Jacques Delors: commemorating a great European leader

With the passing away of Jacques Delors, former President of the European Commission, CEC European Managers commemorates a great European leader. With vision and dedication to European unity, Delors had been a driving force of the Single Market, European social dialogue, and the Erasmus programme. In its process of becoming an official European social partner, CEC had convinced Delors to recognise the specific representation of managers at EU-level.

Jacques Delors and former CEC President Henry Bordes-Pagès

“Jacques Delors was a driving force of the Union we know today. We commemorate him as a visionary European leader with great merit for economic and social integration, including European social dialogue.” Maxime Legrand, President

Jacques Delors has passed away at the age of 98. Commission President from 1985 to 1995, he has made important contributions to the construction of the European Union. His vision was a Europe of ever-greater integration. Notably, he has promoted the establishment of the Single Market, the European social fund, the Schengen area, the Erasmus exchange programme, as well as the creation of the European social dialogue that CEC is part of since 1993.

As a leader and trade unionist, he believed in the uniqueness of humans that are integrated into society through their social links. He was convinced that a greater good can be achieved when people can engage as part of a common mission. As a politician, he has been able to gather momentum for a greater EU-integration at an important phase of change with the end of the Soviet era. Today, as Europe is challenged again on many fronts, his example leaves leaders inspired.