EXPRESS<sp>2</sp> Workshops: Where Theory Meets Practice in Forging Europe's Social Contract

From theoretical frameworks to stakeholder engagement, our workshops form a key part of EXPRESS2's collaborative approach to creating Europe's new social contract. Through two distinct yet complementary streams — co-creation sessions with researchers and collaborative workshops with civil society — we ensure that every voice contributes to shaping our shared European future. These intensive sessions have taken us on a journey from ancient Greek philosophy to contemporary climate justice, and from digital sovereignty to democratic legitimacy, building the foundations for meaningful dialogue about the social contract across Europe.

Co-creation Workshops: Building the Theoretical Foundation

Our co-creation workshops have focused on strengthening the academic backbone of EXPRESS2's research. These sessions bring together project researchers and external stakeholders to refine our theoretical approach and ensure our findings translate into actionable insights.

  • Transfer of Concepts Workshop (September 2024) laid the groundwork by exploring social contract theory from its ancient origins through contemporary critiques. Led by Dr. Antoni Abat i Ninet, this session helped researchers across work packages apply theoretical frameworks to analyse how disruptive elements—from populism to digitalisation—impact the EU social contract.
  • Theoretical Framework Workshop (November 2024) took these concepts further, debating the format and content of our draft EU social contract. The key conclusion: an open-ended approach that invites rather than limits participation from EU inhabitants and institutions.
  • Climate Justice Workshop (May 2025) brought together CLIMA researchers and policy experts to examine how environmental policies can support a fairer social contract. From Belgium's Just Transition Framework to workers' rights in the green transition, these discussions are shaping how we address climate-related stressors.

Collaborative Workshops: Engaging Civil Society

Parallel to our academic work, our partners from the European Movement International (EMI) has been leading collaborative workshops designed to gather feedback from civil society stakeholders on our draft social contract.

  • Kick-off Workshop (March 2025) in Brussels launched this engagement process, bringing together CSOs and policymakers to discuss democracy, climate change, and digitalisation. This foundational session established the collaborative framework for ongoing dialogue.
  • Digitalisation and Inclusion Workshop (May 2025) at the Democracy Alive festival in Texel focused on digital rights, data privacy, and EU digital sovereignty—gathering citizen insights that directly inform our social contract recommendations.

Looking Ahead

These workshops are much more than just academic exercises; they are laboratories in which Europe's future social contract is being tested, improved and strengthened through genuine collaboration. Further co-creation workshops are planned to deepen our theoretical understanding, and additional collaborative sessions are being scheduled to engage diverse voices from civil society across Europe.

Keep an eye on our newsletter and social media for announcements about upcoming events and opportunities to contribute to the development of Europe's new social contract.