Public hearing

The EESC organises a public hearing on the Communication on a Savings and Investments Union. It will gather together institutions, industry and civil society stakeholders, and will discuss on how to deliver opportunities for households, businesses and the whole EU economy.

The objective of the public hearing is to examine how cohesion policy can more effectively address housing affordability challenges to advance its core goals of economic, social and territorial cohesion. The participants will explore how strategic housing investments can stimulate regional economic development, enhance competitiveness, improve labour market efficiency, and reduce territorial disparities. The aim is to provide concrete recommendations for improving the effectiveness of existing instruments for the remainder of the 2021-2027 period and developing a more comprehensive approach to affordable housing within the post-2027 cohesion policy framework.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising a public hearing to assess the economic impact of extending the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to the maritime sector.

The hearing will focus on the risks of carbon and business leakage, and how these developments may affect port competitiveness and trade flows- particularly in smaller and peripheral EU Member States. The event will provide a platform for maritime stakeholders, economic experts, and EU institutions to discuss real-world implications and explore fiscal and strategic solutions to mitigate negative effects.

Speakers will include representatives from DG CLIMA, maritime and port organisations, as well as leading economists and policy analysts.

Malta’s strategic location and role in European maritime logistics make it an ideal setting for this timely discussion.

The EESC considers it important to create a well-functioning, prosperity-enhancing tax system that works for people and businesses and that fosters competitiveness. The different and recent legislative acts have been adding layers of legislation to the existing taxation framework, at the hearing the EESC will look into ways to simplify complex tax framework in the EU. 

The EESC is organising this public hearing to discuss the framework of the own-initiative opinion on "Leaving the crises behind – Measures for a resilient, cohesive and inclusive European economy". 

In the context of the ongoing exploratory opinion, requested by the Polish Presidency, to examine how civil society actors can make use of a results-orientation approach in cohesion policy in the next programming period, the EESC is organizing a hearing in Warsaw on 17 January 2025. The hearing will be important as the EESC will explore how civil society and local actors understand the concept of a results-orientation approach to cohesion policy, to which degree they are prepared and if they have the administrative capacity to implement it. 

The hearing is co-organized with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU and it has the patronage of the Polish Presidency. The venue is the premises of the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy of Poland.

The Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is working on an own-initiative opinion on Climate change and its impact on the economy, with the aim of developing a common narrative about the impact of climate change on the economy.