6European Economic and Social Committee

The newsletter of the Association of Former Members of the EESC

22016

Dear friends,

As you are aware, at the start of each plenary session the president of the Committee provides a brief report to his colleagues about the missions he has carried out on the Committee’s behalf. During my re-port at the October plenary session, I reflected upon something that I would also like to share with you.

Our Committee is in great demand throughout Europe when it comes to participating in all kinds of important events and meetings with leading figures at national and European level. I am pleased about this as it means that people are talking about us, but also because these events provide us with opportunities to showcase our role and our opinions.

Yet wherever I go these days, I hear people saying that «Europe is not doing well». In an official context I cannot respond as I might wish to; however, when addressing the members and former members of our Committee, I am free to express how I feel: I am «fed up», as it were, with hearing people say that «Europe is not doing well.» We know this already. What we need is not to keep making this observation but to ask ourselves the question that the Committee asks: «What can we do to help Europe do better?»

What is more, we need to avoid painting an even bleaker picture than is actually the case. There are still some things that are better now than they were as recently as 2010, never mind half a century ago. From the moment our countries began to suffer the consequences of the financial crisis imported from America, we were forced to realise that it was a case of «every man for himself». I am tempted to add «and the Devil take the hindmost». Despite this we have managed to make a certain amount of progress since then: we have moved on, at the level of heads of state and government – as well as deci-sion-makers more generally – from this unofficial principle of «every man for himself» to an approach that includes undeniable elements of solidarity.

As for our Committee, it has continued to fulfil its role as an advisory body representing organised civil society. However, in this regard I must note the growing success of a new approach: surveys and the internet, which are an attempt to set up a sort of «Athenian-style» democracy in the European Union and the Member States. There is a certain amount of confusion on the part of many people surrounding this concept, and I can speak more confidently about this because I am myself Greek: Athenian democracy was arguably perfect for male, free-born citizens of Athens. The rest were not given any say. As for direct democracy via the internet, its proponents omit to men-tion the fact that many people do not have the means, the desire, the necessary information or the time to exercise this right, however democratic it may be.

The Committee is not opposed either to surveys or to distance con-sultations, whether carried out via the internet or otherwise, but under no circumstances can these replace the collective voice of citizens exercising their right of association within the organisations and associations represented at the European Economic and Social Committee.

It is not a question of looking after one’s own interests – not long from now, I will myself be coming to visit the Committee from time to time as a former member. The point I am trying to make is that we need to defend a principle of collective expression that has enabled the whole of Europe to move forward and make progress.

That said, I also believe that the former members of our Committee are among those key European figures whose role could be vital if we are to succeed in highlighting and spreading the word across a range of contexts about the EU’s enormous achievements.

Georges Dassis, President of the EESC

Dear friends,

As our newsletter is a six-monthly review, its pur-pose is not to cover current events, despite its name. Nevertheless, important issues are always topical, rooted as they are in the long term. This enables us to take a more measured approach to their analysis, with the added benefit of hind-sight. I would therefore like to take advantage of

this editorial to address the three issues which have shaped the period: Brexit, migration and CETA.

On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom made the democratic decision to leave the EU. While we regret this decision, we have no choice but to accept it and deal with the consequences by developing appropriate solutions to this unprecedented situation. The decision, albeit a harmful one, represents a chance to redefine and revive a more integrated EU policy, until now held back by particularist nations, a notable example being the UK, and by permanent obstacles affecting policies designed to strengthen the EU as well as sensitive issues relating to economic and so-cial development. These permanent obstructions and diktats have stood in for real policy for so long and to such an extent that we should now feel entitled to ask ourselves what the purpose of the UK’s membership of the EU is.

We need only look to the past for proof: from the Messina conference in 1955, to the UK’s accession in 1973, and finally to Brexit, the country’s membership of the EU has been peppered with events which clearly demonstrate its constant readiness to stall or block any development which could contribute to the strengthening of the EU. Of course, the UK does not bear sole responsibility for the feeling of disillusionment which has gradually spread among Europe’s citizens. In holding back EU prerogatives, however, the UK has paved the way for all those who were and are in favour of a free interpretation and application of the Treaties.

We cannot help but regret this decision, which will pit us against each other on a great many issues and distance us from many friends who were truly committed to the European project. That said, we will not be estranged from our colleagues at the Former Members Association, who are and always will be our friends, for as long as the association continues to meet, build bridges, stay in contact, and benefit from the experience and expertise of each of its members.

The path to Brexit will be arduous, and the UK will likely attempt to ob-tain an agreement in which it will retain the same prerogatives as before and thus be both in and out of the EU, enjoying the advantages of the

Message from the President of the EESC

Editorial by the AFM President

THE NEWSLETTER of the Association of Former Members of the EESC2

Dear AFM members,

At the Bureau meeting of 20 September I had the pleasure of pre-senting the 2016 annual report on the Committee Secretariat’s hu-man resources. I would like to take the opportunity to talk about this here because the staff policy is intrinsically linked to the Committee’s political endeavours to adapt to the current challenges of the EU and thus demonstrate its role as the voice of civil society in interinstitu-tional dialogue and in building a Europe that is close to its citizens.

Recent years have been marked by the need to do more with less resources, following the budgetary authority’s request to cut 5% of posts in the period 2013-2017. In terms of staff policy this has, of course, led to a redefinition of the institution’s requirements, taking into account the complex political challenges facing Europe.

A passage from the introduction to the annual report seems to me particularly relevant to the activity of the Association of Former Mem-bers: “Our institution is facing the challenges of an ever-changing and sometimes uncertain environment, which is incompatible with a fixed organisation chart. For this reason, I have encouraged from the begin-ning of my mandate the use of cross-disciplinary project teams and task forces. They have been successful in taking a practical approach to swift-ly tackling objectives. ... I believe that cooperation is the key to tearing down silos and profiting from synergies, particularly in an environment of 0% growth.”

This same spirit of openness and mutual goodwill is also a feature of the cooperation between the Committee and the AFM. Your as-sociation now has around 240 members, who continue through this membership to display interest in the institutional role and the achievements of the Committee. That is a source of pride for all of us, both members and staff.

A very large number of former members, a third of whom have joined the AFM since the end of the EESC’s fourteenth term of office, con-tinue to hold positions in political and professional organisations after their time at the Committee has come to an end. That means that they can use their experience and understanding of the EESC’s role and operation to raise the profile of the institution and its goals. Cooperation between the EESC and the AFM is already extremely positive, but at several levels there is a willingness to explore the possibilities for greater involvement of the AFM in certain activities of the EESC. This is a political choice on which a discussion has already been launched, particularly among the Quaestors. The Secretariat is, of course, ready to act on the results of this discussion.

I look forward to keeping you informed of the work carried out and of the results of the review of the Committee’s working methods. In the meantime, let me thank you once again for your commitment and dedication to the Committee. Please accept my best wishes, and those of all the staff, for the approaching festive season.

Luis Planas, Secretary General of the EESC

IN THIS ISSUEBERLAYMONT & Co.:Interview with the Permanent Representative of Malta........6Discussion with Jean-Claude Juncker: Not enough union in the Union? .........................................................................................9

JDE INSIDER:New EU standardisation strategy ............................................. 12A new, bottom-up Europe .......................................................... 13Europe 2020: for an Inclusive Growth .................................... 14The Wood of Memories: Marcinelle beyond the tragedy ... 15The problems facing the EU and the role of the EESC ......... 18

FORUM AAM:José Maria Espuny Moyano on the EESC ................................ 19Brexit seen from Oxford .............................................................. 20JET: A visit to a possible future – stellar energy .................... 24

RAVENSTEIN MEMORIES:18 March 1982: the ESC delegation at the Elysee................. 28

single market without being subject to its restrictions and responsibili-ties. Whatever the case may be, we will have to seek out common path-ways based on clear principles, all in an entirely new context, without antagonising each other, but also without making any concessions.

We are not at war; rather, we are undergoing a kind of divorce. Despite uncertainties over the future, we will endeavour to find common ground and make an effort to foster collaboration in specific areas. That is un-less... Donald Trump bolsters the UK’s isolationist policy when he takes up the US presidency, which the White House may see as an opportunity to weaken us.

Our role as members of the Union is to turn the situation into a posi-tive, starting from the knowledge that we can approach our project via a series of concentric circles. The time has come to kickstart the euro zone with a view to consolidating the European project in the spirit of the founding fathers – Schuman, Monnet, Adenauer, De Gasperi, Spaak, Bech, Mansholt, among others – and Jacques Delors, who revived our project. We are duty-bound to rally together and gather our strength in order to survive and gain influence in this rapidly changing word.

Migration cannot be dismissed as speculation: it is here to stay and is already throwing up considerable challenges. The solutions we may or may not find will shape our future. Let us be rational and begin by analys-ing future events so as to start developing appropriate and humanitarian solutions to this critical situation, which is likely to deteriorate, bringing with it a great many harmful consequences for all those concerned. We

To be continued in page 4

Message from the Secretary General of the EESC

Editorial by the AFM President

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are now paying the price for our lack of for-ward-thinking and our failure to plan for chang-es which have been taking place for decades. We either failed to see or turned a blind eye to the consequences of globalisation, decolonisa-tion, the fall of the Berlin wall, and the religious and revolutionary insanity which has thrust mil-lions of human beings into chaos and poverty.

