Dear Madam, Dear Sir,
It is my pleasure to invite you to the 558th EESC Plenary Session.
On Wednesday 24 February at 2.45 p.m., we will hold a debate on the Conference on the Future of Europe with Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography.
On Thursday, 25 February at 10.00 a.m., our Members will vote on the Resolution on the Involvement of Organised Civil Society in the National Recovery and Resilience Plans – What works and what does not? – followed by an exchange of views with Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration.
Later that day at 11.00 a.m., we will hold an award ceremony for the EESC Civil Solidarity Prize: Civil society against COVID-19 - an evaluation committee chose 23 winners among 250 applications received from 27 countries. The overall aim of the prize is to raise awareness and increase visibility of the contribution that natural persons, civil society organisations and private companies have made or are making to create a European identity and solidarity in a way that underpins the common values that are the foundation of European integration.
I will be glad to welcome you at our plenary session. To that end, I invite you to use webstreaming, which will allow you to follow all the votes and discussions remotely.
Best regards,
Christa Schweng
EESC President
The EESC plenary session on social media: to take part in the online discussions, follow @EU_EESC or the hashtag #EESCplenary. You can also post on our Facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanEconomicAndSocialCommittee/ where the plenary session is announced. Don't forget that the plenary session is also streamed. Are your networks and organisations interested in our discussions? Let them know!
News from the ESCs
- EESC: Civil Society Days 2021: A sustainable recovery for the Future of Europe's Citizens, 1-5 March 2021
- French Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ESEC FR): Organic law on the reform of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, which will strengthen the participation of civil society in the development of public policies (citizens' petitions, public consultations, …)
Main opinions to be discussed during the upcoming session (24-25 February 2021)
- Package for fair and simple taxation (ECO/531), Mr Andersson (GR. I – SE)
- A Capital Markets Union for people and businesses – new action plan (ECO/533), Mr Bollon (GR. I – FR)
- A Digital Finance Strategy for the EU (ECO/534), Mr Dandea (GR. II – RO)
- Crypto-assets and distributed ledger technology (ECO/535), Mr Guerini (GR. III – IT)
- Digital operational resilience (ECO/536), Mr García Del Riego (GR. I – ES)
- The Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 (ECO/537), Mr Balon (GR. III – PL)
- Brexit Adjustment Reserve (ECO/542), Mr Marin (GR. II – RO)
- Asylum management under the New Pact on Migration and Asylum (SOC/669), Mr Dimitriadis (GR. I – EL)
- Asylum procedures under the New Pact on Migration and Asylum (SOC/670), Mr Gkofas (GR. III – EL)
- A Renovation Wave for Europe (TEN/723), Mr Coulon (GR. II – FR)
Main opinions adopted during the previous hybrid session (27-28 January 2021)
- Summary of adopted opinions
- Euro area economic policy 2021 (ECO/538), Ms Vorbach (GR. II – AT)
- A New Pact on Migration and Asylum (SOC/649), Mr Moreno Díaz (GR. II – ES)
- Stepping up Europe's Climate Ambition (Communication) (NAT/803), Mr Puech d’Alissac (GR. I – FR)
- Application of the Aarhus Convention - Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (NAT/808), Mr Schwartz (GR. III – FR)
- EU Strategy for Energy System Integration (TEN/717), Mr Ribbe (GR. III – DE)
- Hydrogen strategy (Communication) (TEN/718), Mr Coulon (GR. II – FR)
Upcoming events (webinars)
- 7th Meeting of the representatives of African and EU economic and social stakeholders, 2 March 2021
- Fundamental rights, the rule of law and the post-COVID-19 recovery, 9 March 2021
- Civil Society Organisations during and after COVID-19: what challenges and what future?, 12 March 2021
- Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025, 18 March 2021
Ongoing events
- Portugal's Presidency of the Council of the European Union
- The EESC's activities during the Portuguese Presidency (January-June 2021)
Past events (webinars)
- Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025, 11 February 2021
- Tackling non-performing loans in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 February 2021
- Award ceremony of the EESC Civil Solidarity Prize 2020, 15 February 2021
- The role of social economy in a fair and sustainable recovery: input for the future Action Plan on social economy, 17 February 2021
- Improving the framework for sustainable finance, 17 February 2021