Members will discuss the situation in Ukraine, vote on recommendations to protect against foreign interference and mark International Women’s Day during March’s plenary session.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, MEPs will discuss how to handle the increasing number of Ukrainians fleeing war on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will discuss with MEPs the EU’s role in a changing world and security following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Foreign interference and disinformation
In June 2020, Parliament set up a special committee to look into foreign interference and disinformation. During this plenary session MEPs will vote on the recommendations presented in the committee’s final report. The report says that a lack of EU measures and awareness allow malign foreign actors to interfere in EU democracy and it proposes countermeasures such as sanctions or revoking the licenses of organisations that distribute foreign state propaganda.
MEPs will also vote on giving the committee a new mandate and consider convening a special committee on Covid-19 and an inquiry committee to look into the Pegasus spyware affair.
International Women’s Day
On 8 March, the Parliament marks International Women’s Day with a special focus on gender equality, mental health and unpaid care work. Polish author and Nobel Prize for Literature Laureate Olga Tokarczuk will address MEPs, which will be followed by debates on the EU’s Gender Action Plan and gender mainstreaming.
Rule of law
The European Court of Justice decided recently to uphold the validity of EU rules providing that member states in breach of the rule of law can face suspension of EU payments and dismissed appeals by Hungary and Poland. MEPs will vote on a resolution assessing the implications of the decision.
Golden passports
MEPs are set to call for a ban on so-called golden passports, under which non-EU nationals can get nationality rights in exchange for investment, and the introduction of EU-wide rules for “golden visas” or ‘”esidence by investment”. The aim is to defend core EU values as well as common security.
Batteries
Batteries are becoming a strategic market as the number of electric vehicles and the share of renewable energy increases. Parliament will debate and vote on its position on new EU measures on the design, production and disposal of batteries to tackle related environmental, ethical and social issues.
Following the Russian invasion against Ukraine and in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the Commission has decided to suspend the cooperation with Russian entities in research, science and innovation. The Commission will not conclude any new contracts nor any new agreements with Russian organisations under the Horizon Europe programme. Furthermore, the Commission is suspending payments to Russian entities under existing contracts. All ongoing projects, in which Russian research organisations are participating, are being reviewed – both under Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, the previous EU programme for research and innovation.
Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “EU research cooperation is based on the respect for the freedoms and rights that underpin excellence and innovation. Russia’s heinous military aggression against Ukraine is an attack against those same values. It is therefore time to put an end to our research cooperation with Russia.”
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is an attack on freedom, democracy and self-determination, on which cultural expression, academic and scientific freedom and scientific cooperation are based. As a result, we have decided not to engage into further cooperation projects in research and innovation with Russian entities. At the same time, we are strongly committed to ensuring a continued successful participation of Ukraine in Horizon Europe and Euratom Research and Training programmes. Ukrainian scientists and researchers have been key participants in our EU Framework programmes for research and innovation for 20 years and have demonstrated excellence and innovation leadership.We have taken administrative steps to ensure that successful Ukrainian beneficiaries can receive funding from the EU research and innovation programmes.”
The full statement of Commissioner Gabriel is available here.
The assessment of the situation as regards Belarus is ongoing.
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. There no ongoing projects under Horizon Europe, in which Russian entities are participating. There have been preparations of grant agreement for four projects involving four Russian research organisations, which the Commission has decided to suspend. This means that signing of any new contracts will be put on hold until further notice.
Under Horizon 2020, which was the EU’s research and innovation funding programme from 2014-2020 with a budget of nearly €80 billion, there are still several ongoing projects. The Commission is suspending any payment to Russian entities under existing contracts. At present, there are 86 active projects under Horizon 2020, which involve 78 different Russian organisations. Out of these, 29 Russian organisations that are involved in 19 projects have been awarded €12.6 million of EU contributions.