What can I say about the Member States that not only rejected Commission proposals for welcoming migrants in May 2015, but also took the decision to close their borders, having already taken coercive measures, leaving coun-tries such as Italy and Greece to face this critical situation alone. Even more shocking is the fact that these decisions were taken by countries which have benefited from European and in-ternational solidarity in the past, and still do so today. I am aware that my remarks are contro-versial and will provoke strong reactions, but I am willing to take responsibility for them.

The agreement with Turkey is both shocking and unacceptable, as it does not go beyond preventing refugees from crossing the border, a decision that exacerbates the notion that current developments lack any long-term agenda. It is a risk-averse move on the part of Europe, which gives the impression that we have abandoned our humanitarian mission. Un-less we commit more fully to Europe’s values, our image and credibility in the world will deteriorate. How can we expect to have any influence during the international negotiations to come?

Influence and standing cannot be measured by economic or military power alone; they are dependent on what we can contribute in terms of freedom, justice, social cohesion and solidarity. We are now witness-ing the reinvention of exclusionary identity politics, bolstered by the ex-ploitation of prejudice and fear, a fear which has become the most useful and effective political tool for extremists of all descriptions.

Against this background, we must be bold and fearless, stop dithering, call a spade a spade, and overcome our existential crisis. The question is: can we live together? The answer will determine our future. The Member States can survive the emergence of populist parties founding them-selves on exclusionary communities. The Union itself cannot. Europe owes it to itself to once again set the standard for all other continents, developing policies the primary concern of which is the wellbeing of the human race.

Amid this suffering, after seven years of fierce negotiations and resist-ance from one small Gallic village in Wallonia, the Member States are now readying themselves to ratify CETA. Even though CETA is likely to be implemented quickly, this is just the beginning of a process with an uncertain outcome.

The President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in whom we have every confidence, believes it to be a sound agreement. Let us put our trust in him. However, trust does not mean failing to ask questions or to request the clarifications that we need to alleviate our concerns, espe-cially because, as far as I am concerned, not one of these questions has received a satisfactory response.

My reservations are the result of the ‘secret’ nature of the negotiations and the fact that CETA’s primary focus appeared to be on lifting customs duties, as though this agreement did not have a much broader impact on economic, industrial and social policy. To make a judgement or formulate an opinion based on a serious analysis, we must have access to all the information we require. With this in mind, while keeping an open mind, we are therefore within our rights to ask for clarifications and assurances with regard to the preservation of our values and to anything relating to freedoms, the economy and, more specifically, society.

This is especially true because, in the current climate, the agreement is by no means neutral or isolated; it forms part of a global negotiating process. We must consider the agreement in context if we are to fully un-derstand the issues at stake. Whether we like it or not, CETA foreshadows TAFTA, an agreement whose substance and opaque negotiations are a particular cause for concern. If we are not careful, should negotiations fail, CETA could become the Trojan Horse of American trade goals. Don-ald Trump’s self-interested policies are far from reassuring.

Another issue to consider, by no means the least important, is the EU’s negotiating power, bearing in mind that Canada is a state and the EU a collection of states, whose specific interests leave very little leeway for identifying common and converging positions. Given the readiness of some Member States to interpret agreements, and even treaties, accord-ing to their national interests, we certainly have reason to be worried...

Unless, that is, we seize the opportunity created by this agreement and future agreements to raise awareness of the pressing need to come to-gether as one within a more integrated Europe, so as to succeed at last in developing common policies and instil hope for the future once more.

Roger Briesch, President of the AFM

THE NEWSLETTER of the Association of Former Members of the EESC

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THE MALTESE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

During its presidency of the European Council, Malta will be putting se-curity and the fight against terrorism high on its agenda and, in this context, will be doing its utmost to boost the Euromed Process.

Education, energy, poverty and social inclusion are also elements which will form part of the agenda during the Maltese presidency. In par-ticular, it will be focusing on the kind of education that leads to high-qual-ity and decent jobs as a tool to fight precarious employment and poverty.

Another important element of the presidency programme is Single Mar-ket legislation, including the Digital Single Market, the energy union and the capital markets union. Beyond this, the exploratory opinions re-quested of the EESC by the presidency will deal with nautical and maritime tourism diversification strategies, with a strong accent on sustainability, and the inclusive territory issue of islands in the EU.

In line with its priorities, the Maltese presidency has focused its request for the EESC exploratory opinions on the following subjects:

• Innovative strategies for the development of a more competitive en-vironment in Europe with a particular focus on the Mediterranean Re-gion: Nautical and maritime tourism diversification strategies;

• Upscaling skills of people in the labour market;• High quality education for all;• Islands in the EU: from structural handicap to inclusive territory.

Malta’s priorities will be presented by the Parliamentary Secretary for Euro-pean Affairs, Dr Ian Borg, at the EESC plenary on 25 January 2017.

Janine Borg (INT)

QUICK FACT SHEET:

• This will be Malta’s first-ever presidency of the Council of the EU

• Dates: 1 January 2017 – 30 June 2017

• Previous EU presidency: Slovakia (1 July 2016 – 31 December 2016)

• Subsequent EU presidency: Estonia (1 July 2017 – 31 December 2017)

• Maltese government plenipotentiary: Marlene Bonnici, Permanent Representative of Malta to the EU.

The Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU: Aims and objectives

BERLAYMONT & CO

PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION

PARL. DIMENSION

PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION

THE MALTESE PRESIDENCY IN THE EESC

22 February 2017 Opening of Exhibition – Textures of memory by Joseph P Smith

21 March 2017 European Consumer Day (Malta)

23-24 March 2017 Group III meeting in Malta

11-12 May 2017 Group II meeting in Malta

11-12 May 2017 Group I meeting in Malta

31 May 2017 Maltese evening and opening of exhibition – Regnum by Kris Micallef

8–9 June 2017 Annual meeting of presidents and secretaries-general of EU ESC and the EESC

5 July 2017 EESC plenary: presentation of the results of the Maltese presidency

BERLAYMONT & CO

«OUR CITIZENS DESERVE MORE» Interview with Ambassador Marlene Bonnici, Permanent Representative of Malta to the EU

Malta takes up the presidency of the EU Coun-cil at a particularly difficult time for Europe and its citizens. This is reflected in the priori-ties chosen by the Maltese government for its six-month tenure at the helm of the Council. Could you tell us more about the main strands of your future actions?

It is clear that many of the challenges facing the EU relate to disillusionment amongst citizens with the European project. This is partly because many take the freedoms and benefits of the EU for granted, but also because there is a percep-tion amongst citizens that the EU has moved away from the issues which impact their day-to-day lives. The political focus in Brussels is often on macro issues which citizens cannot relate to or, at the other extreme, which citizens perceive to be too intrusive and therefore should not even be within the EU’s competence.

Malta’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU will strive to make its work more relevant to citizens. This approach has a two-pronged chal-lenge. The first is to seek to focus on legislation and policies which peo-ple deem important, and in this respect we are very-much on the same wavelength as the European Commission. Our focus will be on areas where people are expecting action at an EU level, such as security and migration. At the same time, we will also try to make as much progress as possible in those areas which bring direct benefits to and/or address concerns of European citizens and businesses, such as the Single Market, including the Capital Markets Union, the Digital Single Market and various initiatives on internal security. Amongst examples of specific files is the proposal on rules governing the upcoming elimination of mobile roaming fees within the EU, the proposal concerning the elimination of geo-blocking within the EU, as well as a proposal to improve border control by electronically registering the entry and exit of non-EU nationals in the Schengen area.

The EESC is an indispensable actor within the EU’s architecture as it acts as a bridge between civil society and the legislative institutions.

The second challenge is to draw citizens closer to the debates taking place in Brussels. Certain highly politicised files are inevitably distant from peo-ple’s everyday concerns. One cannot be surprised that many citizens have little interest in files such as the Review of the Capital Requirements Direc-tive and Regulation or trade defence mechanisms. However, these propos-als ultimately do impact their lives in a very real manner. Here, the Maltese presidency is committed to communicating the ways in which even these more technical files are important for citizens – how they have tangible effects on their lives.

In this respect, what potential role do you see for the EESC, as the EU institution representing organised civil society? How, in your view, can the EESC contribute to your efforts?

The EESC is an indispensable actor within the EU’s architecture as it acts as a bridge between civil society and the legislative institutions. As a primary representative of the concerns and ambitions of a range of socio-economic interests in the EU, the EESC’s important role cannot be underestimated. The Maltese presidency is well aware of this and understands the role the EESC can play in reconnecting the EU with its citizens.

I am very happy that we have worked in close collaboration with the EESC in the lead-up to our presidency over the past months. In understanding the importance of the perspectives represented by the Committee, we have submitted a request for several exploratory opinions, all on impor-tant themes which are priorities for our presidency in bridging the gap be-tween the EU and citizens. Furthermore, we are looking forward to several meetings that will take place in Malta over our term.

6 THE NEWSLETTER of the Association of Former Members of the EESC

BERLAYMONT & CO

The problems which Europe is currently facing are complex and will take time to work through. Nevertheless, what results would you like to achieve in order to consider your presidency a success?

