Brussels, 17/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - As announced recently by the president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) Roger Briesch (EUROPE 3 February p 17), the EESC is organising on 8-9 March in Brussels a conference on, "Participatory Democracy: state of play and perspectives provided in European Constitution". The committee also wants to increase its commitment to strengthening dialogue with European organisations and networks from civil society, including social partners and establish its role as an institutional body facilitating dialogue and concertation with organised civil society (notably the European Constitution).
The work will be introduced by President Roger Briesch and drawn to a close by the former president of the Commission Jacques Delors. Well known figures invited include: Irish minister for European affairs Dick Roche, Commissioner Michel Barnier, former President of the EP and MEP José Maria Gil-Roblès (EPP-ED, Spain), the president of the committee on European affairs at the Slovenian parliament Alojz Peterle, the president of the Italian permanent committee on European affairs Mario Greco, the president of the Irish economic and social council Demot McCarthy, the Senior Lecturer at the College of Europe in Warsaw Bronislav Geremek, former vice president at the Convention Jean-Luc Dehaene, the director for the foundation for improvement of living conditions, Dublin, Willy Buschak as well as representatives from European social partners and European social NGOs. (Info: Patrick Fève, EESC in Brussels. Site: http://www.esc.eu.int ).