Resources

• Civil Society State of the Union 2023 report is officially out!

  On Wednesday 6th September 2023, in light of the European Commission President’s upcoming State of the Union address, Civil Society Europe (CSE) launched its Civil Society State of the Union report (CS SOTEU) in Brussels and online. 
  The report presents civil society’s vision and recommendations for a more democratic and socially and environmentally just EU and it is the result of 7 months of collaboration among nearly 50 civil society organisations (CSOs) specialised in a range of different sectors.
  The report […]

• Skills, lifelong learning and democracy workshop during the EESC Civil Society Days 2023

  The EESC Civil Society Days 2023 featured three days of debates and exchanges around the link between civil society organisations and democracy, and the need to ensure an active, engaged participation to face the current societal challenges. 
  LLLP, alongside the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) and Cooperatives Europe hosted the workshop “Skills and Lifelong Learning for Democratic Societies” to highlight how the life course perspective, education, training and transversal skills are the way forward for […]

• Social goals for the European Green Deal: How can we ensure a just transition?

  The document was developed in the framework of the European Alliance for a Just Transition, an informal coalition of like-minded European stakeholders. It provides a value-based framework for the EGD and all other strategies on climate and environment in Europe. It highlights a number of social goals that should underpin all decisions around the green transition to ensure that it is just and inclusive.
  In addition, it provides a list of questions that allows the reader to verify whether a […]

• A socially just European Green Deal hinges on education and training Lifelong Learning for a Just Transition

  The Commission presented its six priorities in 2019 with a view to build a greener, more digital, more inclusive and more resilient EU. While the bulk of education and training policies were assigned to the priority on Promoting our European way of life, all the other dimensions foresee a reliance on education and training systems: since by its very nature education and training is a key transversal policy area for the achievement of all their objectives. When considering the […]

• LLLP at the Thematic Cluster of the Civil Society Convention on the Future of Europe

  As a member of the Civil Society Convention on the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Lifelong Learning Platform participates in thematic clusters. These clusters seek to ensure that common positions are achieved amid civil society organisations and then brought to the attention of the Conference.
  Such was the case on July 7th, when LLLP took part in the workshop cluster on education and culture. In our eyes, the main effort was to ensure that a lifelong learning approach is […]

• SOLIDAR – Citizenship and Lifelong Learning Monitor

  The Citizens and Learning Monitor has been a milestone in lifelong learning for the last years. With the 2019 version almost out, let’s have a look at the previous version.

  Lately, the world has witnessed the harsh impact of populist politics. In the European Union, this rise in nationalism and populism has translated into an old member state leaving the Union for good, and “illiberal” countries rising up against civil society which could bring a major overhaul in the European Parliament […]

• Meeting MEP Verheyen, Chair of the CULT Committee: what will the future hold for lifelong learning?

  A delegation from the Lifelong Learning Platform had the pleasure to meet with the new Chair of the CULT Committee, MEP Sabine Verheyen (Germany, EPP). The meeting was a very fruitful discussion, focusing on the future of lifelong learning and the work of the Euroepan Parliament for the coming months. 

  MEP Verheyen showed great interest in the activities of the LLLPlatform, including the Lifelong Learning Interest Group of the European Parliament. She praised the work of LLLP and its […]

• Social Rights Monitor – better rights, better lifelong learning

  Two years after the Gothenburg declaration, where does Europe stand on social rights? How is the implementation of said rights serving inclusion and a more social Europe? LLLP member Solidar presented its 2019 Social Rights Monitor before an audience of MEPs, civil society and social partner representatives and in the framework of the conference “Integrating the European Pillar of Social Rights and the SDGs in the European Semester – Civil Society Organisations’ input”. The state of social rights […]

• A roadmap to civil dialogue in the EU

  At a moment when basic civil rights are challenged across the European Union, European Institutions need to lead by examples in ensuring that organised civil society can flourish and be empowered. Concrete measures must be introduced to support and develop civic space in the Europe.

  Civil Society Europe calls on all EU institutions to recognise in their work and statements the specific role of civil society organisations: NGOs, Associations and Foundations in the development of a European democratic society.

  We have developed […]

• Misunderstanding the role of CSOs: practical examples

  What is exactly the function of civil society organisations? How can they bridge the EU and its citizens?

  In a long interview, Janis A. Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies at the European Policy Centre, addressed the topical issue of involving citizens in their democracy. Building on the recommendations and following the results of the European Citizens Consultations, he winked at civil society organisations as those “actors who are independent of national or European institutions” and that need to bridge public institutions […]