News

  • Debate with Commissioner Hill in the EESC ECO Section: putting the focus on supporting investment, jobs and growth in Europe

    Stronger and deeper capital markets make our economy more resilient and provide alternative sources of financing for companies, also for SMEs. If developed properly, they could play the shock absorber function that helped the American economy bounce back more quickly after crisis had struck. In a debate with ECO section members Jonathan Hill, Commissioner responsible for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, pointed out that he wanted to make sure that businesses can get the funding they need at every stage of their development. On a European Deposit Guarantee scheme, the Commissioner said that this would help cushion large regional shocks. The Commissioner thanked the EESC for the support provided in its recent EESC opinion and was in line with the demand of the EESC that risk sharing had to be accompanied by risk reduction measures.

  • On 21 April, the enlarged presidency of the Workers’ Group and British trade unions met in London to discuss the UK referendum.

  • On 21 April, the enlarged presidency of the European Economic and Social Committee’s Workers Group will meet British trade unions in London to discuss the UK’s EU referendum and its impact on workers.

    During the meeting, key notes are foreseen by representatives of several UK trade unions such as Liz Snape, TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, Steve Turner, TUC Spokesperson on Europe, Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary, Owen Tudor, TUC Head of the EU and International Relations Department, Gloria Mills, ETUC Women's Committee President, as well as by several members of the EESC Workers’ Group and Labour MEP Claude Moraes.

  • On 20 April the President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Georges Dassis, will attend the international conference "Human flows and the word we share: Can Europe tackle the Refugee and Migrant Issue?"

  • At the end of his official two-day visit to Tunisia, Georges Dassis, EESC president, signed an agreement consolidating the links between European and Tunisian civil society with Quartet representatives Mr Noureddine Taboubi, UGTT deputy secretary-general, Mr Slim Ghorbel, UTICA vice-president, LTDH vice-president Mr Ahmed Galai and ONAT head Mr Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoud.

  • On 7 April the President of EESC, Georges Dassis met with Maria João Rodrigues, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur on the European Semester for economic policy coordination.

  • The transport sector is vital to the EU’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and meet greenhouse gas emissions targets, which have been revised following the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21). But transport is also fundamental for the EU's economy and people's welfare. The EESC is working to help Europe navigate towards a greener future.

  • Since the peak of the migration flow in 2015, the European Union has had to focus on operational and urgent responses to immediate challenges. However, a solid long-term migration policy needs to be developed to manage and accompany migration, as stated in the European Agenda on Migration.

  • EU employers’ organisations call for an overhaul of the Small Business Act (SBA) to better accommodate the needs of Europe’s more than 21 million SMEs, which have created 85 % of new jobs in the past five years.

  • On 31 March, the President of the EESC, Georges Dassis, heading a 4-Member delegation, took part in the Fifth European Forum of Social Entrepreneurship in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Forum provides an opportunity for social entrepreneurs to communicate directly with representatives of European and national institutions and to get more familiar with current policies for promoting the social economy. "Governments and public bodies have begun to recognise the importance of social entrepreneurship. Steps are being taken ...