It was Open Doors Day at the European Union’s institutions today. Once again, the European Economic and Social Committee, the house of organised civil society, enthusiastically threw its doors open to the public, led by the presence all day of President Staffan Nilsson and Vice-President Anna Maria Darmanin. The day is organised on a strictly voluntary basis but, as the photograph shows (taken just before the doors opened), a lot of members and staff turned up to greet the public and to man the various stalls and attractions. Our new Very Important Polinators, the honey bees on the roof, were on display, via a remote camera and a screen, and were a popular fixture throughout the day. The doors opened at ten and closed at six. By then, we calculate, over three thousand people had visited us. The teamwork between members and staff, the good atmosphere and the general enthusiasm and smiles on faces once again showed the European Economic and Social Committee at its best.