calls on the European Commission to adopt a coordinated, cross-cutting EU approach to intergenerational solidarity, ensuring the rights of both young and older people. Moreover, intergenerational solidarity should be one of the criteria for assessing whether legislation and other EU instruments contribute to the aims set out in Article 3(3) TEU: ‘The Union (...) shall promote (...) solidarity between generations;
welcomes the intention to appoint an EU Commissioner with responsibility for intergenerational fairness. The EESC will consider hosting an Intergenerational Solidarity Forum for the exchange of information and experience, evaluating existing and developing new concepts of and strategies for intergenerational solidarity as well as, in cooperation with the European Commission, to monitor the implementation of the opinion's recommendations. Civil society organisations and social partners’ involvement is key in implementing the recommendations, given their important role in promoting intergenerational solidarity;
calls on the European Commission to publish a Green Paper on Intergenerational Solidarity, which may include, within the context of the Welfare State, challenges, opportunities and solutions in the various fields mentioned in this opinion. Requests establishing intergenerational solidarity as one of the objectives under the European Social Fund in the 2027-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework and its implementing regulations.
How to eradicate skills poverty among the most vulnerable? On 10 July, the Civil Society Organisations’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee held a thematic debate exploring this question. The debate saw the launch of a new exploratory study on this same issue.
Healthcare professionals and civil society representatives called on policy-makers to introduce a ‘Health check’ for all future policies. Their demand just before the elections to the European Parliament: the ‘Right to Health’ must remain at the top of the EU and national agendas, as citizens demanded at the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Conference on 'The State of Health in the EU', organised by the EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group, in partnership with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège and the Hôpital de la Citadelle, in the framework of the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU, 4 June, Liège (Belgium)
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), at the request of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, has unveiled crucial recommendations aimed at bolstering social cohesion, managing debt and prioritising investments in healthcare and employment across Europe. The EESC expressed concern that tight budgets might slow down progress in fighting poverty and climate change.
The Civil Society Organisations' Group organised a photography exhibition in collaboration with the City of Culture of Galicia in the framework of its conference on EU food sovereignty: the role of agriculture, fisheries and consumers. The subject of the exhibition supported and complemented the Group's and the EESC's work on resilient and sustainable European food systems. The Group invited the Galician artist, Adrián Baúlde, to present parts of the series Mariscadoras.
The EESC has asked the forthcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU to push forward with the proposal to make the Social Progress Protocol a binding legal instrument, which would help strengthen and preserve social rights in Europe
15 June 2023 - The Employers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee today pushed through a counter-opinion to strongly voice its concern about adding a Social Progress Protocol that would fundamentally change the nature and functioning of the EU social market economy.
The EESC describes the Commission's proposals for strengthening social dialogue in Member States and the EU as both timely and necessary, but calls for additional steps. Action is needed on improving national consultations with the social partners, national and European collective bargaining coverage and the implementation of social partner agreements
The EESC proposed to make sure that the relevant European and national legislation is fully implemented and enforced so as to reduce precarious work and the prevalence of the associated mental health problems;
to adopt specific legislation on preventing psychosocial risks at EU level;
to combat identified work-related psychosocial risks at the source.
