The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be producing an own-initiative opinion on the main challenges faced by EU islands and mountainous and sparsely populated areas, which is scheduled for adoption at the EESC's September plenary session. In this context, the EESC, along with the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the North Sweden European Office (NSEO), will be holding a public hearing in Umeå (Sweden) on 4 May 2023 entitled "Challenges and opportunities that the digital and energy transitions present to the northern sparsely populated areas and islands. How can these regions become drivers for growth and development?". The hearing is an event under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Events
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The purpose of the hearing will be to contribute to the EESC own-initiative opinion by collecting suggestions on how to make the EU Climate Diplomacy more effective. We will explore the geopolitical repercussions of the European Green Deal for business actors and debate on how to intensify the dialogue on business opportunities and risks related to climate change.
The Commission adopted in November 2022 a new EU Global Health Strategy to improve global health security and deliver better health for all, positioning global health as an essential pillar of EU external policy. The Strategy will help deliver the universal health-related targets in the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Day of the Liberal Professions will take place on 2 May 2023 at the EESC in Brussels. This annual event brings together key players from Europe's liberal professions, as well as key policy makers from the European Commission, European Parliament and Member States.
578th Plenary session - Mid-term elections of the Committee Bureau, President, Vice-Presidents, presidents of sections and CCMI and other EESC bodies.
The Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) met again for the first time in person since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic on 24 April 2023. The meeting was held in a great spirit and with renewed enthusiasm for cooperation between the joint DAGs. During the meeting Members took stock of the work of the respective DAGs since the 2022 joint online meeting, and identified opportunities for fruitful cooperation on joint priorities. The Joint statement was adopted on 20 June.
The EESC´s Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) organised a first hearing on the review of the CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles, with the participation of many civil society stakeholders.
The Conference on the Future of Europe brought to the forefront the importance of citizens having a say in EU policy, as well as how to facilitate their views. In the context of the EESC's opinion on citizen's panels an public consultation, this public hearing aims to examine these tools: What works? What doesn't? Who is the best placed to organise such deliberation?
The EU-Serbia Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) held its 15th meeting on 21 April 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. It is a platform established within the institutional framework of the EU‑Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), enabling representatives of both the EU and the Serbian civil society to monitor the country's accession negotiations, discuss issues of common interest and point out concerns to be tackled on the Serbian path towards the European Union.
With this debate, the ECO section is providing ex-ante input to the European Commission, in preparation for the upcoming 2023 strategic foresight cycle that wants to shed light on the strategic decisions needed to ensure a socially and economically sustainable Europe with a stronger role in the world in the coming decades.