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.
The aim of the conference is to develop a new vision to support entrepreneurship and competitiveness of SMEs and to contribute towards a more SME-friendly business climate in the European Union. Discussions will aim towards defining a mature, proactive and perennial policy that will strengthen Europe in the face of today's challenges, with an accent on internationalisation and digitalisation as key tools for dealing with all these challenges.
The objective is to outline a new, reformed and bolder "European Small Business Act", by moving to the next level: from "Think Small First" to "Act Small First". The conference will be divided into four discussion panels, covering the following subjects: Finance Entrepreneurship, Young and Women Entrepreneurs, Digital Europe and European Cohesion and Regional Development.
The EESC is organising a public hearing in the context of preparing an opinion on European philanthropy at the request of the Romanian Presidency. The hearing will focus on the following questions:
Which measures and initiatives should be taken at EU and national level to promote organised philanthropy?
How can the EU eliminate barriers within the internal market that are hindering the realisation of philanthropy's full potential?
How can philanthropy contribute to EU values, such as cohesion, social justice and European Policies, and to the competitiveness of the European economy?
The results of the hearing will feed into the EESC’s work on the opinion.
• Review of the Luxembourg presidency of the Council of the EU, on Wednesday 9 December at 5 p.m., with the participation of Nicolas Schmit, Luxembourg's Minister for Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy
• Presentation of the European Commission's 2016 Work Programme and debate on the European Agenda on Migration, in conjunction with the adoption of opinions on migration (REX/452, REX/457, SOC/525 and SOC/526), on 10 Dec. at 10 a.m., with Frans Timmermans, First vice-president of the European Commission
On 20 February 2024 in Brussels, the EESC organised a conference on the Housing Crisis in Europe. This publication sets out the participants' assessment of the current state of affairs and their recommendations on how to tackle the current housing crisis.
In the coming months, the Belgian Presidency will have a crucial role to play at Europe’s helm. The European Economic and Social Committee will work closely with the Belgian Presidency to build a stronger, more resilient, and more democratic Europe.
In the coming months, the Spanish Presidency will have a crucial role to play at Europe’s helm. The European Economic and Social Committee will work closely with the Presidency in building a more resilient, inclusive and safer Europe, one that delivers for its citizens and effectively tackles the challenges ahead.
As Sweden takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the ongoing crises of the war in Europe, the accelerating energy crisis and economic stagnation continue to be among the main political focus points. Our shared aims are to safeguard sustainable growth and competitiveness, while executing the green and digital transition and define our standing in the world and the well-being of our citizens.
The EESC is committed to contributing to the Swedish presidency and to working together to restore much needed balance and stability in Europe.
The Czech presidency of the Council of the EU will have to cope not only with the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine but also with the lingering economic consequences of this war. The fact that Europe has not yet fully recovered from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic only makes the challenge greater.
The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a vital moment, while the European Union is facing many challenges – health, social, economic and environmental.
The European Economic and Social Committee is committed to collaborating closely with the French presidency and is looking forward to working together for a strong European Union, close to its citizens.