While the specific legislative expectations will be set out in our Presidency Programme, which will be circulated in the coming weeks, the underlying goal is to have results which prioritise quality over quantity.

For Malta, a successful presidency will be one where the results of the EU’s legislative procedures – both within Council and following trialogues – are ambitious and relevant. We do not want useless watered-down legislation simply so that we can tick-off a checklist of «completed» files. Our citizens deserve more.

In addition to the legislative strand, there is also the ongoing political de-bate on the future of the European project. The success of this debate is of utmost importance if we are to recalibrate the EU. The recent Bratislava Summit was a starting point in this process, and we will be doing our part in building on the momentum during the Malta summit on 3 February 2017. The 60th anniversary event in Rome in March 2017 will then be an opportunity to re-launch the European project. In this context, if the EU has a clearer vision as to the future direction of the European project by the end of our presidency, I would consider it a valuable success.

As one of the three European countries which are part of the Common-wealth, Malta naturally enjoys special relations with the United King-dom. Could we ask for a comment on the outcome and possible after-math of the British referendum of 23 June?

Malta indeed has a very good relationship with the United Kingdom, for both historic and cultural reasons. We are also a country with a strong pro-EU perspective, and we are committed to our EU partners, our European values and the European project in general.

While we want a fair agreement with the United Kingdom, and while Malta will certainly retain its friendly and close relations with London, there is broad agreement at this stage that any resulting relationship will need to be less beneficial than EU membership.

Domenico Cosmai (GRE) Janine Borg (INT) and Lucas Morgenstern contributed to this article

LARGEST CITY

Birkirkara

HIGHEST POINT

Ta' Dmejrek (253 m)

316 km2

TIME ZONE

UTC +1

CAPITAL

Valetta

Euro

CURRENCY

445.426

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

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BERLAYMONT & CO

MALTA: MY COUNTRY, MY PASSION... Two Maltese colleagues advise us

• Swimming at one of the beautiful beaches and valleys such as Għajn Tuffieħa or Wied iż-Żurrieq.

• Walking along the Sanap cliffs in Gozo, from Munxar to Xlendi.• Some good food, such as rabbit, fresh fish, «ħobża biż-żejt

bil-ġbejniet» (bread dipped in olive oil with small round chees-es), «pastizzi» (savoury pastries) and «ftira Għawdxija» (pizza from Gozo).

• A trip to Gozo, visiting the Citadel, the «Azure Window» at Dwe-jra, Xlendi and the Xwejni salt pans.

• Going to a village feast with family and friends and enjoying a fireworks display.

Alex Abdilla (Dir A)

• Visiting the city of Valletta when the city is still asleep. to discov-er the steps opposite the Mediterranean Conference Centre that lead to the coastline.

• Malta during April and May. A walk past fields burgeoning with life, past the age-old Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Neolithic temples, the Blue Grotto, and the sight of the island of Filfla.

• Swimming in Mġiebaħ Bay in the north of Malta. The island of Comino holds a special place in my heart. I recommend a day trip in Spring, away from the Summer crowds. I would suggest no music accompany you...

• Oh! The food... Crusty bread, dense olive oil, obscenely ripe to-matoes, fish and shellfish, peppered cheeselets, date fritters... I crave dead men’s bones or the «għadam tal-mejtin» in Maltese!

Bla Isem (Joint Services)

1. Kemmunet | 2. Sanap cliffs | 3. St. Mary Magdalen Chapel, Dingli | 4.Wied iż-Żurrieq

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THE NEWSLETTER of the Association of Former Members of the EESC

Juncker stressed that those who did not participate in the allocation of refugees should do more to help secure the external borders. He pointed out that the Commission had already issued proposals on improving se-curity on 15 December 2015, but that the Parliament and the Council had taken seven months to reach an agreement on this. Moreover, the Com-mission had proposed a system for protecting the external borders as early as 2007. However, this had been rejected on the grounds that it had exceeded its competences in this area. Now everyone was demanding better protection of the external borders and the system for improving border security was being put in place nine years late.

The Commission intended to set up its own investment plan in view of the large number of refugees coming from Africa. However, this would also require the involvement of the Member States, which was far from guaranteed. If they agreed, EUR 88 billion was due to be invested in Af-rica, on the basis that «if Europe doesn’t invest in Africa, Africa will come to Europe».

Whilst statements from the other participants showed that there was a consensus on the need for immediate measures to maintain the Un-ion, the diverging standpoints and priorities quickly became apparent. Whilst the employers’ representatives wanted to see the closest possible economic links with the United Kingdom post-Brexit, and emphasised that it was businesses, not the state, that created jobs, the employees’ representatives focused on the need for higher wages across the board and on the social pillar of the Union. On the other hand, the employers noted that Europe already had the most highly developed social security systems in the world. Markus Beyer was particularly critical of the lack of investment in the digital single market. The employers in particular also pointed out that Europe needed more entrepreneurship and more private and public investment.

When faced with major problems you should consult someone with experience and a sympathetic ear. This applies not only to everyday life but also to high-level politics. Given that the European Union is currently facing its greatest challenges since its estab-lishment, the president of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, at the 519th EESC ple-nary session, held a discussion with Markus Beyrer, secretary-general of BusinessEurope, Luca Visentini, secretary-general of the Eu-ropean Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Conny Reuter, vice-president of SOLIDAR and the presidents of the groups and other members.

Juncker began his speech by stating that, despite the lack of unity in Europe, it was im-portant not to forget the successes of recent years.

He pointed out that since 2013 8 million jobs had been created and that the employment rate in the European Union currently stood at exactly the same level as in the United States, although the rate 5 years ago had been 5% below that of the USA. The financial situation in the Union had also improved. Here Juncker stressed that he had not turned the Stabili-ty Pact into a Flexibility Pact. However, the current interpretation meant that it was possible to respond better to macro-economic and cyclical changes. He went on to add that in 2009 the average budget deficit in the EU had been 6.3% but that an average of 1.9% had since been reached, which testified to the consolidation of public finances in the Union.

As the rate of investment was still 15% below the pre-crisis level of 2007, the European Fund for Strategic Investments had been set up. With total resources of EUR 21 billion and a multiplication factor of 1:15, the fund was intended to mobilise a total of EUR 315 billion over two years. This was set to increase to as much as EUR 500 billion by 2020. The plan was working.

One project in this connection was to develop a digital economy and a digital single market. While there were doubts about the feasibility of the 5G for Europe Action Plan, Juncker pointed out that the project had the potential to create 1.3 million jobs. In addition, if universal free Wi-Fi for all EU citizens were to be in place by 2025, this would mean an additional 2 million jobs.

Juncker devoted a large part of his speech to refugees. He commended Greece and Italy for their rescue efforts in the Mediterranean, stressing in particular Italy’s commitment to providing those rescued with food and shelter. However, the Commission president criticised the countries that had refused to take in Muslim refugees on the grounds that they were «Catholic» countries, stating that refugees were first and foremost people and that religion was only a secondary factor.

BERLAYMONT & CO

NOT ENOUGH UNION IN THE UNION? discussion with Jean-Claude Juncker at the 519th EESC plenary session

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Finally, Jean-Claude Juncker took the floor once again, arguing strongly in favour of free trade and stating that every billion euros in trade con-ducted under negotiated trade agreements ultimately meant 6 000 new jobs. Moreover, agreements of this type had already been concluded with 140 states. This was also important for the future of the continent as it was the smallest continent in the world and would have only 4% of the global population by the end of the century. While Europe’s share of global GDP was currently 25%, in the future it would only be about 15%. Free trade was therefore also important in order to maintain our standard of living.

Furthermore, Europe had to be a partner that others could rely on, he said. This applied, for example, to trade agreements, but also to climate agreements. If Europe did not sign negotiated agreements, it would lose credibility and expose itself to ridicule, which would have a serious im-pact on its ability to act on the international stage.

It is up to the individual to decide whether or not to act on advice re-ceived. The discussion with Jean-Claude Juncker was enlightening, but it is up to him to decide which pieces of advice will form part of the solu-tion to the present problems.

Lucas Morgenstern (GRE)

Everyone is now talking about Brexit, and not all that long ago people were worrying that Greece might leave the EMU. And yet

there has already been an exit from the EU. Back in 1985 Green-land left the then European Economic Community (EEC). What hap-pened?

Greenland’s economy is mainly based on fishing. As a non-auton-omous territory of Denmark, the island joined the EEC in 1973 in the first enlargement. But the rules of the time allowed Greenland’s waters to be over-fished, leading to increasing rejection of EEC membership. When, in 1979, the Greenlanders won autonomous status within Denmark, a referendum on whether to remain in the EEC was the next step, and it took place in 1982. By a majority of 53% the Greenlanders voted to leave, which happened on 1 Feb-ruary 1985.

But despite Greenland’s exit, close links remained. Greenland be-came an associated overseas territory, and development and co-operation agreements were signed with the Union. The territory’s strategically important position during the Cold War was a factor in this.