Surprisingly and shockingly, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia declared “about the events going on in Ukraine,” in his homily on Sunday 27 February, at the Cathedral Church of Christ the Saviour:
“God forbid that the present political situation in fraternal Ukraine so close to us should be aimed at making the evil forces that have always strived against the unity of Rus’ and the Russian Church, gain the upper hand.”
The proximity between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Kremlin is however not only physical, as they are only a few hundred meters from each other, but it is also political, geopolitical and spiritual.
In a long article titled “The Law, the Rights and the Rules,” and published in The Diplomat Magazine in July 2021, Sergey Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign affairs, criticized the “aggressive LGBT propaganda” by the “enlightened Europe”, the US interference in church affairs, openly seeking to drive a wedge into the Orthodox world, whose values are viewed as a powerful spiritual obstacle for the liberal concept of boundless permissiveness.”
Quite often, Patriarch Kirill has presented President Putin as the sole defender of Christianity in the world and even as the savior of Christians in Syria after he had sent his troops to save Bashar al-Assad and his regime.
Last but not least, on 23 February, one day before the invasion of Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on Defender of the Fatherland Day and wished him peace of mind, health and God’s help in his ministry, according to the message published on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church:
“I cordially congratulate you on Defender of the Fatherland Day. <…> I wish you good health, peace of mind and abundant help from the Lord in your high and responsible service to the people of Russia.”
Calling afterwards for “the restoration of good fraternal relations between our peoples,” Patriarch Kirill clarified in his 28 February homely what he means by “fraternal relations” when he said:
“A guarantee of this fellowship is our united Orthodox Church represented in Ukraine by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by His Beatitude Onuphry.”
Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine is the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, but under President Poroshenko, a national Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine affiliated to the Patriarchate of Constantinople has emerged and has challenged Moscow.
And for those who might not have understood the core message of his homily, Patriarch Kirill insisted that the Ukrainians are the attackers and part of the evil forces, when he said “We prayed that the Lord may give them strength and wisdom to repulse the attacks of the evil one.”
Further in his homily, he points at the West as the enemy of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people:
It must not be allowed to give the dark and hostile external forces an occasion to laugh at us; we should do everything to preserve peace between our peoples while protecting our common historical Motherland against every outside action that can destroy this unity.
While the EU, the UK and the USA are not at war with the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox believers, Patriarch Kirill is spiritually at war with the “so-called decadent values of the West” when he concludes:
“Where from has the Russian land come”, the land which now includes Russia and Ukraine and Belarus and other tribes and peoples. That the Lord may protect the Russian land against external enemies, against internal disorders, that the unity of our Church may strengthen and that by God’s mercy all the temptations, diabolical attacks, provocations may retreat and that our devout people in Ukraine may enjoy peace and tranquillity – these are our prayers today.“
In this warlike language, the Orthodox world and the Russian world end up overlapping and merging. They announce the final regional objective of the current war against Ukraine.
As we have seen before our eyes, Putin makes his strategic decisions through a distorted view of history and people. He thought that the Ukranians with ties to Russia would welcome an invasion, but he forgot (or ignored) that these people would not put their friends and their families before an affiliation with a country, or with what it represents.
Putin has a stereotype of russophiles and russophones. He thinks that these people, by choosing Russia over the west (EU and NATO), will necessarily subscribe to Putin’s deranged imperialism. Putin sees the present as history, as big waves of people and political movements moving in various directions… But the present is not, as yet, history. Right now the present is composed of people.
These russophiles inside Ukraine, for example, may even align politically with Putin’s regime. The people that they see every day do not all agree with their political view, they have a different view of the world from them, they just want a different project for their country. The question in Ukraine in 2013, in the Russo-Maidan Revolution, was not “do we join Russia or not?”, it was “do we join the west or not?”. Of course, to be part of this so-called “west”, Ukraine needed to leave Russia and its influence, but it seems to me that the alternative to this was not to join Russia, but to more or less continue to be neutral.
