Jun. 23, 2026
SGI Day - Key takeaways and next steps for the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay
On Tuesday 23 June 2026, SGI Europe organised its annual SGI Day at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels, bringing together representatives from the EU institutions, social partners and key stakeholders to discuss how Services of General Interest can support the operationalisation of the Freedom to Stay across Europe.
The discussion gathered a wide variety of stakeholders, from EU Institutions representatives to local and regional authorities and SGI providers. This was the occasion to take stock of the progress achieved by the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay and explore how to move from political recognition to concrete delivery on the ground.
We were honoured to hear inspirational keynotes from Roxana Minzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs, and Preparedness. Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Sandra Parthie, President of the EESC Employers’ Group, Ingbert Liebing, SGI Europe President, and Vincenzo Matano, Head of Cabinet of the EC EVP Raffaele Fitto, also delivered uplifting introductory remarks, putting the event on the right track.
The opening panel focused on streamlining the Freedom to Stay in EU policies, with contributions from MEP Camilla Laureti, Joanna Makowiecka-Gatza, SGI Europe Vice-President, Alberto Mazzola, CER Executive Director, and Daniel Wisniewski, EFEE General Secretary. The discussion highlighted the need to align this agenda with the next MFF, the future Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights, the implementation of the Anti-Poverty Strategy, cohesion policy and the preparedness and resilience agenda. Only through such streamlining can the EU ensure consistency between its political objectives, regulatory frameworks and investment priorities.
The second panel examined how to deliver the Freedom to Stay on the ground through investment and governance, with contributions from Botond Szebeny, PostEurop Secretary General, Sylvie Slangen, HOSPEEM General Secretary and Yuri Santagostino, SGI Europe Vice-President. The discussion underlined the importance of both multilevel governance and territorial partnerships in ensuring accessible, affordable and high-quality SGIs across all territories.
MEP Maravillas Abadia Jover and Philippe Laurent, SGI Europe Vice-President, closed the session by calling for the strengthening and broadening of the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay to ensure SGIs are seen as instrumental to the completion of the EU Single Market.
SGI Europe will continue to build up the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay and advance Freedom to Stay as a policy framework that supports competitiveness, strengthens territorial cohesion, and ensures that people can truly remain and thrive in their communities.