To what extent can this be compared with the United Kingdom’s exit? At first sight, the parallels seem slight - mainly the fact that they are both islands. Economically they are poles apart: an island of 56 000 inhabitants that lives mainly from fishing is very different from an island with the sixth largest economy in the world and a population of 64 500 000. But, despite these differences, the figures are revealing. Greenland’s exit negotiations took three years and required more than 100 meetings with EEC representatives. Even if we accept that the negotiations with Greenland were not given the same priority as Brexit, it is safe to assume that the Brexit nego-tiations are likely to take considerably longer. The two-year period allowed is likely to be too short. Moreover, neither side can afford separation in the area of security policy, if their people are to be protected against internal and external threats. Here too, the links are too close for a separation. So, although the major differences mean that the “Grøxit” cannot be taken as a blueprint for Brexit, it does give some clues as to what we should expect of the negotia-tions.

Lucas Morgenstern (GRE)

Grøxit - the Greenland model for the United Kingdom

A year ago I said there was not enough union in Europe and not enough union in the Union.

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European cities often ring with the familiar sound of voices chanting texts displayed on banners and placards. They sometimes bear the slogan: «I have a vote, but I don’t have a voice». Even when unwritten, this slogan comes across as a political grievance.

Why do people feel they have no voice? A closer look at the political sys-tems of the countries of Europe might reveal that it is not that the voice has been lost, but that the channels for conveying it have been weakened. Those channels hark back to more leisurely eras that are out of step with the new global 5G pace.

Today’s world is dif-ferent: the econom-ic and political fabric has changed, but we are still left with the faded apparel of states that were once all-powerful. I do not say this with a feeling of nostalgia. My point is simply that the disjunct be-tween the need to address new, global challenges and the sluggishness of tra-ditional structures is creating intractable problems.

Three decades ago, Albert O. Hirschman, an American econo-mist, analysed the dilemmas we face in terms of two concepts: exit and voice. In his view when citizens have no exit route, they demand to be involved in shaping the space that they cannot leave – and where they are prevented yet again from speaking out, they will seek deliverance by heading for the exit.

The grievance remains the same: «I have a vote, but I don’t have a voice». How can we strengthen our democratic voice? Perhaps instead of trying to turn up the volume, it would be smarter to develop a new type of voice. And this new type of voice is in fact emerging today, the voice of those who, while acknowledging the impasse, do not give in to fatalism. Rath-er, they devise innovative policy instruments, call for transparency and accountability, and shift the emphasis from traditional political centres to social networks. Precisely because they do not only occupy the traditional political terrain, such voices are often described as «a-political».

DIALOGUES WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY While they may venture forth to take part in traditional democratic forums, the proponents of these new approaches choose to remain in the civil society sphere. It is not their intention to upstage democratic traditions with their open-source tools. Instead, these ideas fill the gap created by the continued prevalence of a single, monolithic democratic model; they enrich our political imagination; and they offer flexible solutions to global problems that cannot be addressed solely through the essential but often cumbersome procedures of traditional political institutions. We have wit-nessed how these «glocal» initiatives contribute to addressing the current problems in Europe, by tackling refugee flows, withstanding the economic

crisis and managing environmental chal-lenges, the most pressing issue facing the human race.

The EESC’s biggest contribution is the recognition and support it offers to these new ap-proaches, through formal dialogue with the voices of civil society, whilst the biggest contri-bution of the CSS is to quietly create an environment in which civil society can flourish. It is in this environment that the members of the liaison group,

representing European civil society, are stepping up their activities. Our next step will be to set up a Twitter account to present our work to a broad-er public, informing friends and sceptics alike about our activities and the benefits of participatory democracy. Stay tuned!

Nikolaos Vrantsis (REL)

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How can we strengthen our democratic voice?

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Towards the launch of a new EU standardisation strategyAt the October plenary session, Opinion INT/794 on a new vision for a 21st century technical standardisation policy was adopted – rapporteur, An-tonello Pezzini, – expert, Giannino Bernabei.

The role of technical standardisation is of paramount importance for the operation of the single market and for international com-

petitiveness. It is the ideal strategic tool for safeguarding the quality, performance, functionality and safety of goods and services, the inter-operability of networks and systems, high levels of business, worker, consumer and environmental protection, and greater innovation and social inclusion.

The Commission has proposed to develop this instrument with a new vision for an efficient European standardisation system (ESS) that can adapt to changing circumstances, support EU policy and bring benefits for businesses, consumers and workers within the single market strate-gy, which also includes a joint initiative on standardisation.

The Committee has always supported the key role of technical stan- dardisation in the functioning of the internal market and for interna-tional competitiveness, ensuring the quality of goods and services and high levels of protection and innovation.

The Committee firmly believes that this requires a high-quality, quick, effective, participatory process carried out on the basis of shared strat-egies that shorten the time scales involved.

The Commission initiated a comprehensive review of the system as early as June 2011, putting forward a «2011 standardisation» package which aimed to simplify and adapt the legal framework to reflect re-cent developments and future challenges for European standardisa-tion. This package was based on five strategic objectives: 1.) speed and timeliness; 2.) supporting the competitiveness of businesses on the internal market; 3) supporting EU legislation and policies; 4) inclusive-ness; 5) supporting the global competitiveness of businesses.

What went wrong, if, five years on, this exercise needs to be repeated?

The 2015 independent report published on 20 May 2016 identified sev-eral areas for improvement:

- further improvements must be made to speed up the production of standards;

- sluggish responses to specific needs, without using other regulatory instruments such as: ENs, hENs, CWA, TS;

- lack of alignment between ESO and Commission processes from the earliest stages in the process;

- gaps and obstacles to active stakeholder participation (SMEs, con-sumers, etc.);

- significant differences in the working methods of the different play-ers involved in the ESS (Commission, ESOs, NSBs);

- governance difficulties and a complex bureaucratic system with poor forward-planning capabilities;

- lack of transparency, access difficulties and lack of communication;- absence of an integrated information system and a single database;- weak synergies between the ESS and the pre- and co-legislative sys-

tems within the R&I framework programme;- poor dissemination of standards and assistance for weaker players to

apply them (SMEs, etc.);- lack of support for an education policy on technical standards;- discrepancies between rules on patents and technical standards;- a lack of systems for monitoring regulatory processes;- a lack of proactive, international strategies and policies;- insufficient development of partnerships with technological plat-

forms and of standardisation.

The Committee agrees that there is an urgent need to modernise the European standardisation system (ESS), something which has been un-der discussion for more than five years. There is also a need for a new, shared vision accompanied by tangible measures to address global standardisation challenges, still on a voluntary basis.

However, the Committee is concerned by the absence of:

- financing earmarked for activities to be carried out; - sturdy and innovative architecture for aligning priorities.

In its role as the «home of civil society», the EESC calls, in its opinion, for the transparency and inclusiveness of the ESS to be increased and for businesses, workers and consumers to play a proactive role in steer-ing, applying and disseminating standards and supporting a culture of standardisation.

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The EESC welcomes the launch of the Joint Initiative on Standardisa-tion (JIS) bringing together public and private ESS partners, but calls for it to become a joint public-private partnership initiative under Hori-zon 2020, alongside existing initiatives such as the European Metrolo-gy Research Programme (EPMIR).

The EESC also calls for a better governance system for coordinating action strategies alongside the current technical committee for stan- dardisation, enhanced interinstitutional dialogue, the launch of devel-opment activities and a genuine European culture of standardisation, from basic education to policymakers and negotiators of international agreements.

Finally, the EESC stresses that a truly innovative European standardisa-tion policy should, primarily, seek customer satisfaction among indi-viduals, businesses and workers and, by taking a balanced and flexible approach that reconciles standardisation and creativity, should achieve high levels of safety, quality and efficiency, as well as job creation and increased international competitiveness.

Giannino Bernabei (AFM)

A new, bottom-up EuropeECI DAY 2016

Give the European Citizens’ Initiative fresh impetus to counter the crisis of confidence which has hit the EU, strengthen-

ing active citizenship and participatory democracy. This was the message sent out by the EESC with the SC/043 Opinion on The European Citizens’ Initiative (review) - rapporteur Antonio Longo, Group III - which was adopted at the plenary session on 13 July 2016.

The opinion takes stock of the ECI four years on from its intro-duction under Regulation (EU) 211/2011. Commission data reveal that to date more than 6 million Europeans have signed an ECI. Of the 56 initiatives submitted, only 36 were registered by the Commission, of which only 3 collected over 1 million signatures (the number of signatories required for a legislative process to be launched). However, the Commission did not see fit to follow up on any of the successful initiatives.

Overall, the significant technical, legal and bureaucratic difficul-ties encountered by promoters and the limited legislative impact of successful initiatives have undermined the credibility of the ECI. This is illustrated by the dramatic decline in initiatives reg-istered (from 16 in 2012 to 5 in 2015) and statements of support (from over 5 million in 2012 to a few thousand in 2015).

This situation has given rise to a dispute in which the European in-stitutions have split into two opposing factions: on the one hand, the Commission and the Council, who want to keep the ECI in its current form, at most making small technical adjustments; and on the other, the European Parliament, the European Ombuds-man, the EESC and the CoR, who have called for a review of the di-rective to be launched to make it more user-friendly and effective, with due regard for the Commission’s right of legislative initiative.

