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.
EESC Workers' Group member Ellen Nygren highlights that despite changes to the world of work over the past 100 years the ILO's mission and conventions remain valid now and for the future.
We need the voice of workers to be heard loud and clear not only in the European Parliament but also in the Commission said Oliver Röpke, President of the Workers' Group. For this reason, the EESC Workers' Group organised a side event at the ETUC Congress to discuss how we can ensure that the rights of workers are at the centre of the political agenda in the new European Parliament.
The member states of the European Union must strengthen stakeholder involvement in their efforts to reform national economies. Together with a new long-term EU strategy for sustainable development, improved stakeholder involvement could help create a more efficient and inclusive European semester that enjoys the support of society and is prepared to tackle the challenges facing the EU.
These are some of the main findings of a public hearing held by the European Semester Group of the European Economic and Social Committee, chaired by Gonçalo Lobo Xavier (ESG president), on 28 February. This hearing focused on the state and outlook of the European economy and analysed stakeholderinvolvement in the European semester process. Through the hearing, the Committee wished to facilitate an exchange between national and European stakeholders and gather ideas on how to improve the European semester.
Statement of the President of the Employers' Group
On 20 February 2019 the EESC adopted an opinion calling for an EU framework directive on minimum income. The Employers' Group fully shares the view of the EESC that fighting against poverty is a necessity. However, for us the instrument proposed in the opinion is not the correct one. For this reason, the Group tabled a counter-opinion, presenting its views on measures needed to reduce poverty. The counter opinion was supported by almost 40% of the EESC Members.
This agreement is a concrete step to make the lives of European working parents and carers easier, said Gaby Bischoff, President of the Workers Group at the EESC.
While wishing the Social Pillar a happy first birthday, the Workers' Group believes the best birthday present for the Pillar would be for the EU institutions to deliver on their commitments: we call on them to adopt strong proposals to improve working people's lives, before the European elections in May 2019.