And so Putin made this strange association, that if people do not like the west they necessarily like him, this doesn’t say very much about what people think and more what Putin thinks of himself. Apparently this self-image doesn’t correspond to reality.
However, the most strange stereotype/assumption that Putin used to make one of his spectacular predictions (until now they have all failed spectacularly) is that Europeans would be too scared of the “Big Russian bear”, and would try to appease the situation with everything they could possibly can, running from any conflict, that only “tough Russians can take”.
Europeans are proud, they are not only proud of their nationalities but proud of what Europe represents: democracy, liberty and self-determination. Putin is an antithesis to these values. In Russia, all liberties are squeezed with an iron fist, and so, democracy is an empty word, if not a dirty one, and about self-determination… Putin sees entire nations as mere puppets; Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and so on, only pawns on a chess board to the Russian autocrat.
I would say that it is true that people are not as attached with their nationalities in Europe, at least compared with past times. But if there is a thing that Europeans value is democracy and the freedom that comes with it, Europe will not be a puppet of anyone. Never again will Europeans obey or comply with a dictator’s wishes. Europe will fight back, for what it represents, whatever the cost.
In the XXth century the enemies of European democracy were fascism and communism. In the XXIst century the enemies are autocracy and authoritarian/totalitarian capitalism.
Also, Putin severely overestimated his position in relation to Europe. For starters, Russia is a drop in the ocean compared to Europe. Russia has a GDP comparable to Spain, the 4th biggest economy in the EU, but more importantly, Putin forgets that his precious natural gas will have no value for Europe in 10-20 years.
Yes, if the progress in renewable energy (wind, solar, etc.) maintains its current pace, it will not be long until the main source of energy in Europe will be renewable energy. This will happen as a consequence of a big investment in this type of technology in the last decades.
Therefore, why would Europeans be scared of losing a thing that in 10 years will have half its current value? Why would we surrender our fundamental values and beliefs for a thing that we, together, would eventually surpass?
And just to show how small Putin is in reality, and how Europe and the Europeans are not afraid, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the military budget will be increased to 2% of the country’s economic output. 100 billion euros for Germany’s defense budget. I will remind you that this is comparable to Russia’s defense budget, and there are 26 other countries in the EU ready to show Putin his place…
Speech by Anders Ygeman, Minister for Integration and Migration with responsibility for sport
Towards a green and sustainable deal for sport, digital conference, 3 March 2022, European parliament, Strasbourg
Dear Ministers and participants,
Thank you for the opportunity to address this conference as a part of our common EU Trio-Presidency with France, Czech Republic and Sweden.
A special thanks to my colleague Roxana for inviting me to speak.
This conference is held in Strasbourg – the centre of respect for human rights and rule of law in Europe.
I think this is of great importance.
Because even though the topic of this conference is quite another, I first wish to address the current situation in Europe.
Participants, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked, illegal, and unjustifiable.
The Russian political leadership bears full responsibility for this.
The military aggression from Russia threatens international peace and security and is a flagrant violation of international law.
It is a serious breach of the European security order.
The Swedish Government supports European and International sport organisations boycott of sporting exchange with Russia.
However, we also need to discuss other issues simultaneously and the topic for today’s discussion is very important.
We all know the power of sport for societal change.
To inspire and to unite people.
Now, we – Governments, sports organisations, and their communities – need to find ways to use this power to limit our environmental impact.
We need to be a part of the solution for a sustainable future.
The Agenda 2030 requires changed at both individual and societal level.
The Sustainable Development Goals – both the economic, social and environmental – must be achieved for all people, in all parts of society.
To reach the goals, we need to establish stronger cooperation’s and partnerships.
And sport has the great power to bring these together.
People, networks and organisations that are committed to sport and sustainable development.
I would like to give two concrete examples from my country on how this can be translated into something concrete.
First, the Swedish Sports Confederation and its members has created a checklist for sustainable sport events.
This list consists of 40 aspects of sustainability with a number of inspirational action points.
The points include everything from choosing environmentally friendly team clothing to transports and waste management.