Certainly, the point on which all the institutional players involved currently agree is that, despite achieving some positive results, the ECI is still far from reaching its full potential in terms of policy proposals and enabling Europeans to participate actively.

The EESC opinion was intended to contribute to the debate, de-veloping a set of technical and political proposals that involve of necessity a review of the current regulation. In particular, the opinion called for:

- citizens’ committees to be allowed to begin collecting state-ments of support on the date of their choice;

- legal recognition to be accorded to citizens’ committees so as to limit the criminal liability of organisers with regard to fraud and serious negligence;

- a bricks-and-mortar and online one-stop-shop to be set up where Europeans can obtain information and be steered through the process of presenting initiatives;

- the proposals to lower the minimum age for supporting and taking part in an ECI to be discussed, as requested by the Parlia-ment and the Committee of the Regions;

- the clear conflict of interest within the Commission to be re-solved by separating the roles of institutional mentor and judge. With this goal in mind, the EESC reiterated that it is willing to continue to support initiatives already under way and could be a natural candidate for the role of facilitator and institutional mentor;

- appropriate follow-up to be guaranteed for successful initia-tives: for the Commission to prepare a legislative proposal with-in 12 months of the end of the campaign or supply appropriate justification for the decision not to present a proposal.

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Europe 2020: Can Inclusive Growth Avoid a Lost Generation?

Europe has slowly emerged from the international economic and fiscal crisis of 2008 yet it remains clear that more time is needed

to comprehensively address the problem of youth unemployment. Launched against the backdrop of the fiscal crisis in 2010, the Europe 2020 Strategy set out to develop a more balanced and sustainable ap-proach for future policymaking - designed to address the social and economic disparities that have arisen as a result of the crisis. Europe 2020 has been a cornerstone in EU policymaking as, for the first time, social objectives formed key parts of a long-term growth strategy.

The strategy aims to ensure three types of growth areas for Europe; smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Europe 2020 objectives contain specific initiatives and flagship programmes designed to stra-tegically address problems such as unemployment and youth unem-ployment in particular. The Agenda for New Skills and Jobs formed part of the Inclusive Growth objectives aimed at tackling the unemploy-ment crisis.

Most worryingly, youth unemployment rates are generally double or more than double that of the general unemployment rates for all ages across the EU-28. According to the latest Eurostat figures there are 4.197 million unemployed young people in the EU-28. Rates of youth

As regards some problems which could be resolved without re-viewing the regulation, the EESC called for these to be tackled rapidly to make the instrument more effective and user friendly. In particular, the EESC proposed:

- making the registration process more transparent, with the adoption of clear and straightforward procedures, and enabling proposals declared inadmissible to be amended and presented again;

- harmonising the national standards laid down for the collection of data, limiting requests for personal identification documents and enabling all Europeans to sign the initiatives from their countries of residence;

- establishing the free on-line collection system (OCS) used to collect statements of support on a permanent basis, making it available to people with disabilities;

- providing the public with more information and raising aware-ness through greater commitment by the Commission to publi-cising the follow-up to successful initiatives;

- guaranteeing multilingualism and exploring new methods of linking up the online collection of signatures with social and digital media in order to reach out to an ever larger audience;

- in principle, enabling every EU citizen to organise an ECI by guaranteeing the option of covering a campaign’s unavoidable expenses for formally registered ECIs.

Lastly, the EESC proposed setting up an institutional forum on the participation of European citizens, to become a permanent plat-form for discussion and debate at the Committee along the lines of the European Migration Forum, building on European Citizens’ Initiative Day. The Committee could draft a specific, more detailed proposal on this subject, in particular, in a new own-initiative opinion.

At the heart of this EESC opinion lies the awareness that the crisis of confidence in the European institutions can be overcome if the EU becomes once again the model of peace, prosperity and free-dom that it was for many years for its citizens, who now increas-ingly often even reject that citizenship. Active citizenship in all its forms must be the starting point, and the ECI is without a doubt one of the highest, most innovative forms of active citizenship.

In recent years the EESC has made a substantial contribution to the ECI - each year organising European Citizens’ Initiative Day for the exchange of good practices and networking; setting up the ECI helpdesk, which provides services such as translation into the official languages of the EU of initiatives endorsed by the Commission; promoting campaigns and publishing information brochures; and inviting the promoters of the most successful initiatives to its plenary sessions and section meetings.

Antonio Polica (AFM)

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unemployment are currently the highest in Greece at 49 per cent, Spain at 46 per cent and Italy at 39 per cent, with these figures having de-creased over the last two years.

In response to the persisting problem of high levels of youth unem-ployment and risk of a lost generation the European Council proposed a Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) in February 2013. The policy frame-work for the YEI is constituted by the Youth Employment Package and in particular by the Recommendation on Establishing a Youth Guaran-tee adopted by the Council in April 2013.

The Youth Guarantee aims to ensure that all young people under 25 receive a concrete job offer within four months of completing formal education or becoming unemployed. The good quality job offer refers to jobs, apprenticeships, traineeships or continued education. Finland has been a key success story in terms of developing a highly successful and comprehensive Youth Guarantee Scheme. A Eurofound evaluation found that, in 2011, 83.5 per cent of young job seekers received a suc-cessful offer within 3 months of registering as unemployed.

The success of the Finnish scheme has largely been attributed to the creation of personalised plans for young people. The success of the Youth Guarantee has been successful in lowering the overall unemploy-ment rate in Finland. The transferable policy lesson appears to be the implementation of personalised pathways for unemployed persons, in such a way that incorporates individuals back into the labour market on the basis of their skills and interests as opposed to an over-emphasis on finding any job.

The EESC is currently working on an opinion on the New Skills Agenda which is up for adoption in December 2016. Under the Maltese Pres-idency in January 2017, the EESC will be working on an exploratory opinion on High Quality Education for All. Both opinions will focus on assessing the current situation concerning the education and skills of young people across the EU-28. Ensuring the good quality education and skills for young people is an integral policy tool in determining fu-ture labour market opportunities. Moreover, successful outcomes from the inclusive growth objectives will aid the achievement of Europe 2020 goals in achieving a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for Europe.

Tara Gallagher (SOC)

On 8 August 1956, 262 miners lost their lives

after a fire broke out in a coal mine in Marcinelle. Although the tragedy oc-curred in Belgium, the incident took on an inter-national dimension when it became known that the victims were from twelve different countries: Italy, Belgium, Poland, Greece, Germany, France, Algeria, Hungary, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine.

Between 21 September and 14 October, the EESC was proud to host a photo-graphic exhibition by Max Pelagatti which bears wit-

ness to the tragedy that took place sixty years ago in the small Bel-gian village. The exhibition launch was attended by Georges Dassis, EESC president, Vincenzo Grassi, Italian Ambassador to Belgium, Jean-Louis Delaet, director of the Bois du Cazier museum, and En-rica Boccione, the niece of Cesare di Berardino, one of the miners who died.

The young Italo-Japanese photographer drew inspiration from the stories and recollections of the women of Cesare di Berardino’s family to commemorate one of the deadliest industrial accidents in recent European history. The photos reveal the women’s side of the story. Although the women are generally overlooked when Marcinelle is remembered, they have been the principal channel through which the story has been handed down.

Previously, when the incident was commemorated, it was always presented as a tragedy, highlighting the death of the miners. How-ever, as became clear during the exhibition launch: “Cesare was first of all a father and a husband, and then a miner”. And that is why the photographer is seeking to show his human side, his family and aspects of his daily life rather than his tragic death.

The exhibition is made up of 24 snapshots and focuses on the hard, difficult life of a migrant. The photographs portray families fleeing poverty, looking for a more hopeful future for their loved ones. In this way, Max Pelagatti has also managed to link the incident with the present and empathise with the millions of people who are cur-rently living in similar conditions, far from their home country.

Nicolás Barra (VIP)

The Wood of Memories: Marcinelle beyond the tragedy

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The bees are back at the EESC!

On 12 September 2016, and after a few years of absence, the EESC has once again welcomed some VIP guests (Very Important Pollinators).

Two beehives have been installed on the 7th floor of the JDE building. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the possibilities of urban beehives, and more globally, the vital importance to our planet of bees and pollina-tors and the need to halt their dramatic decline in recent years. In addition, any honey produced next year will be used for tastings by staff and visitors as well as gifts whenever possible.

The aim of the Committee’s project is to support urban biodiversity while raising awareness about the global importance of pollinators for our envi-ronment and food security.

Bee populations are declining globally at a dramatic rate, and over the last 30 years we have lost about half of all European wild bee species. As bees pollinate about 80% of all plants on the earth, including almost all fruit and vegetables, their decline has direct implications for the planet’s eco-systems and for food security. The exact causes of bee decline are not fully understood, but most experts agree on a combination of factors including climate and temperature changes, pesticide use, the spread of diseases and large-scale landscape changes leading to the loss of habitats for feed-ing and nests.

Honeybee keeping has similarly declined in the last decades in Europe, and is nowadays maintained to a great degree by small-scale and amateur beekeepers. It is important to encourage and promote beekeeping in the countryside as well as in cities in order to boost dwindling bee populations, increase urban biodiversity and raise awareness about the importance and plight of bees.

