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.
Applications for the EESC Civil Society Prize hit a new record this year, with 285 projects submitted by the deadline. The largest number of applicants came from Italy, followed by Austria and Germany. The number of entries for the EESC Civil Society Prize has increased steadily from its humble beginnings in 2006, when only 15 projects were entered for prizes totalling EUR 20 000. This year, EUR 50 000 will be awarded to up to 5 winners.
The President of the European Economic and Social Committee, George Dassis met on 26 September with a delegation of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK), led by President Ömer Cihad Vardan. Founded in 1986, DEİK represents the private sector and business in Turkey and works for the promotion of foreign trade and Turkish investment relations in close cooperation with the Ministry of Finance.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was warmly welcomed to the EESC Plenary by Georges Dassis, President of the EESC, who underlined the strong support of the Committee and its members to Commission President Juncker and emphasized the need for the European Union to be close to its citizens, for citizens and for more solidarity in Europe.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was warmly welcomed to the EESC Plenary by Georges Dassis, President of the EESC, who underlined the strong support of the Committee and its members to Commission President Juncker and emphasized the need for the European Union to be close to its citizens, for citizens and for more solidarity in Europe.
The Slovak Presidency has asked the EESC to give its opinion on a "future proof legislation" that promotes better regulation while at the same time improving the competitiveness of European economy.
On 12 September 2016, and after a few years of absence, the EESC has again welcomed some VIP guests, or Very Important Pollinators. Two beehives have benn installed on the 7th floor of the JDE building. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the possibilities of urban beehives, and more globally, the vital importance to our planet of bees and pollinators and the need to halt their dramatic decline in recent years. In addition, any honey produced will be used for tastings by staff and visitors as well as gifts whenever appropriate.
On 20 September, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee, Georges Dassis, held a meeting with a delegation from the Economic and Social Council of Ivory Coast, led by its president, Mr Charles Koffi Diby, and with H.E. the Ambassador of the Ivory Coast to the European Union, Mr Jean Vincent Zinsou.
With discussions for TTIP now at a critical point, the EESC has published a new opinion, ‘The position of the EESC on specific key issues of the TTIP negotiations’. The own-initiative opinion assesses some key issues of the negotiations and identifies the main considerations for European civil society. This new ...
At the invitation of Greece's labour minister, Georgios Katrougkalos, the president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Georges Dassis, will be attending an international conference being held by the Greek Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity at Athens' Zappeion Hall on 16 and 17 September. The conference title is: Collective bargaining in the European social model and the future of work.