Newsletter Liaison Group

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Liaison Group with European civil society organisations and networks January 2025

1. Editorial

2. News from the CSO Members of the Liaison Group

3. Past events

4. News from the EESC

5. Past events

6. EESC Plenary Session

7. Civil dialogue in the EU and European Citizens' Initiatives

8. Citizens' Engagement Platform

9. Link to our members' newsletters

Editorial

Dear colleagues, members and friends of the Liaison Group,

As we turn the page to 2025, the EESC Liaison Group (LG) is eager to continue its essential role as a bridge between civil society and European institutions. The year ahead presents a significant opportunity to advance our shared priorities, following a period marked by global elections and conflicts. We are ready to collaborate with a new college of Commissioners and a newly elected European Parliament in an EU that is evolving and in an increasingly difficult global context.

In 2024, we tackled significant challenges such as widening socio-economic divides and advancing the transition to a green and digital Europe. We also celebrated two decades of dialogue and growth. Our Liaison Group family expanded, welcoming five new European Civil Society Organisations (EPD, ESN, ILGA, YES Forum and CEPLIS) and five new EESC members (presidents of the Youth Group; Ad Hoc Group on Equality; Permanent Group on Disability Rights; Permanent Group on Immigration and Integration; and Permanent Group on the Inclusion of the Roma). To all new members, we extend a warm welcome and our heartfelt congratulations on joining this vibrant community.

Looking ahead, 2025 is poised to be a year of deeper collaboration. One highlight will be the much-anticipated Civil Society Week (17-20 March), where Liaison Group members will organise six thematic panels on related topics, such as Reconnecting Polarised Societies through education and culture, Technology for the Common Good, A More Democratic and Sustainable Housing, Inclusive Just Transition and Green-Blue Growth, Supporting and Funding CSOs and a European Strategy for Civil Society. The Week will also feature the ECI Day and the EESC Civil Society Prize Award Ceremony. We count on you to join us! Registration opens on 10 February. (Full programme here).

Additionally, we will have two Dialogue Cycles on the Sustainable Development Goals and Capacity Building for Civil Society Organisations. Both are timely following the latest attacks on NGO funding and given that there are five years left of the Global agenda for sustainable development.

I look forward to kicking off the year by joining the EESC Bureau meeting in February to present the Liaison Group’s priorities for 2025 and to share ideas for the future, building on the momentum of our 20th-anniversary celebration in 2024.

We encourage you to stay active in the Liaison Group’s initiatives, share your insights and help us foster a Europe that thrives on partnership, inclusivity and innovation. We must remain united in solidarity, working with one another rather than against each other.

On behalf of the EESC Liaison Group, I wish you a prosperous, impactful and inspiring year ahead.

Brikena Xhomaqi
Co-chair of the Liaison Group

News from the CSO members of the Liaison Group

UIPI: Online workshop on Bridging perspectives: a dialogue between private providers and students on housing needs and expectations, on 27 January 2025

The UIPI is holding an online workshop on 27 January at 10:30 to address the pressing issues of improving the affordability, availability, and sustainability of housing, while fostering dialogue between students and landlords. Bridging perspectives: a dialogue between private providers and students on housing needs and expectations will focus on understanding the challenges and constraints faced by both tenants and landlords, alongside their needs and expectations. By bringing together key stakeholders from the private student accommodation sector and students themselves, the discussion aims to identify common priorities and challenges, and create collaboration strategies to tackle these challenges, while enhancing trust and communication between the parties involved, through the implementation of the principles of the New European Bauhaus. Read more here.

Image © UIPI

COFACE: EU Policy Webinar on the implementation of the European Care Strategy, 4 February 2025

Join COFACE and partners in a discussion on the European Care Strategy on 4 February from 9:30-12:00 CET. This EU policy webinar will bring together speakers from academia, EU institutions and committees, and participants from different fields and backgrounds to discuss tools for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the European Care Strategy. They will focus on reforms both in early childhood education and care and long-term care, and the impact of these sectors on family resilience. Programme and registrations here: EU Policy Webinar on the implementation of the European Care Strategy | COFACE Families Europe

Image © COFACE

IUT: Extended deadline announced for the European Responsible Housing Awards 2025! Deadline: 15 February 2025

The European Responsible Housing Awards 2025 will take place from 4-6 June 2025, in Dublin, during the International Social Housing Festival. This event showcases innovative and inclusive practices in social and affordable housing across Europe, inspiring others to follow. Submissions are now open until 15 February 2025 for projects that champion sustainability, community engagement, and housing innovation. Apply here!