Urban bee keeping is on the increase world-wide and is seen as a way to fight the disappearance of the bees. Paradoxically, urban bees seem to be doing as well or better compared to bees in the countryside today. They are healthier and even produce more honey, gathering pollen and nectar from flowering plants in city parks, gardens and balconies.

The EESC will cooperate over a four year period with BeeOdiversity Sprl, a company that develops projects aimed at preserving biodiversity and bees while in keeping with the societal entrepreneurship movement.

The two beehives will become the focus of awareness-raising activities with staff and guests after the bees’ return to public life next year, starting in the spring of 2017 during the Open Doors Day in May 2017.

Giulia Carcasci (NAT)

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In this section, CONNECT puts the spotlight on the trainees who help to produce the AFM newsletter as part of their traineeship at the EESC. This is an opportunity for them to tell us about their lives and ambitions as young Europeans. In this edition, we are pleased to present Lucas Morgenstern.

Name: Lucas MorgensternPlace of birth: Zwickau (Germany)Date of birth: 19 June 1989Status: Trainee (GRE)

To introduce myself briefly, I ought to go back to the beginning. I was a poor student at primary school and ended up going to a Re-

alschule (second tier in the three-tier German secondary school sys-tem). In Germany, a Realschule diploma does not entitle you to study at a university, and apprenticeships are also hard to come by nowadays. Over time, however, my grades steadily improved and my class teacher thought that I had what it took to do the Abitur, the German advanced school-leaving certificate. The school principal disagreed, believing that I would not be able to manage the Gymnasium (grammar school). But at the end of the final year I passed my Abitur with a better average than the majority of my classmates.

Before starting university I had to carry out a period of community service as a substitute for military service, which at that time was still compulsory. Although I did not like it initially, this was an instructive period for me. I worked as a caretaker at the town hall in Olbernhau, Saxony, where I had the job of cleaning the entrance hall every morn-ing. Some of the town officials were rather condescending to me, as I was «only» the caretaker. Since then, I have tried to show particular respect for people one might have a tendency to overlook. This period also gave me a sense of perspective about work, teaching me humility and making me grateful for the opportunities that I have had.

Joking apart, in some ways my enthusiasm for the EU comes from watching Star Trek. The United Federation of Planets is a symbol of pro-gress, where former enemies are reconciled, people are empowered and human rights are regarded as the ultimate good. At the age of 7, I was already a «Trekkie», and on first hearing about the EU at school I found the idea exciting, due to its similarities to the Federation.

I became increasingly interested in the EU and day-to-day politics; my father – a pastor in the Lutheran church of Saxony – said that a Chris-tian should always watch the news in order to know what to pray for.

At the beginning of the refugee crisis I had just completed my practical legal training in Saxony. Being interested in immigration and asylum law, I went to work for a lawyer specialising in the field. We represent-ed people with moving stories, and I came to believe strongly that the right to asylum should be as broad as possible. I supported this cause at demonstrations and by participating in various groups that help ref-ugees. I learned that democracy and human rights must be defended.

At the end of my legal training I wanted to gain more experience of Eu-ropean law, and so I applied for this traineeship. I am therefore delight-ed to have been accepted and I hope that you will enjoy this newsletter.

Warm regards,

Lucas Morgenstern (GRE)

I try to show particular respect for people one might have a tendency to overlook.

WE GIVE THE FLOOR TO... Lucas Morgenstern

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The European Economic and Social Committee, which was estab-lished by the Community’s founding treaties, is undoubtedly in-

volved in the problems currently hindering the integration of the EU’s Member States. Furthermore, the titles of two articles in the October issue of «EESC info» illustrate the deadlock at which the EU has arrived. In the editorial, Committee president Georges Dassis called for «More union in our Europe», echoing the statement by Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker at the Committee plenary session: «There is not enough union in this Europe».

What has blocked the push towards integration by means of common political institutions?

What has caused a Member State such as the United Kingdom, which is key to genuine European unity, to leave by voting for Brexit?

What is preventing the implementation of a common immigration pol-icy for the 27 Member States, which would ensure that they are all in a position to cope with this unprecedented phenomenon?

Why are we unable to adopt economic and monetary policies, for the euro zone and the EU as a whole, which can provide the jobs needed, particu-larly for young people?

The reasons are complex: this is not the proper place to tackle them fully, but we all know perfectly well that only appropriate and joint action will enable us to put the crisis behind us.

Specifically, the EESC is re-sponsible for understand-ing the current feelings of the civil society which we claim, rightly or wrongly, to represent. As members or former members of the Committee, representatives of long-established or more recent civil society organisations or networks, this responsibility falls to us. We must ask ourselves why we failed to grasp what was happening among European citizens. Once it was the responsibility of these associations and networks which are set up in every Member State to listen to pub-lic opinion: nowadays, these social bodies – like the political parties – are struggling to interpret what people want. The EESC has also been dragged into the bureaucratic chasm separating Europeans from Eu-rope’s political leaders.

It is true that the European and global geo-political situation has changed radically since the EESC was first set up.

The European Communities were established to secure peace and unity following the destruction of two world wars, and subsequent-ly developed into a vast market. This initial purpose has been partly forgotten by Europeans today who focus solely on economic integration and the single currency: 70 years have gone by since the first treaties were signed. As a result, the drive towards unity has been weakened by blows from the crisis which has shone a spotlight on the EU’s inability to kick start economic growth.

Every day, we realise that civil society has adopted increasingly varied consumption patterns - in terms of both primary consumption and consumption of the new goods of the postmodern age. The emer-

gence of an individualist culture, in which collective behaviour is largely driven by emotions, has changed people’s political stance. New political groupings are forming, and people are giving credence to the illusion that we can get around today’s complex situation by means of easy referenda: just vote yes or no and the problem is solved! People do not want to acknowledge that the dream in which mankind is at peace because of delib-erate actions and progress has failed.

So what can we do to enable an institution like the EESC to help over-come the complex situation in which the EU and civil society organi-sations have become bogged down? I believe that, first and foremost, a major body such as the EESC can contribute simply by listening to people. This may not seem like much, but we need to rekindle public confidence in the EU institutions and to step away from our grand or small institutional roles to sow the seeds of dialogue and debate with every single European.

Giovanni Mantovani (AFM)

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«I GAINED TOLERANCE FROM THE COMMITTEE» José Maria Espuny Moyano tells us of his experiences at the EESC

I arrived at the European Economic and Social Committee 19 years ago, appointed on the proposal of the Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation. When I arrived,

I didn’t know what the Committee was exactly, nor how I could contribute to it - or what I stood to gain from it. I was to find out that the Committee was an important and significant body. And I went on to become the rapporteur for 29 opinions, some better than others, some more significant than others, but all written and discussed with passion, the important point being to listen to and understand different per-spectives, and - above all - with the intention of contributing to building «our» EU.

So, what have I gained from the Committee?

Firstly: tolerance. We need tolerance to understand that we cannot build this Eu-ropean Union of ours by seeking to impose one view. We need to convince others, work together, and above all, be direct in the way we operate, looking each other in the eye and - as the saying goes in Italy – «putting ourselves in other people’s shoes». Secondly: humanity. We need humanity to understand that there are many tragedies in the world, that we live in a Europe that is privileged and that we must share everything we have with those who did not have the good fortune to be born in a continent that is wealthy and peaceful. And thirdly: commitment. I have made a personal commitment to a variety of humanitarian causes.

Let me mention just one of them: Foundation +34, the sole aim of which is to assist Spanish nationals who are in prison abroad. «+34» is the international telephone code for Spain and any Spanish person, regardless of their ideology, has to dial this number, whether from the most luxurious hotel or from the filthiest prison cell, in order to call home and find a little comfort in speaking with their family.

We are not asking for these people to be released without serving sentences com-mensurate with the crimes committed. But we do ask for them to serve their time in prisons with decent conditions that are as close as possible to their families. We would like to work towards a Foundation +32, +33 and +35 as well... in fact founda-tions with all the EU countries’ international codes, so that the prison conditions we have seen in countries such as Thailand, Peru and Morocco can serve as a warning to our fellow citizens not to be tempted by what appears to be «easy» money.

The Committee has, beyond any shadow of doubt, given me more than I have given it.

Note: Foundation +34 does not provide assistance to criminals convicted of terrorism, gender-based violence or violent crimes.

José Ma Espuny Moyano (AFM)

We need to convince others, work together, and above all, be direct in the way we operate, looking each other in the eye and - as the saying goes in Italy – «putting ourselves in other people’s shoes»

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BREXIT SEEN FROM OXFORD Our members Claudio Cappellini, Béatrice Ouin, Rudolph Schnieders and Dana Stechova, visited Oxford with the AFM. Here’s what they had to say

I very much enjoyed the trip to Oxford, meeting old friends and talking with other Europeans

in this very special forum. However, what struck me most during the four days we were there was just how strongly the majority of the people we spoke with felt about Brexit.

Before I arrived, I knew that many of my British friends and colleagues had been shocked to wake up on 24 June to find that they were no longer part of Europe. During those four days in Oxford, however, everything kept coming back to Brexit: it influenced how people felt, and al-most everyone was asking questions about the future. On the first day, we attended a confer-ence on research in Oxford, where there was considerable anxiety because the EU funded 25% of the research. Will Oxford University’s researchers be able to continue with 25% less funding?

