Events

European Association for the promotion of Initiatives for Economic Development, Employment and Solidarity

14h00 Reception and welcome

- Luigi Badiali, President of Euro*IDEES
- Debates will be charied by Prof. Peter Lloyd, University of Liverpool

14h20 The European Socio-economic model at the dawn of the 21st century

"To respond to the new socio-economic context that has been prompted by globalisation, the European Union has set out the strategic objective of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, with a sustainable economic growth accompanied by both a qualitative and a quantative improvement of employment and a greater social cohesion." The international events have underlined the importance of mobilising the means necessary for modernising and for safeguarding the European Social Model and finally also for setting out a European model of development that responds to the demands for a greater participation by the citizens, for social justice and for an improved quality of life.
Which features then, distinguish the European social-model of today? What lessons can be drawn from the American model? How is Europe preparing herself for these new challenges and for the upcoming enlargement? Is the human beings really at the centre of the European construction?

- Laurette Onkelinx, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment of Belgian Governement and of the in-office EU Presidency
- Fiorella Ghilardotti, Member of the European Parliement (PSE), Social Affairs Committee
- DG Employment and Social Affairs
- Alejandro Cercas, Member of the European Parliement (PSE), Social Affairs Committee
- Presidency of the European Commission

16h00 The contribution of the local development approach to European cohesion

There is a new social demand, tied on the one hand to the transformation of the means of production and to the changed organisation of work and on the other hand to the longer life expectancy and a heightened quality of life on the part of the citizens. This would suggest a new way of perceiving the relation between the individual and his/her work and his/her time. In particular three new dimensions seem to have brought a real renewal to the notion of the European Social Model, that is; equal opportunities, sustainable development and information society.

Within this framework, the affirmation of a new institutional partnership that was brought about by the introduction of the Structural funds; The success of local employment initiatives; the increased importance of local services and actors in the third sector; the impact of the information society that territorialises rather than sectorialises the creation of new jobs; the strong territorial proclivities that characterise European culture. These like other tendencies have meant an increased participation by actors at regional and local levels and they have allowed us to learn new modes of governance.

All these elements presage the affirmation of a new model of development, capable of responding more accurately to the needs of the citizens, while safeguarding, and even reinforcing the competitiveness of regional economies and European cohesion, provided Europe allows herself the necessary means for constructing from the bottom-up a coordinated strategy for the regions.

- Luigi Cocilovo, Member of the Bureau European Parliament (PPE), Social Affairs Committee
- Ginette Nabavi, European Commission, Education and Culture - Life-long education
- Luigi Covatta, President of Italia Lavoro (Italian National Agency for Employment)
- Christophe Guene, SoFi - Financial community, Ethical banking
- Geneviève Lecamp, Journalist for Le Monde Initiatives and Vice-president of APRESS - Equal opportunities and sustainable development
- Harlem Désir (PSE) Member of the European Parliement, Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy

The 27th of November

Debates will be chaired by Marjorie Jouen, Fondation Notre Europe

9h00 The European Social model facing the enlargement

The issue of the approach to EU-enlargement is usually brought up on the basis of its macro-economic and institutional, read diplomatic, dimensions. However, in the framework of such a process, the issue is primarily that of societies, not just that of economies that are in a phase of reconversion and reconstruction. The social dialogue, Citizens' participation, social inclusion, the structuring of civil society, equal opportunities, the quality of work and of life, these other questions can not wait the for the "equalisation of infrastructures" until they can be asked in the candidate-countries.

In addition, how can we best permit the transfer of a whole series of acquis, (not only legislative, but also methodological and cultural), while at the same time integrating the evident effects, even if these are unknown, that the enlargement will have on these same acquis? Which are the means put in place in the framework of the cooperation with the CEECs? Are they really sufficient?

- Elisabeth Schroedter, Member of the European Parliament (Group of Green) Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy
- Luisella Pavan-Woolfe, Director - General Directorate Social affairs and Employment
- Philippe Pochet, Director of the European Social Observatory
- Janusz Galeziak, Social Attaché, Embassy of Poland-EU Mission
- Ernesto Caffo, President of Telefono Azzurro
- Eva Belabed - Member of the European Economic and Social Committee - Group II

11h00 Horizontal cooperation and the transfer of competencies

- Isabelle Cattelat, RETI - Economic and industrial reconstruction
- Valeria Siquilini, S & T (Italy)
- Blaz Nardin and Karl Kuzman, Tecos (Slovenia)
- Philip Johnsson, County Council of Värmland (Sweden)
- Geris Musetti, Bic-Toscana (Italy)

12h30 Conclusions