Povertà

This report of the online conference on "Energy poverty at the crossroads of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal", organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 20 April 2021, shows how European civil society organisations can join forces with all institutions at EU, national, regional and local level to fight against energy poverty.

As the COVID-19 pandemic hits societies and economies, bringing a global and unprecedented public health and social crisis, civil society organisations (CSOs) are responding by providing frontline help and defending the rights of people across the world. At the same time, CSOs have faced themselves profound impacts that may harm their capacities to continue playing their central roles in delivering services, advocating for rights and protecting the most fragile, while safeguarding participatory democracy and civic debate in the near future.

The EESC organised debates with organised civil society in all Member States between 2 September and 2 November 2016. The debates were coordinated by three EESC members ('trios') from the country concerned, often in co-operation with the European Commission (15 debates) or the national Economic and Social Council (7 debates).