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.
The Presidency of the EESC's Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group (FRRL) is deeply concerned about the imminent risk of extradition from Serbia to Belarus of journalist Andrey Gnyot (Андрей Гнёт).
President Oliver Röpke and EESC members participated in the 2024 Euro-Mediterranean Summit of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions, a pivotal event held in Malta on June 18-19. The summit gathered around 120 participants, including representatives of a wide range of CSOs from the Euro-Mediterranean region, EU and MENA government representatives, guest speakers, and representatives from embassies.
On 11-12 June 2024, the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law (FRRL) Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) concluded a two-day visit to Bucharest. This visit gave the opportunity to the group of six EESC Members to hear civil society representatives about key trends in Romania concerning fundamental rights of social partners, freedoms of association and assembly, freedom of expression (including media freedom), the right to non-discrimination, and the rule of law.
In a bid to lead in climate action, the European Commission has recommended a target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) supported this move during its May plenary by adopting an opinion on EU climate target for 2040. The opinion outlines steps to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, aligning with scientific consensus to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has given a cautious green light to Europe’s revamped defence strategy in three opinions, all emphasising the need for a long-term, strategic approach. However, concerns linger about its financial viability and public buy-in.
Face à la progression alarmante du nombre de cancers et de décès liés à cette pathologie partout dans l’Union, le Comité économique et social européen (CESE) demande qu’une attention particulière soit accordée aux mesures qui s’imposent dans la prévention de cette maladie, sachant qu’environ 40 % des cas de cancer sont considérés comme évitables.
L’Union européenne se doit de réduire ses dépendances stratégiques dans des secteurs sensibles comme la santé et les technologies critiques, pour qu’un nombre croissant de patients, sur tout son territoire, aient la possibilité de bénéficier de la médecine nucléaire pour le diagnostic et le traitement des cancers.
À un mois à peine des élections européennes, le Comité économique et social européen (CESE) met en garde les autorités européennes quant à la nécessité urgente de lutter contre la désinformation afin de préserver la démocratie. Un journalisme indépendant et de qualité, évoluant au sein d’un système pluraliste et florissant, demeure le premier rempart contre les campagnes malveillantes et les fausses informations.
On 9 May, President Röpke celebrated Europe Day in Madrid at an event on "The future of the EU social agenda". Organised by the Spanish Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, the event gathered many prominent speakers. In his intervention, President Röpke underlined that social dialogue is a cornerstone of our European social model and democratic values.
À la demande de la Commission européenne, le CESE a adopté un avis sur la nouvelle facilité pour les réformes et la croissance pour les Balkans occidentaux. Le plan de croissance aidera les Balkans occidentaux à accélérer la coopération économique régionale. C’est la première fois que l’Union européenne se concentre sur le développement économique et la convergence socio-économique dans la région.