The forum

In line with the ILO's (International Labor Organization) Just Transition Guidelines, social dialogue was an important factor in launching a just transition policy. This is why consulting and involving organised civil society in the Conference preparation was one of the main focuses of the General Estates.

The first phase of the Forum's work, in late 2022, involved sending out a questionnaire to 125 organisations (trade unions, employers' associations, North-South organisations, environmental organisations, anti-poverty organisations) to find out the concerns, wishes, ideas and experiences of a wide range of organised civil society players with regard to the challenges facing Belgium in the context of a just transition. 

This led to the identification of priority issues corresponding to four fundamental human needs: food and agriculture, housing, healthcare and mobility.  

In March 2023, round-table discussions on these major issues took place over two days. Each theme was analysed in terms of specific governance levers: employment, education and training, financing and investment, resources and energy, gender, poverty reduction and international solidarity. Organised civil society organisation were therefore invited to take part in a discussion on each of these priority issues. 

These memorandums and collaborative working days enabled organised civil society to write recommendations for achieving a sustainable society in 2050 while respecting the right to food, mobility, housing and access to healthcare.