Economic Growth and Social Progress in Rural and Urban Areas, Riga - Main contents

Riga, Latvia

On Wednesday 25 March 2015, the Various Intersts' Group of the EESC will hold an extraordinary meeting in Riga, in the form of a large conference, to mark the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Edgars Putra, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Economics will welcome the participants on behalf of the Latvian Presidency.

The Keynote addresses will be given by Andris Piebalgs, Former EU Commissioner, Advisor to the President of Latvia on: "Economic growth and social progress in Latvia - the influence of the energy sector" and Sergejs Kruks, Professor of Riga Stradina University who will address the issue of "Latvian crisis management: social and communication aspects."

The main objective of the conference will be to examine ways of stimulating economic growth and social progress, in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis. The event will also explore how the EU can assist in this process and the contribution to be made by civil society in both rural and urban areas. It is expected to attract a wide spectrum of Latvian civil society actors to the event, including farmer and consumer organisations, SMEs, representatives of industry, the Social Partners, as well as charities, family, voluntary and youth associations.

You can inscribe to attend the event here: REGISTER

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an EU advisory body comprising representatives of workers' and employers' organisations and other interest groups. It issues opinions on EU issues to the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, thus acting as a bridge between the EU's decision-making institutions and EU citizens.

What does the EESC do?

It gives the interest groups a formal say on EU legislative proposals. Its 3 key tasks are to:

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  ensure that EU policy and law are geared to economic and social conditions, by seeking a consensus that serves the common good