On 17 June, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and its Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) held a spirited debate examining the views of organised civil society following the publication of the European Commission's Update to the New Industrial Strategy. The debate, which is the first in a series of joint activities by EESC sections on the topic, questioned whether the updated strategy contains sufficient elements to enhance EU industry's resilience and strategic autonomy.
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On World Sustainable Gastronomy Day, the EESC stresses the importance of setting the sustainability bar high on how the world should aspire to feed itself in the coming decades. It is critical to take into account where ingredients come from, how food is grown and how it gets from farms to our forks, and to carry out the urgent transformations needed to achieve more sustainable food systems. All citizens and stakeholders across all food chains, in the EU and elsewhere, should benefit from a just and inclusive transition, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.
In a newly adopted report, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for mandatory circular public procurement across Europe to break governments' unsustainable consumption patterns.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for ambitious economic objectives to be set to strengthen the euro. This has become even more important given the pace of change in the global economy and the EU's current position in terms of innovation, competitiveness and fostering an investment-friendly regulatory environment.
In an opinion adopted at its June plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) says that the energy transition must – without denying its objectives – consider the economic and social characteristics of all parts of Europe and be open to an ongoing dialogue with civil society organisations.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the Commission's initiative on binding pay transparency, but considers that the proposed Directive should be strengthened in various areas and that further measures need to be taken to address the root causes of the gender pay gap.
With cancer set to become the leading cause of death in the EU, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is certainly timely. The EESC welcomes this plan which is a milestone in the fight against cancer and its social, financial and psychological impact on EU citizens. However, unresolved forms of regional and social inequality mean that there is still room for improvement.
Thanks to their bold ambition to ensure a life free of any discrimination and intimidation for each and every child and to break down the cycle of disadvantage across generations, the EU's two new comprehensive initiatives on children's rights have been receiving positive reactions. However, there are concerns as to whether their implementation in the Member States will go as smoothly as hoped, an EESC hearing has found
The EESC's Transatlantic Relations Follow-up Committee met just days ahead of the high‑level EU-US summit, marking the importance of civil society's transatlantic dialogue. Amongst a wide range of subjects to work together on, the meeting put special emphasis on issues of climate change and trade.
Rooted in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which was the first international treaty to take a human rights approach to disability, the EU Disability Strategy for the next decade is a promising document with many commendable proposals and only a few flaws. But for the strategy to be able to live up to its promise of ending discrimination against 87 million European with disabilities, its implementation will require a strong political will and resources.