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.
With this highly political Opinion with interest for all involved stakeholders, but also for consumers or citizens in general, the EESC aims to reply to the questions set out in the Commission Green Paper. Through the Green Paper consultation, the Commission is trying to obtain a better understanding of the online gambling sector which is expanding rapidly, is cross-border in nature and is characterised by different national regimes being implemented by Member States.
A highly participated hearing was held in the framework of the second study group meeting to elaborate a well-balanced and more realistic opinion. This event had an enormous feedback in media.
The proposal for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base spurs the debate among policymakers and stakeholders. Opinions diverge whether such a project would remove obstacles to the completion of the Single Market and reduce compliance cost - or if it would rather impose further red tape, raise compliance cost and take away tax sovereignty from national legislators. The EESC generally supports the Commission proposal, but certain aspects remain controversial among it's members.
EESC opinion: CCCTB / Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base
In the framework of this opinion a hearing (Opportunities and challenges for a more competitive European woodworking and furniture sector) was organized in Praha, Czech Republic, on 9 June 2011.
Opportunities and challenges for a more competitive European woodworking and furniture sector
The aim of this additional opinion is to put forward some examples or recommendations for prevention, insufficiently addressed in the new proposed directive on combating the sexual abuse of children. Preventive measures should be holistic, child-centred and happen as early as possible. The EESC calls on the European Commission to adopt and enforce a European Union Prevention Strategy Against Child Sexual Abuse. There are also many excellent initiatives of civil society actors to be endorsed. To that end the EESC has produced a database of best practice.
Preventive measures for the protection of children against sexual abuse
The Committee recommends the Commission to bring forward a comprehensive new package of measures to incentivise the massive new investment needed to deliver these new targets. The package should include a strengthening of the ETS as a cost optimising instrument for guiding investment decisions as well as other measures to: 1) promote energy efficiency in all sectors; 2) increase consumer awareness and capacity to use their purchasing power to favour low carbon goods and services; 3) support investment in the infrastructure that will be needed; 4) promote training and capacity-building in the key sectors.
This opinion is the EESC's key response to the events in the Euromed region. It provides a thorough analysis of the EU's past failings and the lessons which need to be drawn from them, the most urgent needs facing civil society in the current transition phase, and the longer term perspectives for civil society in the region. The opinion also responds to the two joint communications issued by the European Commission and EEAS on the EU's new Euromed policy, calling for close cooperation between the EU institutions in the region