In this own-initiative opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is addressing the growing disparities in healthcare access across the EU. These inequalities, exacerbated by inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as low-income households, people with disabilities, children, and older people. The opinion calls for urgent action to ensure equitable access to healthcare and long-term care, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), and proposes concrete policy recommendations to strengthen healthcare systems and reduce barriers to care.
In the current context of multiple crises, in addition to digital challenges, urges the EU institutions and Member States to act on the EESC’s proposals on social and civil dialogue to engage individual citizens in democracy in general. It proposes to work closely with the Commission in the creation, governance and regular operation of a civil society platform and to act as a hub and custodian for public and organised civil society participation, and recalls that the Conference on the Future of Europe explicitly calls for the EESC’s institutional role to be enhanced and for it to be empowered as a facilitator of participatory democracy activities, such as structured dialogue with civil society.
The opinion examines how regulatory simplification and the integration of digital tools in law-making can enhance the legislative process. It looks into how innovative, technology-driven solutions can reduce administrative burdens and foster a more business-friendly environment across Europe.
Europe’s energy system is increasingly unbalanced due to intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, often relying on fossil fuels for stability. Achieving balance is key for energy reliability, climate goals, economic growth, and technological innovation. This opinion explores how Member States can integrate renewables while ensuring system stability and advancing decarbonisation, focusing on managing intermittent energy effectively.
Ensuring the European healthcare sector is well-equipped to respond to cyber-attacks will be a top priority for the newly elected European Commission.
On 15 January 2025, the European Commission published a European action plan on the cybersecurity of hospitals and healthcare providers, COM(2025) 10 final.
The European Commission Communication on the "European action plan on the cybersecurity of hospitals and healthcare providers" aims to strengthen the security of our health systems and to improve the cybersecurity of hospitals and healthcare providers across the EU as healthcare systems increasingly become targets of cyber and ransomware attacks, in a comprehensive action plan.
In this exploratory opinion, requested by the European Commission, the EESC outlines priority actions and flagship initiatives for the 2025–2030 period. It urges the Commission to quickly develop its next action plan with meaningful consultation of persons with disabilities and their organisations and calls for stronger, more binding measures than those from 2021–2025, with direct impact and dedicated funding in the next Multiannual Financial Framework to ensure effective implementation and support.
