The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions and information reports a year.
It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize, the Civil Society Days, the Your Europe, Your Say youth plenary and the ECI Day.
Here you can find news and information about the EESC'swork, including its social media accounts, the EESC Info newsletter, photo galleries and videos.
The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation. The EESC's326 Members are organised into three groups: Employers, Workers and Various Interests.
The EESC has six sections, specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union, ranging from social to economic affairs, energy, environment, external relations or the internal market.
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.
The EESC presents measures to avoid the severity of austerity in the future and to mitigate the negative effects of previous crisis management
Future crisis management should strive for a better balance between fiscal and social objectives to avoid adverse effects on the economic capacities, labour markets and social protection systems of the countries concerned. Instead of restrictive austerity, the EU institutions should in future crisis situations implement policies in pursuit of economic cooperation, growth and solidarity.
Politicians and civil society must act, says the EESC
The United Nations and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) presented the film Sold – a film about human trafficking by Jeffrey D. Brown - at Brussels' Centre for Fine Arts BOZAR on 10 January 2017. Opening the screening, together with Deborah Seward (Director of UNRIC), Madi Sharma, member of the EESC, said...
Gabi Bischoff visited Armut und Gesundheit in Deutschland e.V. in Mainz
"We have an army of committed people in our civil society. These people deserve our appreciation and they also need the necessary political support." So said Gabi Bischoff, President of the Workers’ Group at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), on her 22 July visit to "Verein Armut und Gesundheit in Deutschland", which is dedicated to providing medical treatment to the poor and socially disadvantaged. The EESC has made combating poverty and social exclusion one of its priorities under the current presidency, in order to further social, economic and territorial cohesion in Europe. It has already drafted a number of opinions on the subject, including a proposal for a European minimum income and fairer taxation policy.
How are new forms of employment impacting workers? Is the total flexibility of workers and labour market desirable? Will the sharing economy be putting an end to Europe's social protection systems?
More than 122 million people in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion[1]
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted an opinion urging the EU Council to stick to its commitment to get at least 20 million people out of poverty by 2020. The EESC adopted its opinion on fighting poverty (Rapporteur: Seamus Boland, Co-Rapporteur: Marjolijn Bulk), requested by the Dutch Presidency of the Council, during its plenary session on 18 February 2016. To achieve the EU's target, Member States need to launch their own national strategies to fight poverty, social exclusion and discrimination, supported by a common European framework. These strategies should focus on adequate income support, inclusive labour markets, quality jobs, equal access to affordable high quality services for all, including migrants and people granted asylum.
More than 120 million people in the EU face the risk of poverty or social exclusion[1]
Grassroots organisations working to alleviate poverty in Germany, Ireland, France, Poland and Finland show the way in providing direct assistance to those in need. The European Economic and Social Committee has dedicated the 2015 European Civil Society Prize to organisations distinguishing themselves through their creativity and success in combatting poverty.
Poverty and social exclusion includes many multi-faceted challenges such as housing, health, education, access to employment, indebtedness and addiction, to name but a few. Civil society organisations across the European Union are actively addressing these issues. Activities often focus on local needs and – crucially – directly involve people experiencing poverty themselves in their implementation.