Growing resource use is driving the triple planetary crisis, pushing the EU beyond planetary boundaries and leaving many Member States off track for the 2030 circular material use target. Demand-side measures and ambitious primary material reduction policies are essential to reverse this trend and strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy.
This exploratory opinion will feed into the work of the European Commission during the preparations of the Circular Economy Act.
In this Opinion, the EESC fully supports the Culture Compass as a transversal strategy to promote culture, democracy and European values across all policy areas. It calls for strong, cross-cutting funding in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including adequate budgetary targets, alongside effective implementation, clear governance and broad stakeholder involvement. The EESC highlights culture’s economic and social role, urging fair conditions for artists, improved access to finance, dedicated AI safeguards, and a reinforced international dimension and cooperation.
This exploratory opinion requested by the incoming Cypriot Council Presidency positions youth entrepreneurship as a strategic driver of EU competitiveness, innovation, and social inclusion. Despite strong interest among young people, significant barriers, particularly in access to finance, administrative complexity, and skills development, continue to hinder business creation. The European Economic and Social Committee advocates a holistic approach combining financial support, education, mentoring, and regulatory simplification to unlock this untapped potential. Strengthening entrepreneurship education, improving access to diverse funding instruments, and fostering supportive ecosystems, including networks, internationalisation opportunities, and digital skills, are essential to enabling young entrepreneurs to thrive.
Our social, political and economic strength comes from our unity in diversity: Equality and non-discrimination are core values and fundamental rights in the EU. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the Union of Equality: LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030 as a vital framework but finds that persistent discrimination, violence, weak enforcement and growing anti-LGBTIQ+ backlash continue to undermine progress across the EU. It stresses that implementation gaps, insufficient funding, legal fragmentation and lack of reliable data limit the Strategy’s effectiveness, particularly for trans, non-binary and intersex persons and those facing intersectional discrimination.
Download — EESK:s yttrande: The Role of the Private Sector and Civil Society in Strengthening Economic Cooperation within the Pact for the Mediterranean
The opinion examines the 2030 Consumer Agenda, a new five-year strategy for EU consumer policy. The Agenda addresses four key priority areas: a) an action plan for consumers in the single market; b) digital fairness and consumer protection online; c) sustainable consumption; d) effective enforcement and redress.
Download — EESK:s yttrande: A comprehensive strategy for nature-based biodegradable materials to foster circularity and resource efficiency, strengthen the agri-food sector and scale-up the EU bioeconomy
This opinion explores the potential of the bioeconomy and how policies can ensure its long-term competitiveness and investment security, while safeguarding nature. It will present civil society's views on further goals which include increasing resource-efficient and circular use of biological resources, securing a sustainable supply of biomass, both within the EU and from international sources, and strengthening the EU’s position in the rapidly expanding global bioeconomy.
