Comité Económico y Social Europeo
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held the 12th edition of its yearly youth event Your Europe, Your Say (YEYS) on 18-19 March 2021, on the topic of climate change, in the form of an online model COP (Conference of the Parties) in which more than 100 students from 33 countries took part.
In line with the organisation of a COP, the EESC planned a side event for young people on the morning of Saturday 20 March 2021, in the form of a public virtual event on social media.
Now more than ever, climate change is on everyone's mind, and young people all around the globe have been taking action to save the planet. The EESC is joining the movement and wants to ask the young participants about the best ways to protect our planet for the future. The 2021 edition will model an international climate-change conference.
The 19th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Central America Association Agreement will take place virtually on 18 March 2021.
In the context of the opinion on a "Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025", the European Economic and Social Committee is organising a virtual public hearing on 18 March. The aim of the hearing is to gather the points of view of international organisations, European platforms for human rights and the fight against racism, and representatives of European institutions, on key measures of the action plan, and to discuss how to tackle racism and racial discrimination more effectively in the EU.
For democracy to flourish, free media and civil society must be able to participate in an open debate, free from malign interference, and in an environment where facts are distinguished from fiction.
The hearing will feed into the EESC Opinion on the Democracy Action Plan which lays the ground for the adoption of measures concerning the promotion of free and fair elections (including democratic engagement beyond elections), the strengthening of media freedom, and the countering of disinformation.
In the context of its opinion on the Communication "Europe's media in the Digital Decade: an action plan to support recovery and transformation", recently published by the European Commission, the EESC 's TEN Section is organising a virtual public hearing on 16 March 2021.
The 10th meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group under the EU-Ukraine DCFTA took place via a video conference on 15 March 2021.
The public hearing on 15 March 2021 is aiming to engage a range of civil society stakeholders to discuss the new EU strategy on adaptation to climate change adopted by the European Commission on 24 February 2021 and to provide input to develop civil society's position on the strategy's objective.
The hybrid conference will see the launch of the EESC study "The response of civil society organisations to the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictive measures adopted in Europe", as well as topical debates with high-level speakers and civil society representatives. External participants are kindly invited to follow the meeting from remote.
Activities of organised crime organisations like money laundering and the tapping of public funds have consequences for the economy, business and society. A crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic may be an opportunity for organised crime to spread their activity, gain power and even innovate to find new ways to pursue their objectives.
