On Monday 15 February the Spring Alliance is organizing a lunch briefing/brainstorming on the EU-2020 Strategy and further work in the framework of the Spring Alliance. It is in the Social Platform, Square de Meeus 18, Brussels, starts 12.30 and ends 14.30. There will be coffee, but please bring your own sandwiches.

Please confirm your participation by sending a message to: info@springalliance.eu

To: Spring Alliance supporters

Copy: info@springalliance.eu

Dear Spring Alliance supporter,

At our last Spring Alliance high Level conference “Putting People and Planet First: EU Leadership for a social and green strategy post 2010, which took place on 28 September, representatives from civil society entered in debate with President Barroso about the future challenges for the delivery of a sustainable European Agenda for the next decade (see report of the conference on our web-site. It was sent to you by mail end of last year).

Please note that at the moment we have the Manifesto in 6 European languages: Spring Alliance Manifesto.

1. Promotion of the Manifesto: general

Since the Conference several initiatives have been taken to distribute and present the Manifesto further, and to seek the attention from, for example, the Swedish and Spanish Presidencies and Members of the European Parliament, who were in the process of evaluating candidates for the new European Commission.

2. Toolkit for further action

See attached. The debate on the EU 2020 Strategy provides a first opportunity to present our vision for the future strategy of the European Union. In order to keep promoting our objectives both at the European as well as the national level we have developed a tool-kit which you might find useful to plan your own advocacy activities. The toolkit will soon also be put on the member section of the Spring Alliance web-site which is accessible by entering the following pass word: social and user name: sustainable.

3. Consultation on the EU 2020 agenda.

On the 24^th November, the Commission presented a working document on the Future of the EU2020 Strategy (Lisbon) for public consultation. By the time of the deadline, 1500 responses were received. The Spring Alliance Steering Committee presented the Manifesto as such as contribution, and many Alliance supporters sent in individual contributions referring to the Manifesto as well. On the 2^nd of February, the Commission published a summary of responses (see previous link), which was in our view incomplete and biased. Social Platform and EEB already have made a statement about that in the press, and the Spring Alliance as such is preparing a common message on this to the European Council.

If you have not done so yet, can you please send your contribution to us? info@springalliance.eu

4. Going directly to the European Council

The European Council, under the leadership of permanent President Van Rompuy, is taking a pro-active role in the formulation of the EU-2020 Strategy. On the 11^th February the European Council will have an informal meeting to start the debate. The Spring Alliance Steering Group has asked for a meeting with President Van Rompuy to present the Manifesto. No confirmation yet.

5. Catching up with supporters

On the 15^th February the Social Platform will host a lunch meeting (bring your own food) for Spring Alliance supporters to catch up with each other on activities to undertake to promote the Manifesto and further activities in line with this.

12.30 to 14.30

Square de Meeus 18

Brussel 1040

Please announce your participation beforehand through: info@springalliance.eu

6. Calling for a real dialogue between civil society and the European Parliament

The Steering Committee of the Alliance has approached the EP for organizing an “Agora”, or another kind of discussion with civil society organizations before the EP formulates its own opinion about the EU 2020 Strategy before the June European Council takes place. We will keep you updated. It is our intention to involve a wide range of also national trade unions and civil society organizations in this.

7. Changes for the coordination of Spring Alliance

Sabrina Bijlsma, who coordinated the work of the Spring Alliance from the office of the EEB, unfortunately could not continue to do so for 2010, due to financial constraints. So the coordination is now in the hands of four persons, whom will do their best to fill the gap:

For EEB (John): Hontelez@eeb.org

For Social Platform: anne.hoel@socialplatform.org

For ETUC (Anne): apanneels@ETUC.org

For Concord: Meagen.BALDWIN@concordeurope.org