This initiative is an attempt to collect and share the knowledge on sustainability that already exist among sports federations and associations in Sweden.
The idea is simple – to inspire each other to do the right thing.
I am happy to see that this checklist has been created in close cooperation between the Swedish Sports Confederations partner organisations in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
Another inspiring example is a project funded by Sweden’s innovation agency.
The aim of the project is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide for travel linked to organized sports.
This is to be done through mapping of current travel behaviours.
The data collected is then being analysed and form the basis for an action plan for every participating organisation to implement.
These are examples on how sport can be a progressive force for sustainability:
to combat climate change,
to strengthen cross border and generational solidarity,
to include the sport movement as a part of the transition.
I’m grateful for the work done by so many for a green and sustainable deal for sport.
I’m also hopeful that today’s conference will strengthen our joint efforts to fulfil our common goals.
Because I’m convinced, when we meet great challenges, we all need to work together.
CANADA, March 3 – Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and Ravi Kahlon, two-time Olympian and Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, have released the following statement on the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing:
“On Friday, March 4, the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games will begin in Beijing. Canada has assembled a strong team of competitors, who are poised to shine on the world stage with some amazing performances.
“B.C. athletes chosen to represent Team Canada at this month’s Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing include: Ina Forrest, from Vernon, a three-time medallist in wheelchair curling; Ethan Hess, Paralympic Nordic skier from Pemberton, who will compete in cross-country skiing as part of the nation’s formidable Paralympic Nordic team; and Tyler Turner, Paralympic snowboarder from Campbell River, who is fresh off his two gold- and one bronze-medal wins at the 2022 World Para Snow Sports Championships.
“Beyond the thrill and excitement of great competition, these Games represent stories of what it takes to become a world-class athlete. The Paralympics are filled with people who have beaten incredible odds to come out at the top of their respective sports. Many Paralympians have faced tremendous obstacles. By sheer determination, outstanding skill and undeterred drive they have emerged triumphant. Each has broken boundaries, shattered glass ceilings and pushed beyond limits to become one of the best in the world in their sport, all while displaying the true heart of a champion.
“It is also a great point of pride for all British Columbians that Josh Dueck, two-time B.C. Paralympian, has been named chef de mission of the 2022 Canadian Paralympic Winter Team. A pioneer in Paralympic alpine sit skiing, Dueck garnered international acclaim, not only for his gold- and silver-medal wins, but for making sport history by being the first para-alpine sit skier to complete a backflip.
“Our government knows first-hand the power of sport. That is why the Province commits over $800,000 annually to disability sport organizations to advance accessibility and increase equity throughout British Columbia. These investments create life-changing opportunities for people of all abilities and for high-performance athletes, such as B.C.’s Paralympians, so that they can shine and reach for the stars.
“Sport, especially in the Olympic and Paralympic arenas, brings forward shared values of respect, equality and excellence. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and their athletes who are competing in a time of unimaginable strife.
“On behalf of Premier John Horgan and our entire government, congratulations to Team Canada, and best of luck for a safe and successful Paralympic Winter Games. We know that all British Columbians join us in cheering you on at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.”
Learn More:
For up-to-date progress on B.C.-connected athletes at the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, as well as a list of upcoming events and current medal wins, visit: https://www.bcmedals.ca
Aquatic exports saw a significant surge of 47.2 per cent to $1.5 billion in the first two months of this year. Photo vov.vn.
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has enjoyed a trade surplus of US$1.8 billion from agriculture, forestries and fisheries during the first two months of the year, 86.7 per cent higher last year’s figure, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Foreign trade of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products reached $14.2 billion in the first two months of 2022, a year-on-year increase of 15.8 per cent. The revenue of these exports was estimated at $8 billion, up 20.9 per cent year-on-year, while imports exceeded $6.2 billion, up 10 per cent.
