Konkurrenceevne

On 11 February, the European Commission published its 2025 work programme. Several initiatives in the work programme – initiatives to enhance competitiveness through the promotion of reforms and investments, both private and public, the new the Savings and Investment Union, as well as the next Multiannual Financial Framework, just to name a few – fall in the remit of the Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). We organise this debate to discuss with representatives of the Commission and the members of the EESC the conditions and actions needed for the EU and its Member States to successfully implement what is outlined in the Commission and achieve the shared goals of the Union.

The EESC is organising this public hearing to discuss the framework of the own-initiative opinion on "Leaving the crises behind – Measures for a resilient, cohesive and inclusive European economy". 

In the context of the ongoing exploratory opinion, requested by the Polish Presidency, to examine how civil society actors can make use of a results-orientation approach in cohesion policy in the next programming period, the EESC is organizing a hearing in Warsaw on 17 January 2025. The hearing will be important as the EESC will explore how civil society and local actors understand the concept of a results-orientation approach to cohesion policy, to which degree they are prepared and if they have the administrative capacity to implement it. 

The hearing is co-organized with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU and it has the patronage of the Polish Presidency. The venue is the premises of the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy of Poland.

The EESC is organising this public debat to discuss how civil society partners can use a results-orientation approach in cohesion policy for the next programming period. The principles of multi-level governance and shared management are contradictory or complementary to the results-focused cohesion policy ?

Public debate on Reforms for a more resilient economy for all: the new EU legislature with Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist, European Policy Centre (EPC)

The Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is working on an own-initiative opinion on 'An EU investment fund for economic resilience and sustainable competitiveness' with the aim to develop a common narrative on the financing needs for the green transition and sketch out central elements of an EU investments fund that could allow EU Member States to more effectively address the financial needs of the Green Deal.

In the context of the work on this opinion, the ECO section decided to organise a public hearing bringing together experts from organised civil society and decision-makers. The aim of the public hearing is two-fold: on the one hand, to discuss the draft EESC opinion, and on the other hand, to collect further views and ideas to expand and refine the EESC's draft recommendations.

Public debate The involvement of youth in the work of the ECO section - Recent experience and way forward, organised during the ECO section meeting.

The social economy is a vital part of the European social and economic system. It generates and maintains high-quality jobs, fosters the inclusion of marginalised groups into the labour market, promotes sustainable business practices, and provides employment for millions of people. In this way, it makes the single market more inclusive, our societies more cohesive and fosters employment models that are tailored to local and communal needs.

Public debate on 9^th Cohesion report: Lessons learned from the first years of the implementation of the programming period 2021-2027, in the framework of the ECO section meeting.