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It starts with social, environmental, development and employment justice within a transparent democracy: that is the new Spring Alliance Manifesto in a nutshell, as broadly debated last week at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) by the Spring Alliance, along with the democratic groups in the European Parliament.

Jane Morrice, the EESC Vice President, opened the conference stating their support for the Manifesto and its recommendations, and giving examples for each priority that showed how and where the EESC already works on the same wavelength.

The lively debate facilitated by Simon Wilson ranged from democracy and legitimate decision making, to current worrying employment and youth scenarios; from austerity measures and social protection systems, to increasing populism and migration issues across the EU.

The inequality gap between rich and poor is growing alarmingly, worsened by economic policies implemented in recent years. What we first need to do is revise these policies and make the EU more equal and cohesive, through the means of active civil dialogue: these are the Spring Alliance priorities that Mr Swoboda, President of the S&D group, believes should be on top of the political agenda in the next few years. But, as strongly stressed by Mr Schimdt from ALDE party, in order to achieve this, politicians should assume their responsibilities for the crisis and reinstate the principle of legitimacy in a more transparent democracy. Disastrous management of financial and economic matters is the main cause of rising populism and xenophobia, in a period of strong migration (both from outside and within the EU): the example of the Swiss referendum (last February Swiss voters narrowly backed a referendum proposal to bring back strict quotas for immigration from European Union countries) proves that no common position has been taken so far by the member states in order to actually face these problems. What can really help restore the principles of solidarity and democracy is the implementation of concrete employment measures: that is how Mr Amato, responsible for the campaign of Alexis Tsipras for the EC Presidency and MEP candidate himself, reacted, focusing specifically on southern EU countries. “Investments, quality jobs and equality” is also what 50.000 people from all over Europe called for on April 4 in Brussels at the ‘Euro-demonstration' against austerity measures, organised by the European Trade Union Confederation: said Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary. Still referring to employment policies, the existing discrepancy among wage conditions leading to income gaps is something that needs to be tackled too: Ms Lambert from The Greens stressed the importance of looking at the salary ratio between top and bottom earners in order to promote decent wages.

Although there was a general feeling of agreement with the new Manifesto, disagreement on some points was not lacking. Ms Majewski, from European Democrat Students and representing EPP, brought into question the formulation of the Youth Guarantee. Moreover Mr Schmidt argued on the opportunity of introducing a minimum wage: it can either function or not, and other instruments are possible, as the Swedish case shows where minimum wage does not exist.

Representatives from the four organisations’ that make up the Spring Alliance were there to present their contributions to the Manifesto and to show the importance of working closely to bring social, environmental, employment and development issues together in such an Alliance. As Heather Roy, President of Social Platform, said, economic decisions produce social and environmental effects: this cannot be ignored any longer. We need policy coherence in Europe, as well as with regards to the rest of the world: economic, environmental and social policies need to go towards the same direction, putting people and planet first.