From January-February, shipments of key agricultural products totalled over $3.2 billion, up 10.2 per cent. Aquatic exports saw a significant surge of 47.2 per cent to $1.5 billion. Forestry exports also increased 17 per cent to nearly $2.9 billion during the period. Animal products, meanwhile, slid 3.5 per cent to just $54.1 million.
Commodities posting high export growth included coffee (36 per cent), rice (22 per cent), pepper (44 per cent), tra fish (83 per cent), shrimp (34 per cent), and wood and timber products (15.5 per cent).
The US remained Việt Nam’s biggest buyer, purchasing over $2.3 billion worth of the products, or 28.2 per cent of the total. Some 70 per cent of exports to the US where wood and timber products.
China followed in second place and Japan in third. China imported nearly $1.3 billion (16.2 per cent) from Việt Nam, some 33.3 per cent of which was rubber.
Shipments to Japan stood at $586 million (7.3 per cent), 44.8 per cent of which was wood and timber products.
In recent years, difficulties in exporting to China at border gates have led to a change in the structure of Việt Namese agricultural products exported to China.
For many years, vegetables and fruits have always been the most significant exports from Việt Nam to China, according to the MARD.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import and Export Department said that the pandemic is expected not to affect the global processed fruit and vegetable production industry.
The supply of processed fruits and vegetables has increased as exports of fresh or frozen products have decreased.
In 2022, with the increasing demand for processed fruits and vegetables on the world market due to COVID-19, Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable industry would continue to promote processing and reduce exports of fresh products.
Businesses need to invest in technology for the post-harvest stage and logistics for transporting fruits and vegetables. The promotion of investment in the processing stage will help the local fruit and vegetable industry increase export value.
Along with promoting investment in processing, Việt Nam needs to take opportunities from new-generation free trade agreements such as EVFTA and CPTTP to boost exportation of Vietnamese vegetables and fruits, the department said.
China is still a potential market for Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable products due to large demand, although China’s fruit and vegetable imports from Việt Nam have decreased.
Vietnamese enterprises should strictly comply with China’s import regulations to avoid interruption of export activities.
Official export contracts to China are doing well because official exports have more compulsory conditions for both sellers and buyers. This is encouraged among local businesses and traders when exporting vegetables and fruits to China.
Nguyễn Lâm Viên, general director of Vinamit Company, said that his company had maintained exports of agricultural produce to China due to planting areas, preliminary processing areas, and packaging meeting market requirements.
However, according to Viên, the organic food consumption in Europe and the US is forecast to increase by 30 per cent. This would be an opportunity for local enterprises to enhance exports of organic products to these markets.
Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports in 2021 increased by 8.6 per cent compared to 2020 due to diversifying export markets and the quality of Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable products.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecasts that Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports in 2022 will increase by about 10-15 per cent on-year to $3.9-4.1 billion.
Meanwhile, MARD is focusing on expanding market share for Vietnamese agro, forestry and seafood exports at some major markets, such as Peru, Australia, Brazil and the US.
It has coordinated with other ministries and sectors to organise Việt Nam Agricultural Products Week at EXPO 2022 Dubai and has worked with several partners in India, Argentina and the UAE.
The ministry will continue to guide local businesses in implementing new regulations of China for exporting goods. So far, the General Administration of Customs of China has granted codes for 1,763 Vietnamese products.
The ministry will also update notices on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS regulations) of the World Trade Organisation member countries that could affect Việt Nam’s agricultural exports. — VNS
Workers return to work in a footwear factory in southern Việt Nam. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Liêm
HÀ NỘI — Improving the business environment is among Việt Nam’s top priorities in the future, especially as the country is trying to get the economy back on track, said economists and policymakers at a conference in Hà Nội on Thursday.
Prolonged social and mobility restrictions to check the spread of COVID-19 in recent months had significantly hampered efforts to improve the country’s business environment, said Nguyễn Đình Cung, former head of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM).
As reforms lost momentum there had been signs of resistance coming from the government’s ministries and offices against changes.
