News

  • Digital healthcare is around the corner. It will bring a sea change to our health care systems, in principle positive change, provided that a few basic political choices are made at European level before it is too late. This was the main conclusion of an own-initiative opinion entitled Impact of the digital healthcare revolution on health insurance, adopted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 21 September.

  • A structured form of dialogue with organised civil society is essential for successful negotiations, says the EESC

    Europe and its Member States are the main investor in Latin American and Caribbean countries and their most significant cooperation partner. In fact, the countries of Latin America and Caribbean are the EU's second largest trading partner - together, the EU and CELAC account for around 25% of global GDP.  

  • The Innovation Camp on Resilience, organized by The Centre for Research & Technology Helas (CERTH), the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), took place in Thessaloniki on 21-23 September 2017.

  • Despite many EU funding schemes, efforts so far have failed in making a significant impact on the life of Roma, an EESC hearing reveals

  • A solid and sustainable social dimension of the European Union is crucial for securing its future,  speakers said at the public hearing on the "Impact of the social dimension and the European Pillar of Social Rights on the Future of the European Union", held by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 11 September.

    The hearing was organised as part of the EESC work on an opinion on the Reflection Paper on the social dimension of Europe, published by the European Commission in April, as well as on the Commission proposal for an Interinstitutional Proclamation endorsing the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR).

  • Focusing on social inclusion of young people, helping them to develop self-confidence, a sense of identity and belonging, and teaching them how to think critically are among the most important elements of successfully preventing youth radicalisation, a panel held by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) heard in Brussels last week.

  • The rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) should be included in the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global compact for Migration, the two intergovernmental agreements covering the international response to refugees and migrations, it was suggested at an event held on the margins of the Conference of State Parties to the CRPD (COSP) co-hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

  • Social Economy – the right tool to improve living standards in the EU neighbourhood

    The social economy's primary objective is to generate economic activity at the same time as meeting and addressing the needs of workers, users and consumers, rather than owners and investors. Based on solidarity-inspired criteria, it makes a major contribution to improving the living and working conditions of millions of people.  The social economy in its various business forms - cooperatives, associations, foundations, mutual societies, social economy enterprises (SEEs), etc. - plays an active role, for instance in agricultural production, manufacturing finance and micro-finance, the supply of clean water, housing, the labour market integration of people with disabilities, youth employment and women's rights, etc.  Therefore it could also become a key player in the achievement of the objectives of EU’s policies with an external dimension of European policies, provided it is backed by an appropriate regulatory framework.

  • Social Security

    The new Commission proposal seeks to provide clarity and assurances with regard to benefits to which workers working abroad are entitled, but some of the issues have not been adequately addressed, the EESC says.

  • The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform is moving forward! The EESC and the European Commission have launched an open call for expressions of interest with a view to composing its coordination group.