This panel will look at Integration and Diversity from a variety of perspectives: from a political point of view, from the points of view of civil society, migrants and host societies, from a communication and a cultural point of view. The goal is to discuss how far integration needs to go in order to avoid rifts within a society, and in particular how the different stakeholders – politicians, civil society organisations and the media – can better communicate on this challenging topic.
Gaining hands-on experience of the biggest, smartest, most sustainable and best connected logistics and industrial hub in Europe – this was the purpose of the visit by the members of the Transport Category to the Port of Rotterdam on 15 and 16 June.
The successful experience of Estonia with E-government as well as questions concerning cybersecurity were discussed during the EESC conference on the “Future development of E-government in the EU” held in Tallinn. The European Economic and Social Committee hosted a debate on the priorities of the incoming Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU which have as an overarching goal to improve the quality of life of EU citizens by working toward concrete goals in the spirit of Bratislava declaration.
The EESC President Georges Dassis opened the event by expressing being “astounded by Estonia's X-Road platform which seems to help citizens in all walks of life. The only question that this raises is how to protect quality jobs and not abandon the existing workers.”
The President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Georges Dassis, began his official visit to Estonia on 15 June by meeting with Minister for Education and Research, Mailis Reps.
The two discussed the challenges and recent successes of the education system in Estonia. The Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU will place the education field as high priority, taking forward the initiative of the New Skills Agenda for Europe and notably its packages on investing in Europe’s youth and on modernising schools and higher education.
The discussion also focused on the creation of a common European history education, using the same textbook translated into all EU languages.
The EESC President, Georges Dassis, began his official visit to Estonia on 15 June by meeting with Minister for Education and Research Mailis Reps. The two discussed the challenges and recent successes of ...
"Decent income and vocational training must be provided to all those who will be affected by the negative effects of the transition to a green economy, with a view to enhance their employability in the new green industries. Thus, the involvement of the social partners and civil society organisations is absolutely essential", Georges Dassis emphasised in his speech delivered at the 106th Session of the International Labour Conference.
"With its 12 million inhabitants, the Roma are the largest ethnic minority in the EU, but also one of the most disadvantaged. Many of them face prejudice, intolerance and discrimination and often live in very unfavorable socio-economic conditions", Georges Dassis declared at the conference on Roma entrepreneurship, which was co-organised by the European Economic and Social Committee together with ERIO (European Roma Information Office) and took place in the EESC premises on 8 June 2017.
The EEA Consultative Committee (EEA CC) adopted two resolutions, on the Social Dimension of the EEA and the European Pillar of Social Rights, and on Digitalisation and its impact on jobs and skills. In the first resolution, the EEA CC underlines that the social dimension of the Internal Market and the initiatives under the European Pillar of Social Rights are also ...
Real life benefits for citizens and businesses must be the benchmark of progress towards the European Energy Union, urged the EESC in an opinion adopted at its last plenary. The EESC also called on the EC to open up the European electricity market to industry, business and local prosumer communities.
Greek civil society expressed its views on the future of Europe at an event organised by the EESC and the ESC of Greece in the Senate room of the building of the Hellenic Parliament.
The five scenarios presented in the White Paper on the future of Europe ("Carrying on", "Nothing but the single market", "Those who want more do more", "Doing less more efficiently", "Doing much more together") were submitted to the more than 130 participants in the form of a questionnaire and the debate was structured around three main topics: "The White Paper and the challenges for the EU", "Visibility and communication of the EU" and "Civil society and the future evolution of the Union", which were, respectively, coordinated by the members of the EESC, Mr Dimitriadis (Employers’ Group), Mr Petropoulos (Employees’ Group) and Mr Vardakastanis (Various Interests Group).
