The weight of strengthening cohesion to depolarise societies falls on the shoulders of civil society organisations, who have the strength and the motivation to protect civic and democratic spaces. This was the key message from Civil Society Week, hosted for a second year by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to discuss the alarming trend of widespread polarisation across EU societies.
The European Citizens’ Initiative has proved to be an effective tool for increasing citizens’ participation in the political life of the EU. But it must be reinforced to counter the risk of the EU institutions becoming detached from ordinary Europeans.
More than 800 participants from citizens' organisations and stakeholders across Europe, including youth organisations, NGOs and journalists, are joining the Civil Society Week, held by the European Economic and Social Committee from 17-20 March 2025. The opening session signalled the protection of the civic space through legal action, reaffirming the key role of civil societies: hold power accountable, build bridges, support social resilience and give a voice to those who are too often ignored.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) are under attack across Europe and America. The EU must act now to defend them and safeguard democracy. At its plenary debate on the International Day of NGOs, the European Economic and Social Committee sent out a clear message: CSOs are democracy’s frontline defenders. With funding cuts threatening their survival, the EU must take immediate action to protect and support them.
At its February plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted a debate on the political priorities of the current presidency of the Council of the European Union, which started in January and will continue until June 2025.
Despite progress in gender equality, millions of women across Europe still face violence, discrimination and barriers to equal opportunities. From under-representation in leadership to the alarming rise in gender-based violence, urgent action is needed. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) High-Level Forum on Women’s Rights brought together leading voices to address these pressing issues and outline key priorities ahead of the upcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women session.
Expanding across borders in the EU means navigating a maze of conflicting VAT rules and paperwork, driving up costs. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, face disproportionate compliance burdens, making it harder to scale up and compete. To cut red tape and boost competitiveness, the EESC calls for urgent reforms in two opinions adopted during its February plenary, building on the Letta and Draghi reports. Proposals include harmonised financial regulations, AI-driven reporting and a coordinated industrial policy.
This year, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is awarding its flagship Civil Society Prize to non-profit projects dedicated to combating the harmful polarisation of European society.
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world of work at an unprecedented pace, bringing both opportunities and challenges for workers, businesses and policymakers. On 3 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a joint high-level conference entitled ‘Social Justice in the Digital Era: AI’s Impact on work and society’, gathering over 300 experts, policymakers and social partners and civil society representatives to discuss how AI can contribute to inclusive labour markets, decent work and social justice.
