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.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires more than political commitment, says the European Economic and Social Committee. Increased investment, especially by the private sector, is needed to address current economic, social and environmental challenges. The Committee therefore advises the EU and its Member States to adjust their investment and tax policies to enhance growth prospects, and thereby private sector contributions, to accomplishing the SDGs.
I vantaggi della digitalizzazione per le piccole e medie imprese (PMI) sono molteplici e consentono loro di rafforzare la competitività, ampliare l'accesso al mercato e migliorare le relazioni con i clienti. In una relazione informativa adottata alla sessione plenaria di dicembre, il Comitato economico e sociale europeo (CESE) ritiene necessario sostenere la trasformazione digitale delle PMI con misure adeguate alle esigenze specifiche delle diverse forme d'impresa.
Dr Angelika Winzig, Member of the European Parliament, joined the EESC's SMEs, Crafts and Family Business Category meeting on 13 November to discuss current priorities and challenges for Europe's SMEs and their competitiveness on a global scale.
Having SME policy as a horizontal priority is an indispensable way to address numerous, cross-cutting challenges that they are currently facing. Current trends cause bigger challenges for SMEs than for bigger companies. Therefore, it is high time for policy makers to act upon it. This was discussed at the conference "Placing European SMEs at a horizontal priority in post-2020 policy making process". The conference took place on 24 October 2019 in Chania, Greece and was organised by the Employers' Group, Chania's Traders Association and the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship.
Secondo il CESE il sistema manifatturiero europeo potrà realizzare una transizione efficace e competitiva verso un'economia digitale d'avanguardia, rispettosa dell'ambiente, solo quando sarà pronto per forti investimenti nell'innovazione. Le piccole e medie imprese (PMI), al primo posto nella creazione e nell'offerta di posti di lavoro, necessitano di un sostegno particolare. Gli interventi previsti dalla Commissione europea per favorire un miglior sviluppo del sistema manifatturiero dovrebbero pertanto basarsi costantemente sulla conoscenza effettiva delle esigenze delle imprese, e delle PMI in particolare.
A fair, competitive and sustainable business environment that encourages enterprises to grow innovate, invest and trade – this is what representatives of the European employers ask from the next European Commission and Member States. The participants of the European Entrepreneurship Forum taking place in Bucharest agreed that it is time for a political recognition of SMEs – shifting from "think small first" approach to "act small first" principle.
Nel suo recente parere in merito a una proposta presentata dalla Commissione europea, il Comitato economico e sociale europeo (CESE) afferma che un nuovo sistema dell'IVA per l'imposizione degli scambi tra gli Stati membri deve esplicare appieno il suo potenziale e limitare gli eventuali effetti negativi sul mercato unico. Per la sua efficace attuazione saranno fondamentali una maggiore collaborazione tra le autorità nazionali e un'ampia comunicazione da parte della Commissione. Il CESE chiede dei chiarimenti su alcuni concetti e criteri proposti e sottolinea che si deve giungere quanto prima a un sistema comune applicabile sia ai beni che ai servizi.
The main SME instruments, in particular two programmes - COSME and the SME Instrument - were the main subject of the exchange of views between the category members and Mr Julien Guerrier, the Director of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
Lack of awareness, underdeveloped infrastructure, high investment costs as well as skills shortages and mismatches – these are some of the challenges that SMEs are facing when trying to benefit from the digital revolution. The participants of the conference "How to support businesses in the digital age – SMEs go digital" tried to identify potential obstacles and propose solutions to address them in the future. The event took place on 24 October 2018 in Vienna, Austria.