At a time when the European Union is called upon to balance complex geopolitical developments, the imperative for a green and digital transition and the strengthening of social cohesion, the voice of organised civil society is gaining particular importance. The European Economic and Social Committee, the consultative body that brings together representatives of employers, workers and civil society organisations, plays a crucial role in shaping policies with a social dimension and European added value.
Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the EESC’s External Relations Department, in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, shed light on the role and contribution of the EESC in shaping EU trade and investment policy. Through consensus-based opinions, the EESC seeks to strengthen transparency, accountability and sustainability, ensuring that policies reflect the real needs of citizens and businesses, not just the markets.
The importance of Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) as a tool for participatory monitoring of the implementation of free trade agreements is particularly highlighted, as is the EESC's unwavering support for the inclusion of binding provisions on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD). At the same time, Dimitriadis referred to the support for the new EU economic security strategy, the importance of strategic autonomy and the support for small and medium-sized enterprises as a key pillar of competitiveness and resilience.
He focused on an important challenge for citizens to actively participate in democratic processes, and for institutions and national governments to listen carefully to those who represent the living body of European society.