The European Union has placed security and defence among its top strategic priorities, launching unprecedented initiatives to strengthen its military and industrial capabilities. Defence spending in particular is reaching record levels across the EU and beyond. But what does this shift mean for Europe’s social model and economic cohesion? What role should trade unions and workers’ associations play in supporting peace and social justice in this evolving landscape?
To explore these crucial questions, EZA and its member organisation ACLI (Christian Associations of Italian Workers) invite you to a joint Snack Debate with Luca Jahier, former President of the European Economic and Social Committee (2018–2020) and current President of the EESC study group on defence-related investments in the EU budget.
Key topics we'll explore:
- The EU’s strategy to boost defence spending: impact on national budgets, social investment, fiscal rules, and common borrowing
- The impact of defence spending on employment, regional economies, industrial transformation, and innovation
- The role of trade unions and worker organisations in standing up for peace and social justice in a rearming Europe
- Date: 26 June 2025
- Time: 12:00 – 13:00 CEST
- Hybrid: ACV-CSC BIE, Rue Royale 45, 1000 Brussels | Also online
- Languages: Italian with English interpretation
