To celebrate Bulgaria's accession to the euro zone, the ECO section organises a public debate to discuss Bulgaria's road to the euro, its prospects as part of the common currency area, and the outlook for the euro area in a world of geopolitical challenges, inflationary pressures and economic uncertainties.
This debate will bring representatives from public actors and civil society to discuss on their views on the Commission proposal to further integrate capital markets and how to make it fit for purpose.
The opinion is being elaborated as an exploratory opinion at the request of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The hearing will examine how organised civil society contributes to implementing reforms within the framework of EU’s Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans and the Ukraine Facility.
First session will feature insights from Brussels based stakeholders, offering perspectives from EU-level actors engaged in the region. The following session will be a discussion with stakeholders from the countries concerned that will provide on the ground viewpoints from civil society representatives and practitioners directly involved in reform processes.
Room JDE63, JDE building, Rue Belliard 99-101, 1040
Brussels
Belgium
The EESC will hold a public hearing to examine the recently adopted LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030. The event will bring diverse stakeholders to discuss opportunities and challenges in implementing the strategy’s actions, enforcement of anti-discrimination norms, and strategies to ensure that EU policy frameworks meaningfully foster the Union of Equality. Key questions will focus on mainstreaming LGBTIQ+ equality, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, mechanisms for Member State engagement, and strategies for bridging gaps between EU-level and national practices.
As part of its ongoing work on generational renewal in agriculture, the European Economic and Social Committee’s Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT) will hold a dedicated debate on youth in agrifood systems during its meeting on 28 January 2026 from 16:00 to 17:15.
602nd Plenary session, with the following debates and guests: Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of Cyprus; Lucilla Sioli, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Office at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT), Max Reddel, Advanced AI Director at the Centre for Future Generations, and Andrea Renda, Director of Research at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS); Irena Moozová, Deputy Director-General of the EC’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST), Mary Collins, Secretary-General of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), Abir Al-Sahlani, Member of the EP's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality and Nika Kovač, representative of the European Citizens’ Initiative My Voice, My Choice: for safe and accessible abortion. Web streaming
The EU and the Viet Nam Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), established under the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, will meet in a "DAG-to-DAG meeting" on 20 January 2026. The event will start with a workshop on EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), discussing consequences for SMEs and farmers and how to navigate in this area.
