EESC calls on EU citizens to stand up and be counted!

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) i, gepubliceerd op vrijdag 23 mei 2014.

Leading figures from the business, trade union, professional and voluntary sector Europe-wide have called on EU citizens to stand up and be counted. Speaking at the start of four days of elections throughout the EU, the President of the organisation which represents European economic and social interests in Brussels, urged the EU's 400 million voters to go out and vote.

"European election time is when the EU can gauge its public credibility", said Henri Malosse, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). "The people of Europe have a real opportunity to make their voices heard", he said. "We must use that to tell those we elect what type of Europe we want. Voter apathy gets us nowhere. We need strong and effective leadership to steer us through the crisis - leaders mandated by the people and listening to the people - that is what the EU needs right now."

The EESC has produced an 'Action Plan for Europe' which puts the EU citizen at the heart of the European project. It proposes a new three-strand approach to progress combining economic, social and civil interests so the European Union moves forward together. The Plan was approved by 142 votes for 96 against and 12 abstentions following a heated debate between employers, trade unions and others in the EESC plenary session. This will go to the newly elected European Parliament to serve as the EESC's contribution to new thinking on the future of the EU.