EESC President

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted two opinions at its May plenary, emphasising the crucial role of cohesion policy – the EU’s primary funding instrument for regional development – in future enlargements. The EESC calls for, among others, compliance tools to be included in accession treaties to address potential post-accession challenges, such as emigration and rule of law concerns.

At its May plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called on the EU institutions to include young people’s views in EU policies on a regular and systematic basis. With just one week left until the European elections, the EESC has stepped up its own youth engagement by urging youth organisations to take part in the EESC Youth Test. Designed to strengthen the voice of young people in policy making, the "EESC Youth Test" call for applications will be open until 30 June.

EESC President Oliver Röpke participated today (24 May) in the conference on "Continuing the success story of EU enlargement - Bringing benefits to the Western Balkans in advance of accession" alongside Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Luka Mesec and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu.

20 years after the accession of Slovenia to the EU, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) gathered political and civil society leaders in Ljubljana to mark this symbolic anniversary, underlining the fundamental benefits of EU membership and reaffirming that the future of the Western Balkan region lies in the European Union. Speaking at the conference, EESC President Oliver Röpke stressed the EESC's continuous support to the gradual integration of the Western Balkan region in the European Union, announcing the 'Civil Society Enlargement Summit' in Brussels on 19 September.