Just as the Renaissance helped Europe leave the Middle Ages, the new President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) President, Luca Jahier, is of the opinion that a re-emphasis on culture would now help relaunch the humanist project for the unification of the European Union.
During the EESC plenary session on Wednesday 18 April, during his investiture speech, Mr Jahier stated, “Culture has an enormous untapped potential to become a unifying and mobilising force for Europe”. He urged the members of the committee as “representatives of men and women at work” to exercise their “freedom to dare” to “explore new frontiers" and put forward new ideas and initiatives that will help relaunch the European project.
He also informed the press that, “We need to roll up our sleeves and find solutions. This is what the 'rEUnaissance' is all about: stop going on about what is not working and provide an answer that can help the transition between the Middle Ages and modern Europe".
Mr Jahier also intends to promote sustainable development and peace and to provide youth with the voice it deserves.
With regard to some of the immediate challenges confronting the EESC, the new President of the EESC referred to the post-2020 multi-annual financial framework, the Brexit negotiations up until the end of March 2019 and the reflection on the future of Europe, which is supposed to be concluded at the European Summit on 9 May 2019 in Sibiu (Romania) and at which an increased participation of European citizens is necessary (see EUROPE 11962, 11867).
Mr Jahier also highlighted the social pillar in the European construction and described the European Commission’s European pillar of social rights as a “great success”, which is completely worthy of the position it has in the future EU budget (see EUROPE 11907, 11906). Mr Jahier said that Europe is confronting demographic and digital challenges that will have an impact on the welfare state and for which, “all developments include both risks and opportunities”. He concluded that it is up to us to find the right responses to these challenges.
The Vice Presidents of the EESC were also elected. Milena Angelova (employers, Bulgaria) is in charge of the budget, and Isabel Caño Aguilar (trade unions, Spain), is responsible for communication. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion and Pascal Hansens)