Events

  • The European Economic and Social Committee is currently preparing an own initiative opinion on Glass in Europe at a crossroads: delivering a greener, energy-efficient industry, while enhancing competitiveness and maintaining quality jobs. Within the EESC, the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change is responsible for the preparation of the opinion. In order to gain insights by experts from relevant sectors of civil society, the Rapporteur (Laurentiu Plosceanu), Corapporteur (Gerald Kreuzer) and President (Kestutis Kupsys) of the Study Group that is drafting the opinion have decided to organize a hearing with civil society representatives.

  • Digitalisation transforms societies and economies, affecting the way we live, work and relate to one another. Digital services increasingly weave into Europe’s economy and are shaping Europe's digital future and this trend has been further accelerated with the COVID-10 crisis.  

    As a result, digitalisation is high on the EU policy agenda.  The European Commission has been particularly active in launching different initiatives to foster Europe's key political objective of digital sovereignty through ensuring a safe, fair, open and accountable online environment for its citizens and unleashing the potential of its Digital Single Market.

    The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act are two flagship initiatives of Europe's answer on how digital services should be provided and, more generally, on helping European societies take full advantage of the "new Economy".

    However, progress in digitalisation still remains uneven across the EU. Many rural and remoter communities are actively seeking new opportunities in digital services to drive economic growth, but face difficulties due to inadequate infrastructure and skills.

    The Conference co-organized by the Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee and the Portuguese Presidency is extremely topical: It aims to contribute to the debate on how to make DMA and DSA "fit for purpose" and, thus, feed into the legislative process currently underway by the European Parliament and the EU Member States.

    At the same time, it will open a wider debate on the EU initiatives which are still needed to help defuse the potential of digital services for European businesses and citizens making them genuine leverages of sustainable development throughout our continent.

  • AI in tackling Covid-19 crisis: opportunities and challenges & European Digital Innovation Hubs: boosting adoption of digital technologies in EU businesses

    AI in tackling Covid-19 crisis: opportunities and challenges & European Digital Innovation Hubs: boosting adoption of digital technologies in EU businesses

     
  • This online public hearing will discuss how to transform the targets proposed in the Action Plan for the development of EU organic production into on-the-ground strategies related to organic production and consumption.

  • The future is in your hands -  Bringing the European project back to citizens

    A grand civil society kick-off event will take place on 10 June from 14:30 to 18:30. The event, named "Conference on the Future of Europe - Bringing the European project back to citizens", will officially launch the activities of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in the framework of the Conference.

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    561st plenary session of the EESC, with the following guests: F. Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Commission and D. Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice and a debate on the Resolution on the EESC's contribution to the European Commission's 2022 work programme.

  • On 7 June 2021 the European Economic and Social Committee is organising a half-day virtual hearing in the framework of its opinion on Updating the new industrial strategy for Europe. The purpose of the hearing will be to contribute to the EESC opinion and to the debate on the policy priorities in terms of strategic autonomy and industrial transformation. The event will focus on topical questions such as industrial recovery from the pandemic crisis, Europe's competitiveness on the global stage and the transition to a green and digital economy. It will also explore the need for reconstruction and transformation of European industry and it will concentrate on the role of civil society organisations in designing the future of European industry.

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    Empower citizens to impact the future of Europe

    The 10th edition of the ECI Day exceptionally took place online and over two days. 3 June was a full day of debates on the ECI instrument, focusing on aspects key to making the ECI more powerful and strengthening participatory democracy at EU level. On 4 June, the organisers of ongoing initiatives were given the floor to present their initiatives.

  • Hearing of experts

    Hearing in the framework of the EESC opinion on Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood - A new Agenda for the Mediterranean

  • In order to prepare its opinion on the Commission's proposal on the "EU Disability Strategy 2021-2030", the EESC is organising a public hearing on 1 June 2021, from 9.30 am to 1 pm.

    The aim of the event is to gather input from other EU Institutions, organisations representing persons with disabilities, social partners and other civil society organisations on the Commission's proposal. This input will feed into the EESC's opinion.