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.
One year after the provisional entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), most small and medium-sized enterprises are doing well out of it. At a round table at the EESC on 4 October 2018, on the opportunities CETA gives small and medium-sized enterprises – "Opportunities arising from CETA for SMEs" – participants identified a number of initiatives companies could still take advantage of to ensure that all SMEs can benefit from the CETA. Although the agreement has been successful overall, there are some concerns about its implementation in certain sectors – such as dairy – and its ratification.
Employers believe that the business community has a crucial role to play in spreading a positive message about trade and in explaining what an ambitious trade policy can achieve. It is businesses that can tell the story of the practical benefits stemming from trade agreements. This was the main message that the members of the EESC Employers' Group delivered to Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade, during their meeting on 6 December 2017.
The 6th meeting of the EU and the Canada Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs), "DAG-to-DAG meeting", established under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), will take place on 18-19 March 2024. The Members will take stock of the work of their respective DAGs since the 2023 joint meeting, and discuss business and human rights, the new TSD approach and its implementation and enabling positive outcomes for climate and nature through CETA.
The meeting will be completed on 19 March with a workshop discussing TSD evolution and ways of leveraging CETA for responsible, sustainable and just resource development.
A joint statement, prepared by both sides, will be discussed and adopted.
The 14th meeting of the EU DAG under the EU-Canada CETA, and the first meeting of the new 2023-25 term, will take place on 27 October 2023. The DAG will elect a new chair, discuss the progress in implementing the Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter and exchange views on the EU-CETA DAG priorities for the new term.
5e réunion conjointe des groupes consultatifs internes (GCI) dans le cadre de l’accord économique et commercial global UE-Canada. Cette année, elle est organisée virtuellement par les homologues canadiens.
Il s’agit de la 4e réunion conjointe des groupes consultatifs internes (GCI) dans le cadre de l’accord économique et commercial global UE-Canada. Cette année, elle est organisée virtuellement par les homologues canadiens. Lors de la réunion, les groupes canadiens et de l’UE rendront compte de leurs activités respectives depuis leur dernière rencontre. Les deux parties présenteront des mises à jour sur le chapitre sur le commerce et le développement durable (CDD) ainsi que sur l’application de la législation au Canada et dans l’UE.
Les membres des GCI entendront sur la mise en œuvre de l’accord Canada - États-Unis - Mexique (CUSMA) et sur les premiers cas d'exemples dans le cadre de cet accord. Tout comme ils entendront sur les derniers développements du processus de consultation au sein de l'UE sur le réexamen du chapitre "commerce et développement durable".
Au cours de la réunion, le DAG de l'UE discutera avec des représentants de la Commission européenne et un représentant de la mission du Canada auprès de l'UE de l'avancement des travaux sur la mise en œuvre de l'AECG UE-Canada.Le Groupe procédera à un échange de vues sur les rapports.Des discussions sur la préparation de l'atelier à l'occasion de la 2e réunion conjointe des GAD UE-Canada auront également lieu.