy of thinkers, writers, politicians and administrators to consider the question of 'living Europe: a challenge for civil society'. The Biennial Conference was opened by Anna-Marie Sigmund, EESC President, with keynote addresses by Michel Delebarre, President of the Committee of the Regions, and Jacques Delors, former President of the European Commission. In his opening remarks Jacques Delors addressed the question of the balance between society and the individual in a century of public opinion and the 'Macdonaldisation of the media'. Quoting Simone Veil's "L'enracinement" and the need for commitment, he asked the rhetorical question as to how to 'make society'. He proposed three themes; learning to live with others; making communities and a sense of belonging a reality, and recognising the full potential of all individuals. He greeted the EESC's ongoing work as a wake-up call for civil society. Panel Participants Joseph Daul (MEP and President of the Conference of Committee Chairmen), former European Commissioner Franz Fischler (now President, Eco Social Forum), Pierre Jonckheer (MEP and President of the European Social Observatory), Mikael Karlsson (President of the European Environmental Bureau) and Jean-Marc Roirant (Secretary General, French League of Baasic and Continuing Education) together debated how policies could be identified that translate into an effective and balanced application of European values. On the second day, the Conference broke up into three workshops considering the culture of economy, the culture of solidarity and the culture of dialogue and participation. Chaired by the EESC's group presidents Giacomo Regaldo (employers), Mario Sepi (employees) and Staffan Nilsson(various interests), these workshops reported their findings back to the plenary session. addressed by Dimitri Dimitriadis, EESC Vice-President, and moderated by Stanley Crossick, Founding Chairman of the European Policy Centre. EN European Economic and Social Committee Workshop I's main finding was that the EU is "a champion in declaration, not in action" and that the EESC could enhance transparency in the lobby's perpetual struggle for influence. Workshop II argued that solidarity needed to be relaunched in Europe, and that participatory democracy was the only way to establish solidarity. Workshop III looked into different mechanisms of consultation, arguing that Europe was still a Europe of the elites, when it should include all parts of the population. The citizens' right of initiative, as foreseen in the Constitutional Treaty, was seen as a fruitful way to ensure participation. The conference's closing session was addressed by Mr Friedrich Buttler, Director at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), who called for dialogue as an essential element of good governance, and Odile Quintin, Director General of the European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture, who called upon Europe to be "specific, in order to be accepted by Europeans". She foresaw a "new era of participation" evolving in the continued absence of the Constitutional Treaty, an area where the EESC would have a great role to play. Anne-Marie Sigmund: culture creates collective identity Summing up the intense and rich discussions, Anne-Marie Sigmund stated that the "values and objectives of the Union have to be at the heart of all its policies, and should not be mere slogans." According to her, culture creates collective identity, and this emotional side will help Europeans to participate in a European civil society. She stated that the EU must make participatory democracy a reality in order to regain citizen's support. In the margins of the conference a ceremony was held to rename the EESC's headquarters that now bears the name of Jacques Delors (see press release n° 90/2006). For more information on the conference, please consult our website: http://eesc.europa.eu/organisation/president/biennial/2006/index_en.asp For more details, please contact: Karel Govaert or Christian Weger at the EESC Press Office, 99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; Mobile: +32 475 75 32 02 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/ Press Releases: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/cp/index_en.asp (English) http://www.eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/cp/index_fr.asp (French) The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 317 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers. .