The European Economic and Social Committee will host the 2024 Connecting EU seminaron 17-18 October 2024 , which will this year address the urgent need to preserve independent and impartial journalism in the context of mounting political pressures and the rapid rise of generative AI.
From October 1-2, 2024, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Oliver Röpke, participated in the highly anticipated Athens Democracy Forum (ADF) 2024, an event hosted by the Democracy and Culture Foundation in association with The New York Times. This year’s theme, "A Moment of Truth," addressed pressing global challenges to democracy as more than 50 nations worldwide faced national elections.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recognises that green hydrogen is an important building block in the transition towards renewable energy sources, and says that its infrastructure, financing and remit have to be carefully planned
For Bulgaria and Romania, the costs of not being full members of the Schengen area are counted in billions of euros. The transport and tourism sectors of both countries are most affected and checks at land borders create huge barriers for Romanian and Bulgarian companies, restricting their competitiveness and preventing them from fully reaping the benefits of the single market
In a new set of recommendations adopted in September, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called for pressing action to address the critical funding shortfall threatening the EU’s climate and digital transformation goals. By establishing an EU investment fund with a focus on strategic, future-oriented investments, Europe can secure its competitiveness, reduce external dependencies, and create a more resilient single market.
Almost five years after it was launched, the Green Deal – Europe’s blueprint for a carbon-free Europe – has seen its implementation become increasingly complex. It is high time for a review of the green transition targets and to ensure they will not be achieved at the expense of Europe’s industrial and social systems, workers’ well-being and the EU’s competitiveness.
Just a few days after the nomination of a new European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and the Rule of Law, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has issued a strong call for a renewed commitment to the rule of law and fundamental rights within the EU. At its September plenary session, the EESC took stock of the current situation and debated ideas for a stronger EU response, including European Commission President von der Leyen's recent announcement of a long-anticipated civil society platform.
As COP16 of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) draws near, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is calling on the global community to place biodiversity at the forefront of international efforts. Biodiversity—the vast variety of life on Earth—is not an abstract concept, but the foundation of ecosystems, human well-being, and economic stability. The EESC highlighted the urgency of this issue in an own-initiative opinion adopted at its September plenary session.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), has adopted an opinion supporting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the open labour market, calling for the promotion of measures and policies (including the setup of a joint fund between Member States) that would buttress these efforts.
