Registration opens for landmark conference on the transition to sustainable societies: EU5P

[29 January 2014] BRUSSELS – Olivier De Schutter is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Francqui International Conference on "Europe's Fifth Project" (EU5P), taking place on 8-9 May 2014 at the Palais des Académies in Brussels. Those interested in attending are invited to consult the full programme, which is now available.

The EU5P conference will discuss new ways to measure progress, new modes of living, producing and consuming, and new, transitional governance tools that can serve Europe’s transition to sustainable societies. Olivier De Schutter, on convening the conference, said : “A genuine transition in the way we produce and consume is the only true path to sustainability. But it must be accompanied by a transition in the way we govern.”

The event will bring together leading thinkers, policy-makers, and civil society representatives, on the eve of the European elections. Confirmed speakers include Philippe Maystadt, Minister of State and former President of the European Investment Bank; Rob Hopkins, the initiator of the Transition Network; Jacques Attali, founder of PlaNetFinance and former Head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, whose book "The Spirit Level" had such an impact in drawing our attention to the need to address growing inequalities; Frank Vandenbroucke and Anton Hemerijck, the intellectual godfathers of the social investment package adopted by the European Commission in 2013; Charles Sabel and Jonathan Zeitlin, the leading thinkers on democratic experimentalism; Pascal Lamy, former Director General of the World Trade Organization; Henri Malosse, President of the European Economic and Social Committee; Edgar Morin, whose work on complexity has influenced generations of social activists; Bernadette Segol, Secretary-General of the European Trade Union Confederation; Jorgo Riss, Head of the Greenpeace EU Unit; Thierry Philipponnat, Head of Finance Watch; and Arnaud Zacharie, Secretary-General of CNCD-11.11.11.

See the full programme.

Register for the conference.

Find out more about EU5P.

Read the op ed in New Europe: Back to growth, or forward to sustainability?

The Francqui International Conference 2014 is organized with the support of the Francqui Prize. The most prestigious scientific prize in Belgium, the Francqui Prize is awarded by the Francqui Foundation every three years in the field of the social sciences and the humanities. It was awarded in 2013 to professor Olivier De Schutter for his contribution to the advancement of EU law, the theory of governance, and human rights law.