The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions 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.
Here you can find news and information about the EESC'swork, including its social media accounts, the EESC Info newsletter, photo galleries and videos.
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.
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.
At its plenary meeting on 17 March 2016, the European Economic and Social Committee gave a clear message to the European Commission, calling on it to draw up conclusive proposals which go further in completing Europe's Economic and Monetary Union without delay. In a package of opinions, the Committee put forward the points of view of the social partners and civil society on the package of proposals for Deepening EMU which the Commission published at the end of last year.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has pronounced itself in favour of a simple, transparent and standardised securitisation system in Europe. While Europe is still feeling the aftershock of the 2008 financial crisis, triggered by an uncontrolled and runaway securitisation system in the US, why is this now back on the table? Because a new securitisation system in Europe can still be secure, given certain conditions, and can create growth through the unlocking of additional credit.
EESC member Carmelo Cedrone takes part in an international conference in the US
On 2-3 November 2015, a conference to discuss the relations between the Eurozone and the Americas was held at the University of Texas at Austin. The conference brought together representatives of several universities in Europe, North and South America, the European Parliament, the US Senate, etc. They addressed very interesting questions, in particular the problem of debtor-creditor relationships in the modern world, the Eurozone matters, its economic and political governance, etc. The EESC was represented by Carmelo Cedrone, vice-president of the ECO section.
"Appropriate finance facilities for businesses are a key prerequisite for economic growth". The 1st European Microfinance Day (EMD) on 19 and 20 Oct 2015 was co-organised by the EESC to raise awareness of microfinance as a tool to fight social exclusion and unemployment in Europe. In the presence of Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Commissioner Marianne Thyssen, the President of the EESC´s ECO Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion, Mr Joost van Iersel, underlined the importance in the EU of strengthening competitiveness, sustainable development and social inclusion.
The ECO Section of the EESC will organise a public debate with the title: "Gender inequality in access to financial markets. Causes, consequences and policy solutions" in order to present the views of different actors and discuss on the gender gaps in the access to funding and on investment.
The ECO Section organizes this public hearing to discuss on the current framework on resolution and insolvency, supervision, and bank deposit insurance scheme, and its reform. This event will bring institutional actors and civil society. Its conclusions will feed the work on the EESC opinion on the reform of the bank crisis management and deposit insurance framework.
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.
The EESC organised a hearing with the title: "Recapitalising EU companies. An innovative way towards sustained and inclusive recovery" in order to present the views of relevant stakeholders, including SMEs, on equity funding.
The market of crypto assets continues to grow, bringing with it both opportunities and challenges. Whilst it is important to harvest the potential the technological innovations offer, the associated risks have to be closely monitored. The hearing will take stock of new developments in the crypto sector, raise awareness, and come up with policy proposals to tackle emerging risks, in order to protect consumers and preserve financial stability.