The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions and information reports a year.
It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize, the Civil Society Days, the Your Europe, Your Say youth plenary and the ECI Day.
Here you can find news and information about the EESC'swork, including its social media accounts, the EESC Info newsletter, photo galleries and videos.
The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation. The EESC's326 Members are organised into three groups: Employers, Workers and Various Interests.
The EESC has six sections, specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union, ranging from social to economic affairs, energy, environment, external relations or the internal market.
At its April plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) discussed the Talent Mobility Package. This initiative comprises a series of new measures designed to make the Union more attractive to talent from outside the EU, and to facilitate mobility within it.
Ten percent of women live in dire poverty. One in three women face violence. With a growing backlash against women's rights, unwavering commitment from both institutions and civil society is vital. A debate at the EESC plenary session underscored the need to keep up support for the fight for gender equality.
The new interinstitutional Ethics Body will bring together eight EU institutions and is expected to strengthen integrity, transparency, and accountability in the European decision-making process.
The European Commission’s Defence of Democracy package was the subject of a debate at the April EESC plenary session. Members of the EESC have expressed reservations about its timing and approach, particularly for addressing foreign influence. The EESC argued that the package is not only ineffective, but could harm civic spaces in Europe.
At the European Economic and Social Committee’s April plenary, Maive Rute, the Commission’s Deputy Director-General for Internal Market, and Oliver Röpke, EESC President, highlighted that strengthening the EU’s competitiveness is key to increasing the growth and well-being of our economy and society.
Today, EESC marks the first year in office of President Oliver Röpke, who was elected in April 2023, alongside Vice-Presidents Laurenţiu Plosceanu and Krzysztof Pater. Since then, the EESC has launched several landmark initiatives, including progressively integrating EU candidate countries, empowering youth, and advocating for gender equality. Committed to transforming the EESC into a unique gateway between citizens, civil society and the EU institutions, President Röpke will continue to work together with EESC Members to advance the reform agenda towards a more inclusive, transparent and equal EESC.
This year, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP), an initiative jointly developed and hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), joined forces with the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council and the Finland-based World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) for its flagship conference on 15 and 16 April at the Square, the Brussels Convention Centre.
La 18e réunion du comité consultatif mixte (CCM) UE-Monténégro, qui s’est tenue aujourd’hui à Podgorica, a permis d’envoyer un message clair aux institutions de l’UE: le Monténégro est fermement résolu à devenir le 28e membre de l’Union d’ici à 2028. Les membres du CCM encouragent leurs organisations, les autorités nationales et les institutions de l’UE à ne ménager aucun effort pour respecter les critères provisoires en matière d’état de droit. L’obtention, d’ici juin, du rapport d’évaluation de ces critères constituera un tournant dans le processus d’adhésion à l’Union et permettra de clore provisoirement d’autres chapitres.
Le Comité économique et social européen (CESE), à la demande de la présidence belge du Conseil de l’UE, a présenté une série de recommandations cruciales visant à renforcer la cohésion sociale, à gérer l’endettement et à donner la priorité aux investissements dans la santé et l’emploi partout en Europe. Le CESE s’est déclaré préoccupé par le fait que des budgets trop serrés pourraient ralentir les progrès dans la lutte contre la pauvreté et le changement climatique.
Compte tenu du déclin que subit la démocratie dans le monde entier, de la prolifération de la désinformation et de l’insatisfaction croissante dans un contexte d’inflation et de menace de guerre imminente, l’élection du nouveau Parlement européen constitue un enjeu primordial.