SynCrisis final conference on

‘The needs of public services and their personnel to respond to multiple crises’

December 13th 2024 | hybrid (Brussels, Mix Hotel, Boulevard du Souverain 25, 1170 Banquet room & via Zoom) | 9.30 – 15.30 | Interpretation from/to EN/DE/IT/ES

Register here

As Europe faces an era marked by unprecedented challenges, public services and their personnel have emerged as critical components in managing and mitigating the effects of multiple crises. Whether addressing the impacts of climate change, pandemics, migration, or financial instability, the EU and its Member States rely heavily on the strength and responsiveness of public services. However, these services are often stretched thin, facing significant structural challenges that limit their effectiveness. The SynCrisis project, spearheaded by CESI, aims to examine how public services and their workforce can be better equipped to respond to these crises and provide vital support to European citizens.

The final SynCrisis project conference will spotlight the public sector’s crucial role in responding to ongoing crises. It will present key findings and policy recommendations addressing the challenges faced by public services and their personnel in managing simultaneous crises like health emergencies, economic shocks, and climate events. The conference will gather policymakers, public service professionals, and researchers to explore effective strategies for adapting to these evolving demands. Highlights of the event include two sessions, on social investment in the reform of EU Economic Governance and some policy recommendations on how to better address the needs of public services and their Personnel in the inevitable state of permacrisis.

Panel 1: Social Investment in the Reform of EU Economic Governance: Making the Public Sector Resilient and Responsive to Future Shocks

This panel will examine how social investment and economic governance reforms can enhance public services’ ability to manage future shocks. The following questions will guide the discussion:

• How can public services be better supported and resourced to respond more effectively to multiple, evolving crises?
• What are the prospects for the upcoming discussions on the Multiannual Financial Framework in early 2025, and how could they shape the future of public services?
• How can reforms and investment in Member States be supported to enhance both competitiveness and long-term sustainability?

Panel 2: The Needs of Public Services and Their Personnel to Respond to Multiple Crises

This panel will delve into the critical issues affecting public sector workers, particularly in frontline roles such as healthcare and emergency management such as: understaffing and work overload, the importance of continuous training and skills developments. The panel will answer the following questions:

• How can we address understaffing and work overload in critical public sectors like healthcare, emergency management, education and security? What role should continuous training and skills development play in preparing public sector workers for emerging crises?
• How can collaboration between public services, national governments, and EU institutions be improved to more coordinated crisis response across Member States?

Please register for the event here.

Provisional agenda:

09:30    Introduction

Elizabeth Kuipers, Associate Director and Head of the Social Europe and Well- being programme at the European Policy Centre (moderator)

Welcome address

Romain Wolff, President of CGFP

Marcello Pacifico, President of the Europe Academy of CESI

László Andor, Secretary General of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (tbc)

10:00    Panel 1: Social Investment in the reform of the EU Economic Governance: making the public sector resilient and responsive to future shocks

Lucia Piana, Deputy Head of Unit Fiscal Policy and Surveillance · European Commission

Philipp Lausberg, Senior Policy Analyst in the European Political Economy Programme at the European Policy Centre

Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Danish member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chairwoman of the FISC Subcommittee on Tax Matters (tbc)

Milena Popović Samardžić, President of the Union of Doctors of Medicine of Montenegro

Magalí Brosio, Economist and Project Manager at the Zoe Institute

11:20    Coffee break

11:45    Panel 2: The needs of public services and their personnel to respond to multiple crises

Patrick Fey, Vice-President of CNV Connectief

Volker Geyer, Vice-President of the dbb beamtenbund und tariunion

Dagmara Iwanciw, Secretary of WZZ FO National Board

Francesco Corti, Advisor Belgian Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health (tbc)

Javier Jordán de Urries Sagarna, President of CSIF Justice

13:00    Lunch break

14:00    Public investment in times of fiscal constraints. What way forward?

David Rinaldi, Studies & Policies Director at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (tbc)

Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy (2019-2024) (tbc)

Reinhard Felke, Director for Policy Coordination, Economic Forecasts and Communication, European Commission (tbc)

15.00    Closing remarks

Klaus Heeger, CESI