The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions 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 exploratory opinion requested by the Commission will focus on General Purpose AI models and the systems based on these models, their use by institutions, bodies and businesses and the impact they have on economy and society. Its aim is to support the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act, in particular as regards General Purpose AI and their governance. It will, more specifically, contribute to the preparation of the codes of practice in relation to General Purpose AI, provide recommendations on the next steps in the field and engage in the global discussions around General Purpose AI and their governance.
Koostatavad arvamused (updated on 20/02/2024) - Bureau decision date: 16/01/2024
European Works Councils (EWCs) are information and consultation bodies which ensure that employees are involved in decisions related to transnational issues. They concern companies with over 1,000 employees operating in at least two EU or European Economic Area countries. The current Directive 2009/38/EC sets out the procedures for establishing EWCs and informing and consulting them on transnational matters. The proposed revision aims to strengthen the role of EWCs by facilitating their creation, promoting more meaningful information and consultation, and ensuring they have the necessary capacity to carry out their work. It also seeks to improve the gender balance of EWCs.
Koostatavad arvamused (updated on 14/02/2024) - Bureau decision date: 30/11/2023
In March 2024, the European Commission will launch a Water Resilience Initiative, as announced by President von der Leyen in her 2023 State of the Union Speech. CCMI will work on an opinion as a follow-up to the EESC call for an EU Blue Deal. This will contribute to feed the public debate about achieving water resilience, in particular ahead of the European Elections and will also provide input to the next Commission mandate.
Koostatavad arvamused (updated on 07/02/2024) - Bureau decision date: 13/06/2023
The purpose of the opinion is to contribute to the further development of the foresight in the EU policy-making. The opinion will comment on the Commission's 2023 Annual foresight Report, which focused on the sustainability and people's wellbeing at the heart of Europe's Open Strategic Autonomy.
Koostatavad arvamused (updated on 02/02/2024) - Bureau decision date: 18/01/2024
The European Green Deal sets a high ambition for a toxic-free environment leading to zero pollution. The Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) adopted on 14 October 2020 outlines the Commission’s strategy for the sustainable and safe use of chemicals.
Vastuvõetud arvamused on 14/02/2024 - Bureau decision date: 24/10/2023
The EESC supports the development of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as an alternative to court proceedings when consumers seek redress for the damage traders may cause them, alongside accessible judicial proceedings and enforcement of consumer rights by national authorities. It considers enforcement by national authorities to be essential as a foundation of trust in consumer protection, while redress, whether through court or an ADR procedure, offers a way to restore trust when an incident occurs between consumer and trader.
Since the inception of the Single Market, the EU has prioritized open, rule-based trade and economic stability. Recent global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and rising geopolitical tensions, underscored vulnerabilities in Europe's economic structure, compelling a strategic response.
Microplastics are persistent, very mobile, and hard to remove from nature. Microplastics are widespread in the world and in the human body, and a cause of growing concerns. Plastic pellets are found in water and soil, including agricultural lands, and harm ecosystems and biodiversity. Plastic pellets are the one of the largest sources of unintentional microplastic pollution.
For the first time, the European Commission proposes measures to prevent microplastic pollution from the unintentional release of plastic pellets.
EESC opinion: Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastics pollution