Europos ekonomikos ir socialinių reikalų komitetas
A new social contract for Latin America is needed, ensuring political accountability, inclusion, social protection and quality employment, said the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in its own-initiative opinion on the socio-economic situation in Latin America, following the pandemic. Freely and democratically organised civil societies are the best starting point.
The December plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) featured a debate on the reconstruction and resilience of the Euro‑Mediterranean region following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) held its 14th meeting on 29 November 2022 in Belgrade, to discuss the state of play in the accession process and reform policies in the country. The participants from Serbia and the EU Institutions, as well as from civil society organisations pointed out concerns and challenges that still need further improvement. The joint declaration of the EU-Serbia JCC was adopted unanimously.
At a time when war has returned to the European continent, culture needs, more than ever, to become a core strategic vehicle of the EU's foreign policy. To unlock its full potential, the EESC calls for the establishment of a fully-fledged multiannual strategic action plan on cultural diplomacy.
Criticism raised by civil society mainly concerns questions about the legitimacy, consistency and transparency of this arbitration system. A new model for international investment governance needs to be developed, in order to fill the significant gap between the investment system on the one hand and effective protection of labour rights and the environment on the other.
On 17 October the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a conference on the geopolitics of energy strategies in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Jointly organised with the Italian National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL) in Rome, the conference underlined the potential of the EU's Southern Neighbourhood countries as producers of green hydrogen, especially now in light of the war in Ukraine. The area can become a key player in the energy sector to the benefit of all involved stakeholders.
The high-level civil society conference on youth policy in the Western Balkans, hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), highlighted the key role of young people for the future of the region and called for their active involvement in policy-making.
To secure a more prosperous future for their citizens, Western Balkan governments need to address the problems encountered by young people, who hold the key to such a future. Sufficient and transparent budget allocations for youth policy development and the inclusion of young people in the EU accession process are a prerequisite for facilitating positive changes and improving the situation of young people in the region.
On 19 July, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a high-level conference on relief and reconstruction of Ukraine, at which it pledged its full support for the war-ravaged country on all fronts.
At its July plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) argued that the new Trade and Technology Council (TTC) can become an innovative tool for both the EU and USA to work together towards a safer and more prosperous world, based on the principles of sustainable development and democratic values.
