Senator Alice-Mary Higgins is one of four Oireachtas delegates to the Conference on the Future of Europe, an eight month process that hopes to shape the next chapter for the EU. Speaking at a plenary of the Conference last Saturday, Senator Higgins highlighted:
“On so many issues like equality and environment, people have been speaking up for some time and institutions have been slow to hear. Too often civil society voices have felt drowned out by corporate lobbies.”
“This process is a chance to listen to not just the ideas but to the priorities of EU citizens. Human rights are a priority. The EU’s role in driving forward workers’ rights, women’s rights, disability rights, LGBT rights is something people are proud of and that they care about. When rights and solidarity were pushed aside under austerity that damaged trust. We need to strengthen that now through a new Social Progress Protocol and through an EU that steps up and shows leadership on international rights, including the rights of refugees and the new right to a healthy environment. The EU should not be blocking a TRIPS waiver on global vaccine access.”
Senator Higgins also noted
“Action on climate, biodiversity and the SDGs by 2030 is a clear priority for citizens across Europe, and that will require major public investment, just transition and strong policies. Those policies, including an exit from fossil fuels, must not be undermined or chilled by corporate courts, that can choose to ignore the European Court of Justice. This is also a rule of law issue.”
Concluding her speech in Strasbourg, Senator Higgins emphasised that
“The conversation on Europe’s future must be deeper and much more diverse. These are the decisions we make about how we live together and how we protect our future life on this shared planet and in this shared EU and in each of our communities.”
Senator Higgins is calling on people across Ireland to help shape these important decisions.
“The Conference on the Future of Europe could be an important turning point for the EU. The political, economic, social and environmental issues agreed at EU level affect all of our lives. It is vital that people and organisations concerned about these issues make their voice heard via the Conference’s digital platform or by organising an event of their own, online or in person.”
The Data Sharing and Governance Bill returns to the Seanad this week with a commitment from the Minister to address issues of privacy, transparency and accountability raised by Senator Higgins earlier in the process.
In her address to Mr. Junker, Senator Higgins spoke passionately about the future of Europe, the realisation of the European pillar of social rights, the important work to be done on inclusion and peace-building and a true version of multilateralism. She also voiced the concerns of many across Europe about the increasing militarisation of the EU and its borders and the inclusion of investor state courts in EU trade agreements.