Programma voor de nieuwe EESC voorzitter tussen 2006 en 2008 (en)

Europe needs "Entrepreneurship with a human face"

The newly elected President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Mr. Dimitris Dimitriadis, presented yesterday, 13 December 2006, at the Committee's plenary session, his programme and the priorities of his presidency for the following two years. Mr. Dimitriadis placed "entrepreneurship with a human face" at the centre of his programme.

He underlined the need to encourage entrepreneurship at all levels of society and in all its forms in order to face the challenges that lie ahead of us: "Entrepreneurship in a broad sense, meaning the sense of initiative, regarding old and young, economic, scientific and civic activities. Speaking first of all about the economic sphere, entrepreneurship is the key to facing the challenges of globalisation".

Nonetheless, he stated that it is not an objective in itself but it must have a "human face" too, with the ultimate purpose being to preserve the European social model - an example to other parts of the world - and to make it capable of facing the threats resulting from global competition, but also demographic changes."

Lisbon Strategy as important instrument to face globalisation

Mr. Dimitriadis then drew particular attention to the renewed Lisbon Strategy, which he characterised as the most important instrument of the European Union to face globalisation, while at the same time he reaffirmed that under his presidency the Committee will contribute to its success and support all relevant initiatives of the EU. He also mentioned Sustainable Development and environmental protection as policy objectives closely linked to the renewed Lisbon agenda; in this context, he cited the example of the new Sustainable Development Observatory which the Committee has just established in response to a European Council mandate (see press release n° 119/2006).

In the field of external relations, Mr Dimitriadis acknowledged that the institutional role of the Committee is limited; nevertheless, he explained that "by the steady contacts with our partners outside the European Union we can be a "flanking partner" to the EU's official policy". He then highlighted the importance of the EESC's bilateral contacts with two of the fastest growing economies worldwide; China and India. Finally, he reaffirmed the full support of the Committee to the principles, the values and the substance of the European Constitutional Treaty.

In his intervention on the presentation of the new President, Mr Henri Malosse, President of the Employer's Group, stated that a European energy policy was of a high priority and he pleaded for a Europe that could progress. Mr Mario Sepi, President of Group II, welcomed the social aspects in the programme and insisted that the social dialogue had to be relaunched.

Mr Staffan Nilsson, President of the Various Interests Group, insisted that communication would remain a fundamental challenge, and he called for globalisation with a human face.

The full text of the speech will be online soon at:

http://eesc.europa.eu/organisation/president/speeches/index-en.asp