Image © IUT, Housing Europe and Delphis

ECAS: Open call for proposals: Grant-making to ECAS members in the EU, deadline: 15 March 2025

Are you an ECAS member based in the EU? This opportunity is tailored for you! Submit your application now:

Lot 1: Focuses on tackling disinformation and strengthening CSOs’ resilience

Lot 2: Aims to ensure a digital transformation that leaves no one behind

For more information, visit our dedicated webpage: Call for proposals: Grant-making to ECAS members in the EU – 2025. Deadline: 15 March 2025.

Image © ECAS

YES Forum: European social cohesion in the digital era – youth and social workers' views, report

The report, based on insights from the “Social Cohesion in the Digital Era” event organised by the YES Forum, the EESC and BAG EJSA, highlights the perspectives of young participants, professionals and speakers on digitalisation and AI, emphasising equitable benefits for everyone in society. Read more here.

Image © YES Forum

YES Forum: Navigating the digital transition – Risks, opportunities and recommendations, policy paper

This policy paper explores the opportunities and risks of digital tools and AI in youth and social work, focusing on vulnerable young people. It highlights EU initiatives for a digital future and offers recommendations for policymakers, educators and social service providers to empower young people and professionals so they can navigate the digital landscape responsibly and effectively. Read more here.

Image © YES Forum

Philea releases first batch of 2024 update of legal and fiscal country profiles

Philea has published the first batch of countries as part of its 2024 update of its country profiles detailing the legal and fiscal environments for philanthropy across 40 countries in wider Europe. Read more here.

Philea issues statement of solidarity with Georgia’s civil society and people

Philea is deeply concerned about developments in Georgia and wishes to express its solidarity with Georgian civil society and philanthropy. Read more here.

Past events

Liaison Group’s 20th anniversary, 11 December 2024

On 11 December 2024, the 20th-anniversary celebration of the EESC’s Liaison Group brought together a unique blend of voices: founding members, who had witnessed the Group’s creation and early years, alongside the more recent ones who continue to carry its mission forward. Through entertaining anecdotes and inspiring visions for the future, the event retraced the Liaison Group’s remarkable journey, showcasing twenty years of championing participatory democracy and fostering meaningful civil dialogue.

Missed the celebration? No worries! Catch the whole wrap-up here, including the recording, the photo gallery, the wrap-up video and press releases to relive the highlights of this special occasion.

News from the EESC

High-level debate: NAT Section debate on the Agenda 2030 on sustainable development, 29 January 2025

This debate will focus on the critical role of sustainable food systems in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing Agenda 2030. The event is webstreamed with interpretation in EN, FR and DE. No registration required. Read more here.

High-level conference: Social justice in the digital era, 3 February 2025

This high-level conference is organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The event will focus on ensuring that artificial intelligence benefits the world of work and advances social justice. It will feature high-level speakers, including Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the ILO, Oliver Röpke, President of the EESC, Labour Ministers of EU countries and partner countries of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, representatives of EU and international institutions and of organized civil society. Read more here.

AI in the world of work: impacts on working conditions and jobs, Paris/France, 10 February 2025

This event is organised as a side-event to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit hosted by France on 10 - 11 February 2025. Its purpose is to enrich the Summit’s discussions by providing insights from organised civil society from France and the EU level and other esteemed speakers. Read more here.

Hybrid public hearing: Road to the Global Disability Summit: For a disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action, 18 February 2025

During the event, we will discuss with relevant stakeholders existing good practices as well as obstacles to guarantee the inclusion of disability rights in development cooperation and humanitarian action. Read more here.

How to address the loss of purchasing power and the risk of rising inequalities, exclusion and marginalization, 20 February 2025

Driven by the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis is weighing heavily on citizens' lives across the EU. Its impact is felt hardest by vulnerable groups, accentuating pre-existing inequalities. Read more here.

Your Europe, Your Say! 2025, 13-14 March 2025

The EESC will bring together nearly 100 young participants and 37 teachers from EU Member States, candidate countries and the UK for its annual Your Europe, Your Say! (YEYS) event. This year, YEYS will focus on the role of young people in collectively shaping a resilient future. It aims to equip them to engage in civic action and continue to contribute to participatory democracy activities in their communities and beyond. Read more here.

Past EESC events

Public hearing: Civil society's vision for a European Oceans Pact, 21 January 2024

The aim of the hearing was to gather input from civil society organisations and contribute to the development of a strategic and comprehensive approach to the ocean. Read more here.

Hybrid event: Defining sustainable prosperity in the EU: towards indicators responding to citizen aspirations, 16 January 2025

This Partnership event, organised by Pro(to)topia and the Club of Rome, explored how social, environmental, political, and other indicators can reshape policy and ensure that progress towards moving beyond growth and societal wellbeing reflects the aspirations of people and the planet. The event focused on people-centered indicators and citizen engagement, and held discussions on addressing inequality and long-term sustainability. Read more here.

