European Economic
and Social Committee
European Economic
and Social Committee
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is the voice of organised civil society in Europe.
Find out more about its role and structure at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/about
The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions, evaluation and information reports a year.
It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize, the Civil Society Days, the Your Europe, Your Say youth plenary and the ECI Day.
Find the latest EESC opinions and publications at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/opinions-information-reports/opinions and http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/publications-other-work/publications respectively.
The EESC is active in a wide range of areas, from social affairs to economy, energy and sustainability.
Learn more about our policy areas and policy highlights at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/policies
The EESC holds nine plenary sessions per year. It also organises many conferences, public hearings and high-level debates related to its work.
Find out more about our upcoming events at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/upcoming-events
Here you can find news and information about the EESC'swork, including its social media accounts, the EESC Info newsletter, photo galleries and videos.
Read the latest EESC news http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/news and press releases http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/press-releases
The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society, who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation. The EESC's326 Members are organised into three groups: Employers, Workers and Various Interests.
Find out more about our Members and groups at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/members-groups
The EESC has six sections, specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union, ranging from social to economic affairs, energy, environment, external relations or the internal market.
Find out more at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/sections-other-bodies
Fis-sessjoni plenarja tiegħu ta’ Jannar, il-KESE ddiskuta l-viżjoni tal-“Boxxla Strateġika” tal-UE għas-sigurtà u d-difiża, u argumenta li s-sigurtà għandha tinftiehem b’mod wiesa’, ferm lil hinn mid-difiża militari. Is-soċjetà ċivili m’għandhiex tkun passiva fil-kwistjonijiet ta’ sigurtà: fiż-żminijiet ta’ kriżi, jista’ jkollha rwol stabilizzanti kif intwera mill-gwerra fl-Ukrajna.
F’Opinjoni fuq inizjattiva proprja dwar Il-Boxxla Strateġika tal-UE il-KESE tkellem dwar il-ħtieġa għal definizzjoni usa’, peress li l-kunċett attwali ta’ sigurtà fl-UE huwa ristrett wisq. “Is-sigurtà tmur lil hinn minn sempliċi difiża militari. Fi żminijiet ta’ theddid kumpless u ibridu, il-kunċett tas-sigurtà għandu jiġi estiż biex jinkludi l-aspetti tal-enerġija, it-trasport, il-qasam diġitali, is-sigurtà tal-ilma u tal-ikel, is-sigurtà taċ-ċittadini u l-interferenza barranija,” qal Christian Moos, ir-relatur għall-Opinjoni tal-KESE.
L-Opinjoni targumenta li, b’mod parallel mal-kapaċità nazzjonali, l-ippjanar tad-difiża u l-akkwist konġunt, l-UE għandha tkompli tinvesti ir-riżorsi limitati tagħha f’politiki u mekkaniżmi ċivili sabiex tipprevjeni l-kunflitti. Dan huwa fejn is-soċjetà ċivili tista’ tagħmel differenza, permezz tan-networks soċjali u ekonomiċi tagħha, flimkien mal-potenzjal qawwi tagħha għad-diplomazija pubblika u kulturali.
It-tfiġġija mill-ġdid tal-gwerra fl-Ewropa bl-aggressjoni tar-Russja kontra l-Ukrajna swiet bħala twissija għar-relazzjoni tal-UE man-NATO.
“L-UE u n-NATO sa issa għadhom ma sfruttawx bis-sħiħ il-potenzjal tal-kooperazzjoni tagħhom. It-tisħiħ tal-pilastru Ewropew tas-sigurtà u tad-difiża jfisser it-tisħiħ tan-NATO. Meta qed nitkellmu dwar spinta lill-kapaċitajiet ta’ difiża tal-UE, mhijiex kwistjoni li nikkompetu man-NATO iżda li nikkumplementawha,” qal ir-relatur u membru tal-KESE Peter Clever. (mt)