European Economic and Social Committee
To secure a more prosperous future for their citizens, Western Balkan governments need to address the problems encountered by young people, who hold the key to such a future. Sufficient and transparent budget allocations for youth policy development and the inclusion of young people in the EU accession process are a prerequisite for facilitating positive changes and improving the situation of young people in the region.
On 19 July, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a high-level conference on relief and reconstruction of Ukraine, at which it pledged its full support for the war-ravaged country on all fronts.
At its July plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) argued that the new Trade and Technology Council (TTC) can become an innovative tool for both the EU and USA to work together towards a safer and more prosperous world, based on the principles of sustainable development and democratic values.
The state-sponsored instrumentalisation of migrants, aimed at destabilising the EU, and the current war in Ukraine, resulting in an unprecedented influx of refugees, call for a review of European migration policy. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) insists that solidarity and burden-sharing among Member States are needed for a common response to refugee crises. At the same time, the EESC highlights the need to guarantee migrants' safety and human rights.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), just a week ahead of the EU Council Summit, adopted its second Resolution on Ukraine, strongly supporting the country's unconditional candidate status to the EU. The European civil society will be working hand in hand with Ukraine for Ukraine on the reconstruction of the country delivering a stronger, greener, more resilient and sustainable European partner.
Statement by the EESC President and the President of the EESC's Section for External Relations
The EU's Global Gateway initiative is the right step forward in improving connectivity with non-EU partners and like-minded developing countries. In its relevant opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) underlines that civil society representatives must be included on the board that will be set up to coordinate Global Gateway investments. It also stresses that the eligibility of Global Gateway projects must be linked to the EU's values and principles.
On 24 May in Sarajevo, the EESC's Western Balkans Follow-up Committee held its yearly external meeting - for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic - to meet with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and discuss their role and concerns regarding the current situation. The conclusions will be conveyed to the country's political authorities and to the EU institutions.
Since August 2020, the authoritarian regime of Aleksandr Lukashenko has carried out a mass attack on civil society, independent journalists, bloggers and writers in Belarus. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) published an information report on the political and media situation in the country, with a view to making recommendations ....
With youth as one of the main policy areas of the Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans (WBs), the participants in the hearing "Youth Policy in the Western Balkans, as part of the Innovation Agenda for the WBs", held by the EESC, reaffirmed the importance of young people for the future of the region.
