The Post-Growth 2018 Conference is part of a series of international events for building dialogue between actors seeking realistic policy alternatives to current economic thinking. It takes place in two parts. First, is a two-day event at the European Parliament starting on 18 September consisting of workshops on urgent topics such as Basic Income, the Future of Work and Trade and Climate.

This will be followed by a half-day wrap-up session on 20 September at ITUH hosted by the ETUC and ETUI which will focus on the shortcomings of the current system and the loopholes in the economic thinking of the European Union's institutions to advance an agenda for sustainable development that is just, fair and democratic.

Gaël Giraud, chief economist, Agence Française de dévelopement will give some introductory remarks on the current economic system and the need to have a more sustainable and social agenda for Europe. A debriefing of the panels which took place on 18^th and 19^th September will be presented and a debate between members of the EU institutions, NGOs, think thanks and the IMF will follow to shed light on the possible futures for Europe in terms of its economy and job creation.

Luca Visentini, Secretary General of the ETUC will conclude the meeting by sharing the trade union perspective for a fair and just transition.

This event, at the initiative of the European parliamentary groups Greens/EFA, S&D, ALDE, GUE/NGL and EPP, is organized by the Free University of Brussels, the European Trade Union Confederation, the European Trade Union Institute, the European Environmental Bureau, Friends of the Earth Europe, the International Degrowth Movement, the Research and Degrowth network, Positive Money, the General Federation of Labour of Belgium, the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions and the Veblen Institute.

For more information: https://www.postgrowth2018.eu/

On 20 September simultaneous interpretation FR/EN will be foreseen.

Programme

Chair: Phillippe Lamberts, MEP, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance

Moderator: Philippe Pochet, General Director, ETUI

8:45 – 9:15     Registration              

9:15 – 9:30      Welcome of participants, Philippe Lamberts, Member of European Parliament, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance

9:30 – 10:15    Keynote speech, Gaël Giraud, Chief economist, Agence Française de développement

10:15 – 10:45  Coffee break              

10-45 – 11:15   Conference Wrap-up, Rapporteurs of the ULB and Research and Degrowth network

11:15 - 12:30    Debate Panellists

European institution: Karl Pichelmann, Senior advisor, DG Economic and Financial affairs, EC

Think tank: Sotiria Theodoropoulou, Head of Unit, ETUI

Civil society: Aurore Lalucq, Co-Director, Veblen Insitute (tbc) Hugo de Sousa, INET Economics

University: Giorgos Kallis, Professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona

IFI: Jeffrey Franks, Director, IMF Europe

12:30 – 13:00  A trade union perspective, Luca Visentini General Secretary, ETUC