ESU Annual Report 2023
Online
Our ESU 2023 Annual Report is available
On 12 July 2023, Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department, addressed our participants of the Leuven ESU Summer Academy “Let’s turn challenges into opportunities for all generations”.
Patrick Penninckx presented on ensuring a sustainable, people-centered, and human rights-based approach to the challenges of the digital environment. The role of the EU and the Council of Europe in this regard was highlighted. The Reykjavik summit, which took place in May 2023, was discussed as a historic gathering that aimed to strengthen democracy, enhance legal cooperation, and address social and health questions. Trust in politicians was generally seen as lacking in terms of trustworthiness and competence. You can find his presentation here.
The discussants, Julia Wadoux from the AGE platform Europe and Eline Chivot, a senior policy advisor for the EPP party, shared their insights. Wadoux emphasized the positive aspects of aging and the need to combat ageism. Chivot highlighted the importance of technology as a topic, focusing on fairness, jobs, administrative burdens, sustainability, privacy, data protection, and consent. It was mentioned that the EU plays a significant regulatory role in these areas.
The discussion concluded by acknowledging the need to protect human rights, address social and health questions, and prioritize education and external relations. Observer states and international organizations were also mentioned as important considerations.
The Q&A session allowed for further exploration of the discussed topics and provided an opportunity for clarification and additional insights.