“Taxes, taxes, taxes – all the rest is bullshit”, Dutch historian Rutger Bregman said in a Davos panel in 2019, when asked for an effective recipe to combat poverty and inequality. And the 2023 Oxfam report “Survival of the Richest”, published on the occasion of the opening of the World Economic Forum (WEF) today, bemoans that “extreme wealth and extreme poverty have increased simultaneously for the first time in 25 years”.

The WEF itself, in its 2023 Global Risks Report, concludes that we are facing “a particularly disruptive period in human history. The return to a ‘new normal’ following the COVID-19 pandemic was quickly disrupted by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, ushering in a fresh series of crises in food and energy – triggering problems that decades of progress had sought to solve”.

Yes, the world is on the threshold of a very risky new era. After years of shattering changes, humanity is looking for normality and stability, for stronger safety nets – to overcome difficulties, to tackle transitions, to create more social justice – and not least military safety.

With the motto “Safer, Greener, Freer”, the new Swedish Presidency of the Council of Ministers puts the environment and safety at the core of its priorities for its term during the first half of 2023. Security, competitiveness, green and energy transitions, democratic values and the rule of law will be key policy areas of the EU Presidency for this semester, with the aim to support the EU economic model for long-term sustainable growth.

In the same vein, the work programme of the European Commission for 2023 sets out the next steps towards a sustainable recovery from the recent crises and presents legislative proposals that will allow the EU to implement the Green Deal, enhance its digital transformation, create a more attractive investment environment, strengthen its voice in the world and protect the rule of law and democracy.

In terms of social policy and employment, unfortunately, neither the European Commission nor the Swedish Council Presidency foresee any new major initiative.

As such, CESI has the responsibility to do everything possible to flag the importance of social cohesion and workers’ needs and demands on the top of Europe’s political agenda. For 2023, our focus will lie on the promotion of decent working conditions, safety at work, socially friendly transitions, the skilling of workforces, strong public services, young trade union talents, social public procurement, and not least the defense of what we call ‘freedom’ – something we need to strongly revalue since February 24^th, 2022.

All the best to you, to all of us, for this new challenging year!