Evropski ekonomsko-socialni odbor
On 27 and 28 February 2023, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission will host the 2023 European Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference in hybrid mode. The sixth Conference will bring together Europe's biggest circular economy stakeholders to focus on the role of the circular economy in driving sustainable recovery, open strategic autonomy and resilience.
The hearing will deal with the topic of next year Strategic Foresight Report, as indicated at the end of this year report ("The next annual Strategic Foresight Report will focus on the key upcoming challenges and opportunities that Europe will face in the decades to come, providing strategic insights relevant for strengthening the global role of the EU."), so to offer to the Commission a timely and proactive input aimed to make the all process more participatory and open.
The hearing will focus on the economic and social aspects that could reinforce the role of the EU and notably on what strategic decisions need to be made to ensure a socially and economically sustainable Europe with a stronger role in the world in the coming decades.
More specifically, the hearing will discuss:
Originally focused on matters of security and defence, open strategic autonomy has expanded to encompass a wide range of policies from geopolitics, trade and economics (i.e. critical raw materials and supply chains) to technology, environment and climate, social and governance. However, the Member States still do not agree to what levels of ambition should strategic autonomy be pursued or how would the concept of strategic autonomy be defined. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and then with the war in Ukraine, all seem to agree that the EU should develop more capabilities to increase self-sufficiency.
Since 1999, the EESC has been organising the European Consumer Day where consumers gather to influence the EU debate.
The topic of this year was "Empowering consumers for a more sustainable world". The objective was to reflect on how to give consumers the information they need and how to help them make the best choices when purchasing a product.
Round tables focused on topics such as tech for good, the right to reparability, the functional economy, consumption and health.
The event held both in Brussels and online. It gathered high level speakers and representatives of EU institutions, national governments and civil society organisations.
This hearing will focus on topical questions such as the possible avenues to help MSMEs be well informed and prepared to grasp the opportunities of the transition to climate neutrality, coupling it with the possibilities offered by the digitalisation and hedging the current geopolitical risks. It will also take into consideration the challenges faced by the Belgian companies and the opportunities offered to them if they successfully adjust to the climate neutral and digitalised world.
This joint high-level event focused on topical questions such as the challenges faced by Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to successfully adjust to the climate neutral and digitalised world. It has also analysed the possible avenues to help MSMEs to be well informed and prepared to grasp the opportunities of the transition to climate neutrality, coupling it with the possibilities offered by the digitalisation and hedging the current geopolitical risks.
As part of its own-initiative opinion on emergency preparedness, the EESC is organising a hearing to be held in Brussels on 25 May.
The overall aim of this event will be to bring together EU policy makers to lay the groundwork for discussing a new policy framework for a sustainable economy for the wellbeing of society as driver for Europe's resilience and strategic autonomy, focusing on systemic change.
The hearing will assess the chances and challenges that SMEs face due to the green transition in terms of proper funding and support measures. The Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package affect SMEs through direct requirements or indirectly through increased costs or resources. Some specific groups – such as micro companies, social economy enterprises, crafts and some liberal professions, are especially vulnerable and have less resources and information to secure the successful green transition.
The EESC conference, organised with the support of the French Presidency of the EU, on "Tackling energy poverty at the heart of the ecological and energy transition" was held on 21 April 2022. This was the follow-up event to the EESC's 2021 conference on "Energy poverty at the crossroads of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal". ...