Next we visited JET, the European precursor of ITER, which is working on nuclear fusion with a view to providing mankind with plentiful, clean energy. JET is a European project carried out on UK soil. How can the EU continue to fund a fa-cility which is no longer in the EU? This is what every researcher and employee working on this site is asking and worrying about. And they are not alone: people working in London for the European Banking Authority, the European Medicines Agency and many similar bodies are faced with the same questions and do not know whether they will still have a job next year.

The most moving point of our trip was unde-niably the meeting with the head of a compre-hensive school in Gloucester (a large state-run school for 11 to 15 year olds). He talked about the problems he was having recruiting science teachers since industry pays better than educa-tion. As a result, he could not find enough British teachers to fill the posts and many of his teachers were therefore European. He spoke in particular about one of his best members of staff, a Polish lady, who could barely sleep for worrying about whether she would still be there next year. His parting words were: «Brexit is a tragedy» – and that will be my lasting impression of our trip to the UK.

Béatrice Ouin (AFM)

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A n unforgettable experience, an excellent organisation, a glance into the rich English history, policy, art, the academic tradition, the efforts

to build up a modern school system and the beautiful landscape. Sorry that this member state will leave the EU. Many thanks to our friends Robert Mo-reland and Hugh Walker

Rudolph Schnieders (AFM)

I consider the visits to the local grammar and comprehensive schools very interesting. A more focused ‘bottom up’ approach to the UK educational

system was correct as well as the local assistance of our British colleagues.

The real perception of the European Union among children and teenagers we met was interesting: it was practically non existent as it is largely in our schools in Italy...

The JET tour showed us how important it is to invest in long term research and how big new energy settlements need an interactive permanent scru-tiny by the EU general public and scientific communities.

Claudio Cappellini (AFM)

M ost of the British people I have met, especially since my country joined the EU, were ones for whom this EU was worth belonging to and

helping to build together. So, when I was in Oxford, I was looking forward eagerly to the discussions on Brexit. And it was indeed one of the main talk-ing points. I was deeply struck by the disappointment and disillusionment of those we visited, who spoke of the projects, research and exchange pro-grammes that had prospered thanks to the EU. And it occurred to me then that the course of my life had been marked by two crucial moments. One was the joy of my country joining the EU in 2004 and the second the sad-ness of experiencing the UK’s anticipated departure. I can only hope that responsible solutions are found that benefit Europe and its citizens.

Dana Stechova (AFM)

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My thanks to Marilia Arezes and Sir Ivor Crewe, University College Oxford, and to Robert Moreland and Kenneth Walker.

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To all of you - Aslans, Digory Kirkes and Polly Plummers, Morses, Alic-es, Mad Hatters and Queens of Hearts, Frodo Baggins, Gandalfs and

Legolases, and even Muggles who understand Parseltongue!

High Street Oxford, 10 February 1355, St Scholastica’s Day, near the Carfax tower which looks down on the High Street. A fight breaks out between two students and a taverner... over a drink. It turns into a riot. Students and local residents are at each other’s throats. The street runs red with blood.High Street, Oxford, 17 September 2016, near the Carfax tower. Mod-ern, eccentric clothes replace hooded capes and hose. The guide, never at a loss for an explanation, suggests that we ex-plore the medieval city on foot. There are lots of car-free lanes robed in mystery. The sun dances across the rooftops and jew-el-like spires of Ox-ford with its square towers and pinnacles, populated by a whole community of Gothic figures attached to the top of the balus-trades and walls.

It all begins when wealthy intellectual and spiritual founders of the city throw themselves into an eternal investment plan to buy a place in heaven. Over the years they build all these bewitching colleges. Today, the University of Oxford operates as a federation. Thirty-eight centu-ries-old colleges and six permanent private halls run themselves, each with their own rules, but are attached to the central administration, headed by the chancellor, Lord Patten.

From time to time we encounter some of the 30 000 students spread across the city of Oxford, wearing gowns, a sign of distinction repre-senting an average mark of 80%, an ultra-selective entry examination, fees ranging between £10 000 and £15 000 and exclusive teaching based on a tutorial system. Moreover, university towns in the UK are renowned for their excellent pubs. Even more numerous than the li-braries, there are pubs for all tastes, such as the Head of the River on the banks of the River Thames.

The colleges are open to the public and can be visited - for example the prestigious Christ Church College. Thir-teen prime ministers were Christ Church graduates, and the architecture inspired a number of sets for the Harry Potter saga, including the Hog-warts dining hall. The diocese’s cathedral is also located there and is testimony to the British passion for music, with wonder-fully melodious sing-ing. For less classical ears, Radiohead, Ride and Supergrass were formed in Oxford.

Two days earlier ...The morning of 15 September, in the lecture room. Access is via the Shelley Memorial on the ground floor, and then... you have to follow someone who knows the way through this labyrinthine sixteenth-cen-tury building. Dr Glenn Swafford, Director of Research at the University of Oxford and representative of the League of European Research Uni-versities (LERU), gives us an overview of the role of research in many areas and certain useful advances such as eye implants in the area of medicine. He expresses concern for the future if funds from Horizon 2020 or other EU investments are no longer available.

16 September, morning, Podsmead. The atmosphere is formal. Pupils in navy blue blazers and their teachers are lined up in rows waiting for us. Nick Dyer, headmaster of the Crypt School, a traditional Catholic gram-mar school, runs the school on the basis of performance and selection, an approach which ensures success. The infrastructure and teaching equipment are new and the teaching is meticulous. Some pupils go on to the most prestigious universities, and all the others make it to their first choice.

Then we move on to Quedgeley to meet Richard Johnson, headmas-ter of the comprehensive Severn Vale School and mathematics teach-er. Despite our late arrival, Mr Johnson gives us a warm welcome to his non-selective secondary school, which has been recognised and commended for its encouragement, motivation and firm belief that all

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children can succeed, whatever their background and situation. He de-scribes the genuine devotion and pride of a cohesive team.

The two visits, each followed by a discussion with the school’s head-master, give us an overview of the different education systems, the chance to compare the breakfasts provided and, lastly, the impression that life is one long struggle to make ends meet.

Friday 16 September. Before us lies the Oxfordshire countryside with its small streams winding through meadows, bordered by a small copse on the horizon. There are cottages dotted here and there, and we sur-vey the valley from a bus, gasping with a mixture of fear and enter-tainment each time it sets off to the left round a roundabout. Here, the European flag keeps a low profile - a very low profile. Gloucester Cathedral to the north-west rises up majestic and silent. Edward II lies there, reaping the benefit of the spells from Hogwarts School of Witch-craft and Wizardry. In the Parliament Room next to the cathedral, we are welcomed by Neil Carmichael, Conservative Member of Parliament and Chair of the Education Select Committee, who outlines his role and that of the committee, the inquiries of which are intended to inform the public and maintain the motivation of the teaching profession.

Late afternoon. The austere, harsh landscape of Gloucester harbour. Restored buildings converted into museums and hipster shops line the waterways. Here and there, great barges anchored along the docks rock almost imperceptibly in the fresh breeze, obscuring the water.

Saturday 17 September. The huge verdant estate of Blenheim Palace is home to sculptures which both blend into the park and surprise the visitor in the garden. The immense, Palladian-style square building was the birthplace of Winston Churchill, a descendant of the Dukes of Marl-borough. The visit passes through a series of interconnecting rooms adorned with portraits, vases, sculptures, gilding and Flemish tapes-tries, followed by an exhibition commemorating Winston Churchill and his role as Prime Minister during the Second World War.

And lastly, with a bit of luck, you might come across a squirrel on the playing fields of Oxford, if a large white rabbit fails to appear to lead you in the footsteps of you know who...

Maria Cossu (GRE)

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«EMERITUS» MEMBERS OF THE EESC IN ENGLAND JET: A visit to a possible future – stellar energy

This year’s fascinating study visit took place in England, where the organis-ers Robert Moreland and Kenneth Walker – whom we would like to thank sincerely for their remarkable efforts and for the quality of the programme – arranged a visit to JET (the Joint European Torus) at the Culham Centre for nuclear fusion.

The group, led by our president, Roger Briesch – a former president of the EESC – and accompanied by the highly efficient, untiring and patient Elis-abeth Wolff ( the group’s leading light) and Maria Cossu, gelled immediate-ly, creating a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.

We were hosted by the prestigious and apparently oldest of the colleges at Oxford, University College, founded in the early 1200s (fact still disputed among the colleges) and given a simple, informal welcome by its director Sir Ivor Crewe. We were immediately thrown into the magical atmosphere at Oxford, with its vibrant history and air of learning. Young people from all over the world meet on its streets and its stern walls, overlooking one of the main streets in Oxford, seem a bit intimidating. Views over well-tend-ed gardens and flowers everywhere make for a nice, relaxed atmosphere indoors. Rooms reminiscent of the Harry Potter films, large dining rooms panelled with antique wood, paintings on the walls and priceless ancient books remind us that we are in one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

I had already visited the centre some years previously, during a trip organ-ised by the TEN section and I therefore had the opportunity to see what important steps forward had been achieved since then.

