The Spring Alliance is a broad-based movement pushing for an EU that places people and planet at the centre of policymaking. It was established by four leading civil society organisations – the European Environmental Bureau, the European Trade Union Confederation, Social Platform and Concord – and is composed of groups and individuals from civil society and beyond. The conference brought together EU decision makers with Spring Alliance supporters for an exchange of views on a sustainable European future. Speakers included Stavros Dimas, EU Commissioner for Environment, representatives from the European Parliament and, for the Swedish Presidency, Ola Alterå, State Secretary to the Minister for Enterprise and Energy. The Spring Alliance launched its Manifesto at the conference, with the goal of influencing the five-year EU strategy that will be decided at the European Council Spring Summit in March 2010.

The document puts forward concrete policy proposals such as:
 Using progress measurement tools that go beyond GDP, including indicators on poverty levels, equality, natural resource use and ecosystem pressures
 A harmonisation of capital gains taxation to avoid fiscal, social and environmental dumping at European and international levels
 A detailed European biodiversity rescue plan
 Annual and binding timetables to reach a target of 0.7% of Gross National Income in Official Development Aid

President Barroso, who recently pledged “a stronger focus on the social dimension in Europe at all levels of decision making”, addressed conference participants from all corners of civil society. He stated: "The Europe I believe in is a Europe of ambition, defending and promoting the European interest with vigour, a Europe of values and a Europe that puts people at the heart of the agenda. The EU represents a real plus for Europeans as they try to build a better future, and allows them to shape the world we live in with confidence.”

Mikael Karlsson, President, European Environmental Bureau, said: "We call for concrete and bold action towards a sustainable agenda for the EU that ensures consumption and production patterns change, giving maximum benefit to people and the environment. Simply put: the new Commission must propose policies for doing more with less."

John Monks, General Secretary, European Union Trade Confederation, added: "Now, we need a new EU social deal, assertive on social and employment policy, comprising: more effective EU financial regulation of financial institutions, more coordination on fiscal policy, better protection for the precariously employed, a new European industrial strategy; a rapid, fair and social transition towards a low carbon economy and energetic EU leadership at the Copenhagen conference; and a new emphasis on equality and respect for public services."

Conny Reuter, President, Social Platform, said: “We appreciate that President Barroso committed to a Europe that puts people at the heart of the agenda. For us, this means abandoning the current strategy based on only competition and growth in favour of policies that effectively fight poverty and discrimination and develop the European Social Model – rather than undermine the EU’s social protection systems and public services. We expect that President Barroso really will put people and planet first when drafting the future strategy of the EU and will propose concrete steps.”

Justin Kilcullen, President of CONCORD, the European NGO confederation for Relief and Development, stated: “Now is the time for a deep questioning of the current European model, a model which is founded on strong economic growth, uneven distribution of wealth and excessive exploitation of natural resources. We are also calling for the reform of global economic governance to give developing countries real