Summary of the opinions adopted at the plenary session of 18 and 19 February 2026

By Cillian LOHAN, President, EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group

The third edition of Civil Society Week took place from 2 to 5 March 2026 at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels, under the theme People, Democracy, Resilience – Our Future!

Members of the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group actively contributed to the discussions, taking part in several panel debates and exchanges throughout the week. Read our members' key messages.

Gender stereotypes continue to be perpetuated and amplified by contemporary media, particularly in the digital sphere. At a conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), speakers called for stronger use of EU legal instruments to address the repression of female journalists, both online and offline.

Barely 2 months ago, we saw the quick unfolding of the special military operation in Venezuela, in open disregard of international order. We have spent the best part of January and February on the edge of a possible US seizure (and even military intervention) against a European NATO ally in Greenland. Now, half a year after the bombings of what was allegedly Iran's nuclear programme, Trump has started another special military operation in Iran

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy

Download — COM960-2025_PART1_EXT — (NAT/0974)

Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Council Directive 98/58/EC and Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the simplification and strengthening of food and feed safety…

Download — COM1021-2025_PART1_EXT — (NAT/0971)

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 1829/2003, (EC) No 1831/2003, (EC) No 852/2004, (EC) No 853/2004, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1099/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 528…

Download — COM1030-2025_PART1_EXT — (NAT/0971)

PGDG 1 AMS - Military mobility

Download — EESC-2025-04194-00-00-AMS-TRA — (TEN/0869)

PGDG 4 AMS - Tackling housing scarcity through affordable, sustainable and family-oriented housing policies

Download — EESC-2025-03564-00-00-AMS-TRA — (TEN/0866)