The JET programme, which has developed as part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) programme has been success-ful thanks to the Russian tokamak system (from the Russian words «to(roi-dalnaya) ka(mera)mak(kina)» meaning a machine – for nuclear fusion – with a ring-shaped chamber). This system has shown that it is better than others at generating temperatures that greatly exceed the temperature of the sun – which according to recent studies is around 16 million degrees – reaching around 150 million degrees.

ITER also involves an important international partnership between Russia,

the United States, China, Japan, India and South Korea and the project will generate energy for the first time towards the end of 2025 (500 MW per hour with an energy expenditure of 50 MW). The work at Cadarache, in the south of France, is progressing rapidly. Today the estimated cost is EUR 15 billion (the final cost is likely to be higher).

To give you an idea

Deuterium (D) can be extracted from sea water, which contains 35 grams per cubic metre. Tritium (T) is not found naturally in great quantities, but can be obtained from a light metal, lithium (Li), with the help of neutrons generated by the fusion reaction:

6Li + n => 4He + 3H + energyor from a similar reaction with lithium. The majority of land-based minerals contain lithium, and 1kg of tritium can be extracted from 2.3 kg of lithium. A fusion power plant that produces 1 GW of electricity (a similar amount to that produced by a nuclear fission power plant) would require 150 kg of T and 100 kg of D per year.

Fusion produces negligible amounts of low-concentration radio-active material that are easy to dispose of, and the estimated costs of construc-tion, management and, most importantly, disposal are more competitive

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in comparison with traditional nuclear plants. Nuclear fusion will provide a definitive answer to the problem of meeting our energy needs in the not too distant future.

The visit

After passing through the thorough security checks, the director of the centre and some of his colleagues were waiting for us at the entrance. Our group was split up according to language preference and we began our visit. A hot tea, coffee and some little pastries got us off to an excellent start.

The “emeritus” members (as I like to call the former members) were wel-comed into a conference room for an interesting and thorough explana-tion of the ongoing research, how the tokamak works and future plans. I was amazed to see the keen interest shown by all those present, who asked the extremely kind and patient speakers interesting and well-informed questions.

Next, we were given helmets as a protection against falling materials and we set off on our tour.

One of the most interesting points was a visit to the machine with mechan-ical arms that operates inside the «ring», at the heart of the machine. There was a large control room with an operator who worked the mechanical arms and three technicians who assisted and advised the operator. The machine looked like a mechanical dragon that moved with millimetre pre-cision in order to be able to operate in extremely sensitive environments and in very high temperatures.

The Culham Centre offers a taste of the future. The researchers, technicians and employees there are all aware of the importance of their work for the future of humanity and they go about their tasks with the utmost concen-tration. Although they are used to visitors groups, our presence was a dis-traction to them and we tried to limit the amount of disturbance we caused to the absolute minimum.

The visit came to a side-splitting end, with a group photo (page 21) by a photographer who was in the mood for joking.

Final thoughts

I was able to see the significant progress made over the years, as well as the enormous importance of the research carried out at Culham. In its opin-ions on the subject, the EESC has vigorously defended the need to invest in this essential project. In particular, our dear friend Gerd Wolff produced an excellent opinion that established, once and for all that the Union cannot abandon research and innovation, particularly in the field of energy.

It was a visit that we will remember for a long time and one that allowed to us to realise at first hand that we are on the threshold of reproducing solar energy on our wonderful planet, thanks to the work and commitment of our scientists. It is another example of the importance of the European Union and its joint research programmes.

Edgardo Iozia (AFM)

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Glasses for Africa

Michel De Grave, a former EESC member, has asked the association and all of its members to support a humanitarian operation helping Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in Africa, by sending over second-hand glasses. You can bring your glasses when we meet on 5 May 2017. A box will be set out at the entrance.

A highly organised NGO with a number of collection points in various Portuguese towns and Brussels is responsible for this initiative. It sends one or two loads a year to Bissau via Dakar, and will arrange transport from Brussels.

The NGO has set up an ophthalmologist’s surgery in Guinea-Bissau donated by a European doctor who will no longer be practising. Glasses will therefore be a logical and valuable resource.

The NGO receives aid from the EU, as well as from municipalities and private companies such as Intermarché, a bank and food businesses.

The aim of the operation is to collect good condition adults’ and children’s glasses (frames and lenses, including sunglasses but excluding contact lenses), if possible in a case and if not, at least in an envelope to prevent damage. People can of course ask their friends and colleagues to contrib-ute.

The NGO will transport the glasses from Brussels to Bissau via Lisbon.http://afectoscomletras.blogspot.be/

Michel de Grave (AFM)

ORGANISATION AND COORDINATION

You can bring any glasses to the AFM general assembly on 5 May 2017.

Michel De Grave, a former EESC member and vice-president of the Brussels Richelieu Club, who worked in a development cooperation minister’s cabinet, has volunteered to coordinate the project with the NGO and is in contact with the local Belgian consulate and with the high representa-tive of the WHO. His contact details are as follows:

belcanto.eu@skynet.be

tel.: 00 32 2 469 28 76 / 00 32 478 53 73 73

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INFO

The AFM will organise a study visit during the week of 26 September 2017. AFM members have been invited to submit a draft programme by email, with a view to organising the trip in their country. The destination will be announced at the end of December 2016.

AFM members are kindly requested to transfer their annual subscription fee of EUR 70 for 2016 if they have not already done so, and their fee of EUR 100 for 2017. We would like to remind members who are not up to date with payments that they will not be permitted to take part in statutory activities. Please specify which year your payment is for in your message.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE

AFM (Association of Former Members) account — ING bank IBAN BE02 3101 7336 3540 – BIC: BBRUBEBB. MESSAGE: annual subscription fee 2016 or 2017

2017 GENERAL ASSEMBLY AFM bureau electionsThe general assembly of the EESC’s Association of Former Members (AFM) will take place on 5 May 2017 in meeting room VM 3, Van Maerlant Building, rue van Maerlant 2, 1040 Brussels.

The AFM will hold its biennial election to elect the six members of its bureau at the general assembly.In accordance with Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure, members wishing to apply for the post of bureau member must be endorsed by at least one other member. The member endorsing the candidate must send the application to the secretariat by email (maria.cossu@eesc.europa.eu), with the candidate in copy. The member may wish to use the following wording: «I wish to endorse Mr/Ms X’s application for the post of AFM Bureau member». The deadline for sending applications is 31 December 2016.

STUDY VISIT 2017 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE ©

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RAVENSTEIN MEMORIES

Photo: ESC delegation to the Elysée on 18 March 1982. From left to right: Antoine Laval and Norman Miller, ESC Vice-chairmen, Roger Louet, ESC Secretary-general, French president François Mitterrand, and ESC president Tomas Roseingrave.

«The Chairman of the Economic and Social Committee, Mr Tomás Roseingrave met for an hour with the President of the French Republic, Mr François Mitterrand, in Paris on 18 March [1982]. Their talks centred on the future of the Community and particularly on the «European social zone».

On 19 March, Mr Roseingrave met the Prime Minister, Mr Pierre Mauroy, the Minister for Labour, Mr Jean Auroux, and the Minister in charge of European Affairs, Mr André Chandernagor, for talks on current issues in the European Community. Special attention was given to the initiatives suggested by the French Government in its memorandum of October 1981.

The Committee delegation stressed the useful role which the ESC could play in organizing a symposium on relaunching social policy, which could be held in the second half of this year. Both sides also agreed to devote special attention to unemployment among young people.

During his visit to Paris, Mr Roseingrave also talked with members of different socio-economic groups, and in particular with representa-tives of employers, the trade unions, farmers and consumers.

Mr Roseingrave was accompanied by the Committee’s two Vice-Chair-men, Mr Antoine Laval and Mr Norman Miller, and its Secretary-Gener-al, Mr. Roger Louet.»

Excerpt from the Bulletin of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities, No. 3-4, 1982, p. 30.

General Coordination: Domenico Cosmai

Editorial Team: Maria Cossu, Lucas Morgenstern

Layout: Patrícia Escobar

Contributors: Alex Abdilla, Nicolás Barra, Giannino Bernabei, Janine Borg, Roger Briesch, Claudio Cappellini, Giulia Carcasci, Domenico Cosmai, Maria Cossu, Georges Dassis, Michel de Grave, José Maria Espuny Moyano, Tara Gallagher, Edgardo Maria Iozia, Giovanni Mantovani, Lucas Morgenstern, Béatrice Ouin, Luis Planas, Antonio Polica, Rudolph Schnieders, Dana Stechova, Nikolaos Vrantsis

The cover is an original drawing by Stuart Shelley.

European Economic and Social Committee

Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99, 1040 Bruxelles/BrusselBELGIQUE/BELGIË

Published by: “Visits and Publications” Unit

www.eesc.europa.eu

© European Union, 2016Reproduction is authorised provided

the source is acknowledged.

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CONNECT is the newsletter of the Association of Former Members of the European Economic and Social Committee. The publication is also open to external contributions. The published articles reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily representative of the positions of the editorial board or the European Economic and Social Committee.