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 main objective of this initiative is to encourage consumers to use consumer goods for a longer time, by repairing defective goods and by purchasing more second-hand and refurbished goods. It will entail the adoption of a proposal for an amendment of the Sale of Goods Directive and possibly a separate new legislative proposal on the right to repair.
The classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals regulation is the core piece of Union legislation for the hazard assessment of chemicals, stemming from the United Nations’ global standard (GHS), and sets out the hazard classification of chemicals and how to communicate those hazards to consumers and workers.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Revision of the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals regulation
The aim of the opinion is to bring the civil society's perspective on the proposed revisions of the Industrial Emissions Directive and of the Regulation on the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register in order to achieve the reduction of industrial emissions and to provide environmental information to EU citizens that allows them to make informed participation in environmental decision-making on major industrial activities.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and of the Regulation on the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR)
The Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) package aims to make every aspect of the design, production, use and sale of products placed on the EU market more environmentally-friendly and circular to deliver on the sustainability and climate objectives. The proposals of the package will introduce a new era where sustainable products become the norm as well as Europe's resource independence.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Sustainable products initiative, including Eco-design Directive
The European Green Deal announced that to protect Europe’s citizens and ecosystems, the EU needs to move towards a zero pollution ambition, and better prevent and remedy pollution from air, water, soil, and consumer products.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soil