The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has used an own-initiative opinion to call for sufficient funding resources to be put in place for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights. Adopted at its plenary session on 19 April 2018, the opinion calls for improvements in the Member States and a robust commitment in terms of budget, investment and current spending to make the Social Pillar a reality.
EESC opinion calls for strong industrial and manufactory policy based on reciprocity
EU accession remains a key motivation for reforms in the countries of the Western Balkans
Milena Angelova from Bulgaria, member of the Employers' Group, will be one of the two vice-presidents of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) for a two-and-a-half year term from 2018 to 2020. She will be responsible for budget matters.
Isabel Caño Aguilar from Spain, member of the Workers' Group, will be one of the two vice-presidents of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) for a two-and-a-half year term from 2018 to 2020. She will be responsible for communication matters. She will fill one of the senior positions in the EESC along with the newly elected president Luca Jahier from Italy, former president of the Various Interests' Group, and vice-president Milena Angelova from Bulgaria, member of the Employers' Group, who will be the vice-president for budgetary matters.
Italy’s Luca Jahier has been elected as the 32nd president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the EU body representing organised civil society, which he will head for the next two and a half years. The two new vice-presidents will be Milena Angelova (Bulgaria) for budget and Isabel Caño Aguilar (Spain) for communication. Read the inaugural speech.
Successful European citizen initiatives must trigger dialogue and proper follow-up at EU level
Six years after the introduction of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) with barely any impact on EU legislation, the constructive criticism, particularly from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and other institutions such as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman, is finally beginning to bear fruit, tempting the European Commission to review this important instrument of participative democracy.
A delegation from the European Economic and Social Committee met local civil society representatives and government officials on 26 and 27 March in Amman
Disability discrimination in Europe averages 15%, but in Portugal this figure increases to 65%. Surprisingly, the Portuguese Government has no national strategy for persons with disabilities.
Data analysis and research from the Observatório da Deficiency e Direitos Humanos (Disability and Human Rights Observatory) based at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, reveals some worrying concerns.
How best to ensure online consumer protection: this was the focus of the 20th European Consumer Day, a joint event of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Bulgarian Economic and Social Council held in Sofia on 20 March. The conference "The digital economy: what deal for consumers" was an opportunity for experts and policy-makers to discuss the new challenges to consumer protection posed by digitalisation from both a European and a national perspective.