Brussels, 09/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Within the framework of the Austrian Presidency of the EU Council and with the assistance of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the Austrian Advisory Council for Economic and Social Affairs is organising a conference on “The challenges of participative democracy in an enlarged Europe” in Vienna on 15-16 May. Three discussion panels will consider: (1) the different ways in which organised civil society can be involved in policy formulation: the role of economic and social councils and the social partners; (2) the involvement of organised civil society: civil dialogue and its role in the renewal of the European project; (3) the involvement of the social partners, social dialogue and macro-economic dialogue at European level and the development of working relations. Among the speakers will be Alfred Finz, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Austria, Anne-Marie Sigmund, President of the EESC and her Vice-President Roger Briesch. Thomas Delapina, Secretary General of the Austrian Advisory Council for Economic and Social Affairs, will close the conference.