At its July 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the European Commission’s “Union of Skills” initiative, calling for a bold, inclusive and well-funded strategy to equip Europe’s workforce with the skills needed for the green and digital transitions, global competitiveness, and social cohesion.
At its July 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an own-initiative opinion calling for urgent action to address growing inequalities in access to healthcare across the EU. The opinion highlights how inflation, poverty, and systemic barriers are deepening health disparities, and urges both Member States and the European Commission to act decisively.
At its July 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted a pivotal opinion calling for the creation of a robust, rights-based EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (APS). This strategy, requested by the European Commission, aims to eradicate extreme poverty across the Union by recognising it not as an unfortunate by-product of economic systems, but as a systemic injustice and a violation of fundamental rights.
underscores the strategic importance of a high-quality, inclusive education and a skilled workforce for Europe’s competitiveness, social cohesion, and sustainable development. Addressing current challenges requires bold, systemic reforms and investment in inclusive, high-quality education and training systems;
stresses that the success of the Union of skills depends on effective and cooperative governance, adequate financing, and inclusive representation of social partners, national authorities and other stakeholders, including civil society organisations, teachers and learners
Believes the APS should be intersectional and gender-responsive, based on a multidimensional definition of poverty
Recommends setting ambitious, measurable targets, including the eradication of extreme poverty, and framing poverty as a violation of fundamental rights
Reimagining the design of cities, communities and housing is essential to face the current challenges. Civil society organisations have a key role to play in steering this transformation. Sustainability and the right to housing must be at the heart of future strategies. The EU could contribute to this by increasing European funding for affordable housing and supporting the social economy.
Conference of the EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group in the framework of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Copenhagen, Danish Society of Engineers (IDA), 2 July 2025
At its June 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted a forward-looking opinion on the future of the EU Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, calling for a more ambitious and binding approach for the 2025–2030 period.
