A Word from the President on May 9th: What Europe Do We Want for Tomorrow?

On May 9th, we celebrate Europe.

But celebrating Europe shouldn't just be about honouring a flag or looking back at our shared history. It’s an opportunity to remind ourselves of what Europe actually means for the people who work, live, and build its prosperity every single day.

Here in Luxembourg, we live this European reality. Residents and cross-border commuters from countless backgrounds work together in an open, multilingual, and deeply interconnected country. This diversity is our strength, and it is one of the most powerful examples of the European project in action. Yet, this everyday Europe is facing serious challenges: the cost of living, the housing crisis, pressure at work, the rise of AI, restructuring, and economic uncertainty. In the face of these realities, Europe cannot simply be an economic market. It must remain a social promise.

For ALEBA, a strong Europe is one that protects its workforce. It’s a Europe that guarantees decent working conditions, meaningful social dialogue, respected unions, and a transition that leaves no one behind. You cannot build progress against your employees. Innovation and corporate competitiveness are only sustainable if they are balanced with social justice, training, and respect.

This Europe Day, ALEBA proudly reaffirms its commitment to the European project, but we also raise our expectations: Europe must be democratic, social, and human.

It must value the contribution of every worker, resident, or commuter. It must ensure that everyone can live with dignity from their work. It must treat social dialogue as the foundation of its future, not just a box to check. Europe won’t survive just through institutions or ceremonies. It lives in our workplaces, our salaries, our housing, and the respect shown to the people who keep it moving forward every day.

This is the Europe ALEBA will keep fighting for: a Europe that is strong because it is fair, sustainable because it is social, and credible because it truly protects its workers.

Roberto Mendolia
President of ALEBA