As Europe seeks to strengthen its competitiveness in an increasingly fragmented global economy, the challenge is not only to boost productivity and innovation, but also to preserve the foundations of its social market economy. This high-level conference will examine how the EU can mobilise savings and investment, maintain sustainable public finances, and deepen Economic and Monetary Union to support long-term growth, resilience and convergence.
Europe’s housing crisis is one of the EU’s most urgent social and economic challenges. By bringing together actors from across the housing and homelessness ecosystem together with EU institutions, Member States, organised civil society, local and regional authorities the conference aims to identify effective measures and practical solutions to increase the supply of affordable and sustainable housing, improve access to housing, and reinforce a coherent European response that fully respects Member States’ competences.
As in previous years, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will actively participate in COP17 to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which will take place from 19 to 30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.
Regulators and civil society stakeholders will discuss on how could look like a future EU-wide layer of pooled/solidarity funds to such insurance schemes that increases protection of EU citizens and businesses.
The takeaways will feed the discussions on our opinion ‘Towards a European system of natural disaster risk management for the EU insurance sector’.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) invites you to attend our public hearing on how using artificial intelligence and digitalisation in tax administration can strengthen legal clarity, cross-border comparability, economic development and tax certainty.
The public hearing will focus on the capacity to reduce fragmentation and compliance burdens, while facilitating compliance and collection across Member States. The hearing will bring together policymakers, stakeholders and experts from across countries and organisations to discuss on digitizing the EU tax system.
As part of the preparation of the EESC opinion on an EU Strategy for Islands, the European Economic and Social Committee, in cooperation with INSULEUR, will hold a public hearing in Syros, at the heart of the Cyclades. The hearing aims to bring together local and regional authorities, organised civil society, businesses, academia and citizens to exchange views on both the challenges and the untapped opportunities facing Europe's islands. Beyond discussing issues such as connectivity, demographic change, access to services and climate resilience, the event will highlight the unique assets of islands like Syros, including their strategic location, cultural heritage, blue economy potential, innovation capacity, renewable energy opportunities and sustainable tourism. The insights gathered will contribute directly to the EESC opinion by ensuring that the voices, experiences and aspirations of island communities are reflected in future EU policies and in the implementation of the first European Strategy for Islands which was adopted in June 2026.
