Programme

Transitions towards a digital, green, just and competitive Europe: the role of social and civil dialogue

9.00 Welcome - Arrival and registration of participants

9.20-9.45 Welcoming remarks by:

  • High-level ministerial representative from Belgium - Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Deputy Prime-Minister, Minister of the Economy and Labour: video message (tbc)
  • Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Benoît Bayenet, President of the Central Council of the Economy (CCE)
  • Rudi Delarue, President of the National Labour Council (CNT)

9.45-12.30 Session 1: round table: the challenges for social and civil dialogue: demography, the green transition, digitalisation and competitiveness

  • Colin Scicluna, European Commission, Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica - demographic change in the EU and its repercussions on democracy
  • Ricardo Rodríguez Contreras, Research manager, Working life research unit - Eurofound EU Agency: digitalisation and working conditions
  • Mikkel Barslund, Lamartra Project representative - climate targets, low-carbon transition and employment policies

Questions/Answers - Debate

10.30-11.00 Coffee break

  • André Sapir, Professor at the Brussels Université libre (ULB), Senior Fellow of Bruegel, and Research Fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research - an economic perspective-potential growth
  • Konstantinos Diamantouros, Permanent delegate of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), EESC Group I Member: how to boost EU's competitiveness
  • Zoe Tzotze-Lanara, Head of the international relations department of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE), EESC Group II Member - the European care strategy (SOC/741)
  • Katrīna Leitāne, Representative of the National Youth Council of Latvia and EESC Youth Group President, EESC Group III member - the youth perspective 

Questions/Answers - Debate

Moderated by: Filip de Rycke

12.30-14.00 Buffet lunch

14.00-15.00  Session 2: round table: Engagement of political and social actors

  • Jörg Tagger, Head of Unit DG Employment, social affairs and inclusion - Unit C3 Social Dialogue - the importance of collective bargaining and the European Commission's support to enhance it  
  • Johan Bortier, Vice-President of CCE: Horizon 2030-2050
  • Miranda Ulens, Vice-President of CNT - General Secretary FGTB-ABVV and chairman of the Flemish ABVV - Involvement of the social partners in social aspects of the transition
  • Maria Mateeva-Kazakova, Senior Consultant, Research Analysis and Strategy Institute: presentation of the main conclusions of the Study on NESCs

Questions/Answers - Debate

Moderated by Benoît Bayenet (CCE)

15.00-15.30 Coffee break

15.30-16.30  Session 3: round table: Modalities and ambitions displayed by social and civil dialogue

  • Thérèse de Liedekerke, Deputy Director General of Business Europe - social dialogue in the context of socio-economic governance
  • Claes-Mikael Ståhl,  Deputy General Secretary of European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) - what can we expect from tomorrow social dialogue
  • Valeria Ronzitti, Secretary-general of SGI Europe 
  • Véronique Willems, Secretary general of SME United - Crafts and SME’s perspective in the face of new challenges
  • Brikena Xhomaqi, EESC Liaison Group co-chair - civil dialogue ambitions  

Questions/Answers - Debate

Moderated by Rudi Delarue (CNT)

16.30-16.40 Concluding remarks by:

  • Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)