Sustainable development

This page is also available in:

  • At this critical time for trade and sustainable development (TSD), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held the first European Civil Society Forum on TSD. This was a platform bringing together civil society, academia, EU and international institutions to discuss innovative ideas and concrete recommendations on the future of the EU’s trade policy. A series of breakout sessions covered TSD topics from substantive rights to monitoring, enforcement and much more, inviting participants to voice their views as part of the ongoing review of the 15-point action plan on TSD and recent developments in EU partner countries.

  • An interview with Nicoletta MERLO, one of the youngest members of the EESC. She is National Head of Youth Policies for CISL, one of the largest Italian trade union confederations, and represents her confederation on the Italian National Youth Council. In 2017 she started a European experience in the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which led her to be elected, in 2019, as a member of the Bureau of the ETUC Youth Committee. Since October 2020, she has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee and actively participates in the SOC and NAT sections and in the Equality Group, seeking to be spokesperson for the demands and needs of young people and promoting the inclusion of a generational perspective in the Committee's discussions and multiple activities.

  • Civil society organisations from across Europe called at a conference in Paris for just, fair and inclusive climate and energy transitions that involve citizens, civil society organisations and in particular young people. They consider dialogue, cooperation and coordination at all levels a prerequisite for ...

  • Inaugural session, hybrid conference, Paris, 2 March 2022

  • An interview with Florian MARIN, member of the NAT section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) from the workers' group (GR-II) since 2020. He represents the Federation of Free Trade Union in Romania, of which he's the president. His work focuses, among others, on topics such as rural and sustainable development, sustainable food systems, circular economy and deforestation.

  • The rules of Solvency II, the 2009 EU regulatory framework for insurance firms, have proved their worth but need to be adapted to new circumstances. In an opinion adopted at its plenary session on 23 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the initiative of the European Commission (EC) to revamp Solvency II. The Committee stresses the considerable interest of civil society in ensuring the stability of the financial sector, and therefore calls for sound capital requirements and risk preparedness in the insurance sector.

  • The EESC Consumers and Environment Category has made significant contributions to the protection of consumer rights and the environment in Europe. It has championed topics such as the regulation of consumer over-indebtedness, planned obsolescence and the circular economy. Fair and just climate mitigation and adaptation must take centre stage of the Category's activities in the future as consumers and citizens will be key actors in the green transition. The new EU Social Climate Fund to tackle energy poverty and joining forces of all actors are key for achieving a sustainable, resilient and fairer Europe. These are some of the main messages of the conference "30 years defending European consumers", held by the Category to mark its 30th anniversary and in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The event on 1 October saw topical debates and the participation of high-profile speakers.