The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions, evaluation 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 Latin America Follow up Committee of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a Hearing on the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement: The views of organized civil society on 13 of November 2019.
The main purpose of the debate was to:
Assess the opportunities and challenges ahead of the implementation of the Agreement;
Evaluate compromises and possible impacts of the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter of the Agreement;
Explore how the civil society and consultative structures should monitor the impact of the Association Agreement in terms of improving human rights and labour, social and environmental rights as well as a strict compliance with international conventions or agreements the parties have committed to.
The 12th meeting of the EU Advisory Group for the EU-Colombia, Peru and Ecuador Free Trade Agreement took place on 2 October 2019 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.
Representatives of the two Domestic Advisory Groups (DAG) from the EU and Moldova, established under Chapter 13 on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, held the fourth joint meeting in Chisinau, Moldova, on 5 July 2019.
The 4th meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group under the EU-Ukraine DCFTA took place on 27 June 2018 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.
The 5th meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group under the EU-Ukraine DCFTA took place on 29 October 2018 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.
The 6th meeting of the EU Domestic Advisory Group under the EU-Ukraine DCFTA took place on 27 Jun 2019 in Brussels. Please click on the programme tab to consult the topics on the agenda.
The 5th meeting of the EU-Moldova Civil Society Platform took place on 23 May 2019 in Brussels. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play of the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Reports on public integrity framework in Moldova were discussed. Platform members also had a look at the update of past declarations adopted by the CSP, more specifically through a progress report on the implementation status of the DCFTA with Moldova and a debate on Dniester Water Management.
For the 13th time, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Montenegro held the Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC). The JCC is a civil society platform established between the EESC and Montenegrin civil society. It complements with a civil society point of view the EU institutional framework related to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Montenegro. This joint institution allows civil society organisations on both sides to monitor the country's accession negotiations. It is also a platform to discuss issues of common interest and to inform the public at large on the challenges ahead during the accession period.
This 13th JCC was held in Podgorica and tackled issues such as:
The current state of play in EU-Montenegro relations and the accession process
Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Chapter 27 of the accession negotiations – Environment and climate change
Overview of the media and civil society in Montenegro
A joint declaration was adopted at the meeting. The joint declaration will be distributed to all relevant EU institutions, as well as to the Montenegrin authorities.