On 7 October, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a conference on homelessness and ways of eradicating it by 2030 through the principle of 'housing first' and a plethora of different support measures for people without permanent homes. Jointly organised with the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), the conference brought together European institutions, civil society representatives and experts, as well as people who had directly experienced homelessness.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a conference on the prospects for the European economy in times of crisis. The event gathered high-level policy-makers, civil society representatives and economic researchers to see how the EU can tackle new dilemmas posed by low-growth prospects and record-high levels of inflation. All agreed that the war in Ukraine has only aggravated trends that have been going on for years. The main takeaways of the event were that fiscal policies need to be revised, that supporting productive investment amidst difficulties is key, and that vulnerable businesses and households need more public support.
On 26 September, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a conference on the latest European Commission's Rule of Law Report. The event brought together civil society representatives and EU institutions to discuss key developments in the field of the rule of law in Europe and ways to ensure that the recommendations made in the EC's Report result in tangible improvements in Member States. It was also the opportunity to present the report synthetising the outcomes of the country visits carried out by the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group in 2020-2021.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has announced its winners in the first ever EU Organic Awards, co-organised with the European Commission and other partners to reward excellence along the European organic value chain.
At the EESC plenary debate with Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, the EESC reiterated its unwavering support for a European Health Union. It urged the Commission to be ambitious in the implementation of the new European care strategy, which aims to ensure that each and every European has access to affordable and high-quality healthcare
The recent crises, together with the colossal economic and social challenges of our time, threaten the principle of decent work. At its September plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted an opinion on Decent Work Worldwide calling for stakeholders involvement, consumer social responsibility, and effective global regulatory frameworks.
A debate on challenges and prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the measures for SMEs announced in the State of the Union address and discussed EESC proposals to make business transfers easier amid concern over their growing number.
Na plenárním zasedání EHSV se diskutovalo o tom, jak roste význam organizované občanské společnosti a měst, neboť ovlivňují schopnost Evropy čelit asymetrickým otřesům a neočekávaným krizím. Tato debata proběhla v souvislosti s přijetím dvou stanovisek: stanoviska k flexibilní pomoci územím (FAST-CARE) a stanoviska k Lublaňské dohodě týkající se městské agendy EU. Výbor obě iniciativy vítá, ale domnívá se, že se míjejí účinkem a nejsou schopny odpovídajícím způsobem posílit postavení organizované občanské společnosti a zapojit ji do úsilí o dosažení odolnosti v Evropě. Klíčovým opatřením, které EHSV navrhuje, je vytvořit zvláštní fond EU pro obnovu a rozvoj Ukrajiny, který by doplňoval úsilí členských států.
V rámci konference občanské společnosti na vysoké úrovni na téma Politika v oblasti mládeže v zemích západního Balkánu, kterou uspořádal Evropský hospodářský a sociální výbor (EHSV), byl zdůrazněn klíčový význam mladých lidí pro budoucnost tohoto regionu a byla vyslovena výzva k aktivnímu zapojení mládeže do tvorby politik.
This event organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the University of Debrecen highlighted the crucial importance of co-creating services of general interest in the area of health and well-being, especially in light of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