“We have witnessed the return of business requirements that were once removed as well as additional requirements put in place,” he said.
Dr Nguyễn Minh Thảo, head of CIEM’s business environment and competition department, said efforts to improve the country’s business environment had slowed down significantly since the end of 2019.
Thảo said too many commitments had been made on paper by the government but too few had been implemented and reviewed.
“For example, while local governments and ministries reported an increased number of administrative procedures available online in many cases they have not been able to effectively service businesses,” she said.
It has been reflected in Việt Nam’s less-than-impressive Economic Freedom score. The country ranked 17th among 40 countries in the Asia–Pacific region with 61.7 points, just 0.01 points above the world’s average.
Speaking at the conference, deputy minister of planning and investment Trần Duy Đông said the Government was fully committed to the long-term and sustainable improvement of the business environment and considered it a driving force for economic recovery and national development.
Đông said the Prime Minister’s Office in January approved the Government Decree 02/NQ-CP and authorised funding for a programme designed to speed up the process. The Government had also reiterated its priorities to boost the country’s competitive capacity.
Thảo, however, said 24 of 26 of ministry-level bodies had just set deadlines to implement reforms. Notably, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry had not made public information regarding their action plan.
Similarly, just 50/ of 63 local governments had reported with the Ministry of Planning and Investment regarding their action plans while 13 others including the localities of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Bạc Liêu, Đồng Nai, Hà Tĩnh, Hòa Bình, Hưng Yên, Lai Châu, Long An, Quảng Bình, Tây Ninh, HCM City, Trà Vinh and Vĩnh Long had not.
Commenting on the slow progress, Cung stressed the importance of support measures for the business community, which has been severely battered by the pandemic and is in desperate need of streamlined and less costly services to recover.
He called on all governmental bodies and offices to double down on their effort to improve the business environment. He suggested no more technical barriers be created while local governments actively review and identify wasteful and costly administrative procedures to be removed immediately.
Cung said the effort must be concentrated to push ongoing reforms further while stomping out resistance from ministerial offices to changes. There should also not be distinctions and different treatments among domestic and international firms when it comes to administrative reforms. VNS
The European Summit of regions and cities continues on 4 March with another packed programme of high-level speakers and wide-ranging discussions on the key topics of democracy, inclusion, education and youth. French President Emmanuel Macron is the key speaker of the day, taking part in the plenary session debate on Building the House of European Democracy alongside CoR President Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
The day kicks off with three round table discussions taking place in parallel, focusing on the question of democracy.
At the first roundtable, The building blocks of European democracy, former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy will join the discussion by video link to share the findings of the CoR’s High Level Group on European Democracy. Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission and Guy Verhofstadt MEP, Co-chair of the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe, will also take part alongside a number of CoR members. The discussion will focus on the state of play of the Conference on the Future of Europe, due to come to end in May, and in whether it will succeed in giving European citizens a much stronger voice in the EU decision-making process. The role of local and regional authorities in the helping to promote European democratic values will also be discussed.
The second roundtable, New ways of representative and participatory democracy in the 21st century, will also look at the Conference on the Future of Europe but with a particular focus on how to involve citizens and their representatives more effectively in the wider democratic process. The CoR has been running a number of citizens’ panels across the EU in association with the Bertelsmann Foundation, and the foundation’s President Ralph Heck will lead the discussion on how to build on the best practices already in place at local and regional level in terms of participatory democracy. Other key speakers include Antonio Tajani MEP, Chair of the Committee for Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) of the European Parliament, and Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam.
Just ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the third roundtable discussion, Democracy in action: Women in local politics will focus more specifically on the role of women in politics. Women remain underrepresented at all levels of government and gender-balanced politics remains as elusive as ever in most European countries. The high-level discussion with some of the EU’s most important female decision-makers will focus on the main barriers to women in political life, and possible solutions, in particular at the local and regional level. The discussion will be led by Sandra Ceciarini, an expert in EU policy and gender participation and former director at the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), and will feature among others Élisabeth Moreno, French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Magali Altounian, Vice-President of France’s Region-Sud, Eva Maydell MEP and Gillian Coughlan, Mayor of the County of Cork, Ireland.
