THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
AND CIVIL SOCIETY
OPEN EVENT ON THE TENTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE ESC IN GREECE

From the left: Mr. Charalambos Kefalas, Vice-President of the ESC of Greece, Mr. Nicholas Analytis, President, Mr. Konstantinos Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece, Mr. Dimitrios Politis, Vice-President of the ESC of Greece, and Dr. Martha Theodorou, Head of International and Public Relations

On Wednesday, 9 February 2005, on the occasion of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) in Greece, an Open Event was held on the subject of “The European Constitution and Civil Society” at the Athens Concert Hall.

The Prime Minister of Greece Mr. Konstantinos Karamanlis addressed the Conference, and following this, distinguished speakers spoke on the Constitution of Europe.

ESC President Mr. Nicholas Analytis talked about the importance of the European Constitution for the future of the EU and the necessity to provide information to society.

Next the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, Ms. Anna Psarouda-Benaki, dealt with the subject of “The Role of National Parliaments in the New Constitutional Order of Europe.” The Minister of the Interior, Public Order and Decentralisation Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos spoke on “The Importance of Constitutional Responsibility on the Way to European Integration.” The President of the European Court of Justice and former President of the ESC, Mr. Vassilios Skouris, spoke on “Individual and Social Rights in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.” Finally, on behalf of the main opposition party, PASOK, Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, former Minister delivered a speech on “From the Diffuse to the Unified European Constitution – a Change Much Bigger than it Appears.”

Former ESC Presidents Mr. Ioannis Koukiadis and Mr. Andreas Kintis talked about the ESC’s role and its work.