Dear Members of the Liaison Group,
This month marks the first anniversary of my election as EESC President.
This is a good opportunity to also reflect on what we as EESC Liaison
Group are achieving together but also to redouble our commitment to the body of
work that still lies ahead of us.
We are living through a period of growing international instability.
Conflicts, geopolitical tensions and challenges to multilateral cooperation are
putting pressure on the international rules and institutions designed to
protect us all.
In this context, upholding international law is not an abstract
principle. It is essential to protecting human dignity, ensuring accountability
and preventing power from replacing justice. The International Criminal Court
plays a vital role in this effort, and I very much welcome the European
Parliament’s decision this week to award the 2026 Sakharov Prize to the ICC and
its officials.
Civil society has a crucial role to play here, as well as closer to
home. It gives people a voice, holds institutions to account and helps turn
democratic values into action. At a time when trust is under strain and many
people face the daily difficulties of poverty, insecurity and unaffordable
housing, listening to civil society is not optional. It is part of building a
fairer and more inclusive Europe.
This is also why our work on the eradication of poverty matters. The
Memorandum of Understanding signed between the EESC and Commissioner Roxana
Mînzatu this week is an important step towards turning the EU Anti-Poverty
Strategy into concrete action, with a real impact on people’s lives.
Over the past year, we have strengthened cooperation and brought civil
society’s voice closer to European decision-making. We have come a long way,
but there is still much to do. I am grateful to all of you for your commitment,
ideas and determination over the past year both in the Liaison Group meetings
and in the more informal fora where we meet. I look forward to continuing this
work with you, building on our shared commitment to a Europe that protects
people, upholds its values and leaves no one behind.
