During a meeting of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Warsaw, Polish Undersecretary of State Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka outlined the political direction for Poland’s upcoming rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will take place from January to June 2025. The central theme of the Presidency is “security,” which will be structured around seven key pillars: external security, energy, economic stability, food security, climate action, health, and information.
This comprehensive approach will tackle Europe’s most pressing challenges during Poland’s six-month Presidency. In her address at the extraordinary EESC Bureau meeting held in Warsaw on 19 November, Sobkowiak-Czarnecka emphasised the commitment to developing a strategy that harmonises climate goals with economic competitiveness, ensuring that these two priorities do not conflict.
“Security is our motto, and this will be the focus of our presidency; however, this catalogue of pillars is not closed,” she said. ‘We will be very open to dialogue, and security will also relate to civil society and increasing citizens’ resilience. For this reason, we will set up two committees within the Prime Minister’s office to constantly listen to NGOs and entrepreneurs.”
The EESC president, Oliver Röpke, highlighted the critical importance of reimagining security in a world of rapid change and complex challenges.
“From safeguarding our physical and digital landscapes to protecting the values that unite us as Europeans, it is clear that security is not merely a defensive posture; it is a proactive commitment to resilience, cooperation, and trust,” he said.
“Poland’s upcoming Presidency comes at a time when Europe is facing many challenges but also many opportunities. We look forward to supporting the Polish Presidency’s work, for example, through the requested exploratory opinions, in order to advance our shared European goals,” he added.
The Polish EU Presidency will focus on external and military security, addressing the war in Ukraine, supporting the ‘East Shield’, and strengthening the European defence industry. It aims to reduce dependency on external sources, accelerate the energy transition with European technologies, and lower costs, thus targeting energy security.
The Presidency will also address economic security, support the EU’s financial framework reform, increase funds for beneficiaries, and promote regional empowerment.
Bridging agriculture and climate goals while ensuring competitiveness will strengthen food and climate security. Enhancing EU independence in medicine production and addressing youth mental health challenges will advance health security. Finally, combating disinformation, improving cybersecurity, and addressing the impact of virtual reality on mental health will address the crucial issue of information security.
Preparing for the AI era
Poland’s commitment to artificial intelligence reflects the key messages from a conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 18 November. The event featured sessions on the labour market in the digital era and the inclusive nature of the digital revolution. Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, the Polish Minister for Family, Labour, and Social Policy, stressed the need to prepare for technological changes through reskilling and adopting European regulations. Aleksandra Przegalińska-Skierkowska, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation at the Koźmiński University in Warsaw, emphasised the importance of collaborative artificial intelligence in helping rather than replacing workers. She noted that AI users often report higher job satisfaction but raised concerns about future leadership in AI development. EESC president Röpke pointed out that while digital transformation offers great opportunities, it also poses significant social challenges that the EU had to address in order to build an inclusive future for all.
‘The digital transformation offers profound opportunities, but requires us to act thoughtfully to ensure it benefits all. By prioritising education, well-being, access, and fairness, we can shape a future where technology enhances, rather than divides, our society,” Röpke stated.
