Comité Económico e Social Europeu
Judging by recent events, migration can be unpredictable and unprecedented, with EU policy being anticipatory and yet reactive. This paper highlights recent EU policy and developments, and the EESC's position in response to them.
The External Relations Section (REX) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is responsible for dialogue between European civil society organisations and their homologues from the countries with which the European Union has formal relations (e.g. under the form of a Free Trade Agreement). Through this dialogue, made possible by a series of bilateral bodies, and through specialized opinions and information reports, the Committee is able to concretely contribute to EU foreign policy.
Approach and priority areas of the Civil Society Organisations' Group for 2023
The EESC’s Civil Society Prize rewards innovative and creative initiatives that promote and have a lasting impact on European identity and integration. This year’s prize is being awarded in two categories – empowerment of young people in the context of the European Year of Youth, and actions in support of the Ukrainian people following the invasion by Russia.
The present catalogue of good practices is a collection of numerous successful initiatives implemented by civil society organisations in Europe in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The information set out in this catalogue was brought together in the framework of the study "The response of civil society organisations to face the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictive measures adopted in Europe", commissioned by the European Economic and Social Committee at the request of the Diversity Europe Group.
As the COVID-19 pandemic hits societies and economies, bringing a global and unprecedented public health and social crisis, civil society organisations (CSOs) are responding by providing frontline help and defending the rights of people across the world. At the same time, CSOs have faced themselves profound impacts that may harm their capacities to continue playing their central roles in delivering services, advocating for rights and protecting the most fragile, while safeguarding participatory democracy and civic debate in the near future.
This study is conducted to better understand youngsters' relationship with the EU. The study examines 14- to 18-year-old youngsters' perceptions, and knowledge of the EU as well as their expectations towards the EU, and openness to the European diversity.
Executive summary
This study is conducted to better understand youngsters' relationship with the EU. The study examines 14- to 18-year-old youngsters' perceptions, and knowledge of the EU as well as their expectations towards the EU, and openness to the European diversity.
On 21 and 22 March 2019, 102 students and 36 teachers from all 28 EU Member States and the five EU candidate countries and from one Brussels-based European School, accompanied by three participants from previous YEYS events, met at the EESC in Brussels for Your Europe, Your Say! 2019.
This year, the title of the EESC's youth event was "YEYS turns 10: Vote for the future!", referring to the European elections on 23-26 May and to the fact that this year marks the event's tenth anniversary since it began in 2010.
The ninth edition of "Your Europe, Your Say!" (YEYS) took place on 15 and 16 March during the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH), an initiative to celebrate cultural heritage and bring it closer to citizens. The heading for the young people’s debates was: United in diversity: a younger future for European culture – can European youth take European culture to heart?
