Brussels, 25/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - At its opening meeting on 23 October (see Europe of 21/22 October, p.18), the European Economic and Social Committee (ESC) elected Roger Briesch (Workers' Group, France) as its President and the outgoing President Göke Frerichs (Employers' Group, Germany) and Leif Erland Nielsen (Various Interests' Group, Denmark) as Vice-Presidents. On Briesch's invitation, Thomas Jansen will continue in his post as Head of Cabinet. The ESC also elected the Presidents of its three groups and their section heads (see http://www.esc.eu.int for details).
Unveiling on 24 October a broad outline of his term in office (the work schedule for the new ESC term of office will be unveiled and discussed at the December plenary, in line with the ESC's rules of procedure), Roger Briesch highlighted the importance (in the debate on the future of Europe) of the ESC being clearly recognised and confirmed as an institutional body for advice, representation, information and expression allowing the representatives of civil economic and social organisations to take part in the process of forming policies and decisions at Community level. On the work of the European Convention, Roger Briesch called for a Constitutional Treaty, or even a Constitution, to ensure a qualitative leap forward in the EU's democratic legitimacy, and for federal organisation of its institutions, wanting the assembled EU to be able to take decisions and confirm positions, which implies extending qualified majority voting. He called for social and economic governance accompanied by instruments of economic government and for the EU to assert its role in the world and stimulate the emergence of a new economic order with the aim of eradicating poverty. He also called for the Charter of Fundamental Rights to be incorporated in the new Constitution. Briesch argued that only a federal, democratic structure could allow a firm, successful grip to be taken on urgent problems, both political and practical, while giving meaning to the concept of European citizenship. He went on that only a federal, democratic structure respecting dialogue, involvement and solidarity could reflect the intrinsic nature of the EU, namely constant effort to achieve unity in diversity.
The newly elected Presidents of the three groups (Giacomo Regaldo, Italy for the Employers' Group; Anne-Marie Sigmund, Austria, for the Various Interests' Group; and Mario Sepi, Italy, for the Workers' Group) all pledged their support to Roger Briesch. Regaldo said his group would make an effort to strike a just balance between the needs of companies and the social aspects defended by the Workers' Group. Sigmund highlighted the role of the ESC and the importance of stepping up involvement and working out how the three groups could cooperate with one another, while Sepi pointed out that the nature of the ESC would be determined according to their capacity to work together on future challenges.