Following the roundtable discussions, the third plenary session of the 2022 Summit will continue with the theme of democracy, with French President Emmanuel Macron leading the debate. The discussion on Building the House of European Democracy will also feature interventions from Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions, Renaud Muselier, President of Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Vasco Alves Cordeiro, First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions, Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography and Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament. The plenary session will end with the adoption of the Manifesto of regional and local authorities for European democracy, encapsulating the key outcomes of the summit.
The first roundtable will be led by Dr Jonnie Penn, Harvard and Cambridge academic and a former Google Fellow, and will feature a video intervention from Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education & Youth. Political speakers include Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdansk and Hedi Ramdane, Deputy Mayor of the Summit’s host city, Marseille, while Capucine Tuffier, Policy Manager for Meta Public, will bring the perspective from the world of social media. Discussion will centre on how digital platforms can support young people’s participation in democratic life, especially at local level, and whether digitalisation is improving inclusion and helping to increase the participation of young people in local and regional politics.
The second roundtable also focuses on the issue of the participation of young people in democracy. Key issues to be discussed will be how to enhance the participation of young people at the local and regional level, which is often a starting point for more general political and civic activism. And will encouraging more young people to take part lead to new forms of participatory democracy at local and regional level and beyond? The CoR runs a programme for Young Elected Politicians (YEPs) to encourage and support the involvement of young people in political and democratic life, and the discussion will feature a number of YEPs as well as key interventions from Evelyn Regner, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Jean Rottner, President of France’s Grand-Est Region.
The final plenary session of the Summit will link the two themes of the day with a focus on The Future of European Democracy: Youth engagement and European values. Feedback from the youth roundtables will be discussed with Silja Markkula, President of the European Youth Forum, before the Summit is brought to an end by co-hosts Apostolos Tzitzikostas, President of the European Committee of the Regions and Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
BIC NEW YORK — The unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic have led many people throughout the world to reflect deeply on how they live and work. This has brought into sharper focus questions about the nature and purpose of work in a post-COVID world, prompting many discussions at the national and international levels on issues related to workplace culture.
“We need to rethink the purpose of work, which over the last few years has come to be seen by many people as being more than about acquiring material means or maximizing profits,” said Liliane Nkunzimana, a representative of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC), in her opening remarks at a discussion forum titled “A Future that Works: Consulting Across Generations to Build Prosperity.”
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Participants of the BIC discussion forum included: Stefano Guerra (top-middle), an attaché of the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations; Erica Dhar (top-right), Director of Global Alliances for AARP International and member of the NGO Committee on Ageing at the UN; policymakers, and representatives of the BIC.
The online event, which was jointly hosted by the New York Office of the BIC and the NGO Committee on Ageing during the 60th session of the United Nations’ Commission for Social Development, provided a unique forum for a discussion on principles around which work will need to be re-envisioned.
“Many conversations about the future of work are often focused on the impact of technology on work environments. Far less attention is given to identifying and applying values and principles that can enable new possibilities, principles such as unity, justice, collaboration, selflessness, and consultation,” said Ms. Nkunzimana.
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A recording of this event can be viewed here
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The application of such principles, however, is complex. In one of its previous statements, the BIC has noted that embracing these values would challenge widely-held assumptions underpinning current economic models—for example, that competition drives progress and that human beings perform best when promoting their own self-interests rather than working toward the common good.
Despite the various obstacles in re-envisioning the future of work, participants noted that the generosity and cooperation shown by many people, especially young people, in their personal and professional lives in response to COVID recovery efforts has provided new insights into human nature and a hopeful outlook.
The BIC plans to continue this conversation through a series of monthly forums on youth and social transformation. A recording of this event can be viewed here.
