Brussels, 17/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 15 April, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Mario Sepi, presented the “Programme for Europe: Proposals of civil society” during a meeting in Brussels between EESC members and MEPs. With a view to the European elections in June, participants thus discussed their respective programmes for Europe, and more especially questions relating to economic recovery, fundamental rights, the European social model, sustainable development and European governance. The meeting was chaired by EESC Vice-President Irini Pari (Employers Group, Greece).
The “Programme for Europe” sets out the Committee's strategic proposals for Europe in order to raise the challenges facing the European Union. Adopted on 24 March 2009 during the EESC plenary session, the programme sketches out a plan aimed at developing a society of knowledge and communication, consolidating the industrial base in Europe, reducing CO2 emissions and remodelling the structure of European governance (EUROPE 9873/9871).
Referring to the European elections, Othmar Karas (EPP-ED, Austria) sounded a note of warning, saying: “Citizens will only vote if they know their vote will have an impact. We must work together to show that to citizens”. Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (ALDE, Germany), who welcomed the “policies and spirit of the Programme for Europe”, exclaimed: “If this was a party manifesto, I would join that party right away!” He highlighted the importance of such initiatives if “the vicious cycle of lack of public awareness and insufficient media coverage” is to be broken. Monica Frassoni (Greens/EFA, Italy) stressed the importance of the “political offer” in attracting European voters' attention. “In order to get people interested and involved, European political parties need to show them that they have a range of options to choose from”, she said. Adrian Severin (PES, Romania) also deplored the citizens' lack of interest for European politics. “We still have to explain Europe to its citizens. Our failure to do so before now was partly for fear of communicating the EU at the expense of national governments”.
George Dassis (Workers, Greece) said citizens should be informed so that they would turn out for the vote. Henri Malosse (Employers, France) was adamant about the need to “recreate a Europe of citizens and not a Europe of bureaucracies”. And Staffan Nilsson (Various Interests, Sweden) asserted, on the subject of informing citizens: “We need to keep going down that road and our 'Programme for Europe' points the way for us”. (G.B./transl.jl)