Online debate: Towards a result-oriented cohesion policy. What is the role of the civil society?, 18 December 2024

The EESC organised this public debate to discuss how civil society partners can use a results-orientation approach in cohesion policy for the next programming period. Are the principles of multi-level governance and shared management contradictory or complementary to the results-focused cohesion policy? Read more here.

EESC Plenary Session, 22-23 January 2025

The plenary session in January took place in in-person form.

The following debates took place:

Debate about The EU’s Southern Neighbourhood, with Princess Rym Ali, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean and Eliane El Haber, youth representative for the opinion REX/583, advisor at the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4 Youth & Student Network and project officer at the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, linked to the adoption of the opinion REX/583 Youth involvement in social and civil dialogue in the Mediterranean region
Debate about Artificial intelligence at the workplace, with Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Katarzyna Nowakowska, Deputy Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy of Poland and Janine Berg, senior economist, International Labour Organization, linked to the opinion SOC/803 Pro-worker AI: levers for harnessing the potential and mitigating the risks of AI in connection with employment and labour market policies
Debate about Ensuring a sustainable and just transition through people-centred climate and biodiversity action with Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Biodiversity, Directorate-General of the Environment Department of the European Commission, Hans Bruyninckx, Professor of Environmental Governance, University of Antwerp and former Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, Friedrich Wulf, international biodiversity policy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, Anabella Rosemberg, senior advisor on just transition, Climate Action Network International (remotely), Pegah Moulana, Secretary-General of the Youth and Environment Europe, Dirk Bergrath, rapporteur of the opinion NAT/933 Towards a just transition legislative proposal and EU policy tools that enable a more social European Green Deal, adopted in December 2024, and Maurizio Reale, President of the EESC Sustainable Development Observatory

Amongst others the following resolution and opinions were adopted:

Evaluation of the European Commission’s annual reports on the rule of law in the European Union (SOC/797)
Pro-worker AI: levers for harnessing the potential and mitigating the risks of AI in connection with employment and labour market policies (SOC/803)
How to support social economy entities in line with State aid rules: thoughts following the suggestions in Enrico Letta’s report (INT/1071)
A competition policy at the heart of EU’s competitiveness (INT/1063)
Towards an EU maritime strategy: Navigating into the future through coordinated investment policies, legislative initiatives, social dialogue and involving civil society (TEN/832)
Euro area economic policy 2025 (ECO/656)
Developing Europe’s strategy for the Arctic, 2024-29, in dialogue with civil society (REX/592)
Youth involvement in social and civil dialogue in the Mediterranean region (REX/583)

The EESC opinions adopted can be consulted here.

Civil dialogue in the EU and European Citizens' Initiatives

#ECIDay2025: registration to open soon!

Already saved the date for the upcoming European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) Day in Brussels on 18 March 2025? Stay tuned – registration starts in early February! Consult the Civil Society Week / ECI Day webpage and follow us on social media for more information and updates.

Open for signature collection now

The initiatives on ‘Air-Quotas’ and ‘PsychedeliCare’ started their 1-year-long signature collection period on 16 December and 14 January respectively. While the former calls for a citizens' carbon quota mechanism to drive decarbonisation through consumer demand, starting with air transport, the latter aims to foster equitable, timely, affordable, safe and legal access to innovative psychedelic-assisted therapies. Find out more about all the citizens´ initiatives collecting signatures in the ECI registry website.

Image © BlackWhiteMouse Design / Shutterstock

Follow-up to ECI on ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’

As a follow-up to this successful ECI calling for action to end the international trade of loose shark fins, the European Commission has already taken several steps announced in its reply. In addition to the completed consultation on a potential trade ban and other policy measures for shark protection, 13 new tariff codes have been introduced this month to monitor the shark product trade more effectively. Find out more on the EU's shark protection and management page.

Image © ECI "Stop Finning – Stop the Trade"

Denmark: signing ECIs with eID now possible

Denmark has recently become the 19th EU Member State to integrate its national eID (('MitID') system for signing ECIs. Check the ECI registry website to see how you can support an ECI in your country.

Image © Buravleva stock / Shutterstock

Citizens' Engagement Platform

European Commission: "Have Your Say"

As part of its "Better Regulation" agenda, the Commission is consulting a broad range of organisations, and the general public, with such outreach tools as "Have Your Say". In actively collecting and analysing online feedback, the Commission ensures that EU initiatives are responsive and proportional to current challenges – such as the consultations on: