The EESC’s July plenary session saw the adoption of an opinion emphasising the vital role played by services of general interest (SGIs) such as healthcare, energy and public transport in promoting the EU’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted two complementary opinions in plenary that lay the groundwork for a more prosperous, resilient and financially empowered Europe. By supporting the Commission’s strategy for a Savings and Investments Union (SIU) and calling for a comprehensive push to improve financial literacy across the EU, the EESC is highlighting the need to combine more integrated financial markets with citizen empowerment. Together, these twin efforts aim to unlock untapped capital for investment, deepen the Single Market and enable all Europeans to benefit from informed financial choices.
At its July 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an own-initiative opinion calling for urgent action to address growing inequalities in access to healthcare across the EU. The opinion highlights how inflation, poverty, and systemic barriers are deepening health disparities, and urges both Member States and the European Commission to act decisively.
At its July 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted a pivotal opinion calling for the creation of a robust, rights-based EU Anti-Poverty Strategy (APS). This strategy, requested by the European Commission, aims to eradicate extreme poverty across the Union by recognising it not as an unfortunate by-product of economic systems, but as a systemic injustice and a violation of fundamental rights.
On 24 June 2025, the European Semester Group (ESG) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted its annual conference under the heading ‘A stronger and more inclusive European Semester that works for all: strengthening Europe’s economic resilience, sustainable growth and competitiveness’. The event gathered together EU institutions, civil society organisations, national economic and social councils, and policy experts. Together, they explored how the European Semester can adapt to today’s complex economic, geopolitical and social challenges.
The EESC’s July plenary saw the adoption of an opinion on the interdependence between peace and climate change. The opinion underscores the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation and invest in green development as a mechanism for peace.
The EESC is the first EU body to offer concrete recommendations on using digital tools to improve law-making – an area still plagued by complexity and opacity. With 18 000 pages of binding legislation added each year and annual administrative costs reaching €150 billion, AI could be a gamechanger in making EU laws more accessible to Europeans.
The EESC’s June plenary saw the adoption of an opinion urging the bloc to diversify and innovate its energy system to ensure stability and move to decarbonisation.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted a new opinion urging the EU to place reindustrialisation at the heart of its response to the cost-of-living crisis. This is part of a broader EESC strategy aimed at tackling Europe’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis through a series of sectoral and umbrella opinions. The Committee argues that a stronger industrial base is key for securing quality jobs, boosting innovation and strengthening Europe’s economic resilience.
