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This study aims to outline the most significant features of the national economic and social councils of the Member States of the European Union in the light of the doctoral thesis defended by the author at the Catholic University of Murcia (Spain).

The participants at the high level conference, which took place on 15 May, were convinced that the enlargement of the EU, and in particular the spread of its democratic values and legal standards to the Western Balkan region, was in the interest of both the Western Balkan countries and the EU. Promoting EU values in the region guarantees security and stability, enhances social and economic development, as well as democracy and the rule of law in these countries which in turn means stability and security for the EU.

This year's Civil Society Days will take place right after the plenary session at which the European Economic and Social Committee celebrates its 60th anniversary. The focus of this Civil Society Days will be on fostering the current debate about the future of Europe and on highlighting the role across Europe of the civil society organisations which come together in the EESC to represent "Europe at work". In line with this twofold emphasis, the CivSocDays 2018 will address Europe at work in relation to a dimension which has permeated our everyday working and living environment and will affect and shape our future, as well as the future of Europe: the digital world.

There is a need to strike a balance in protecting consumers' rights and the responsibilities of digital service providers at the European level. By now consumer rights in the context of the digitization of the economy have been rather underestimated at the expense of the development of the digital economy. This is the common position reached by the participants in the discussion "Digital Economy: Benefits for Consumers" organized by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Bulgarian Economic and Social Council (ESC).