underlines that AI should remain a complementary tool rather than a substitute, with ultimate decision-making in sensitive areas such as health, law, or taxation staying under human control to safeguard professional autonomy and accountability;
stresses that technology can ease administrative burdens and routine tasks, enabling professionals to focus on higher-value, human-centric services, which improves efficiency and the quality of services delivered to citizens and enterprises;
insists that ethical and professional standards must apply to the use of AI, ensuring transparency in AI-driven decisions, avoiding bias and discrimination, and respecting privacy, data protection, and intellectual property rights.
reiterates that the strengthening of the EU’s defensive capacities must be implemented in accordance with its fundamental values, with a focus on the well-being of citizens;
believes that the EU should adopt a common defence policy as part of a shared foreign and security policy, and build a strong European defence pillar, going beyond national models;
stresses the urgent need to promote a common European industrial policy that enhances industrial competitiveness while respecting the principles of transparency, efficiency and sustainability. It also calls for specific common funding instruments to be adopted.
At its September plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted a debate with Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen, and called on the European Commission to take urgent action to address the ongoing housing crisis.
At its September plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the New Pact for the Mediterranean, a month ahead of its official launch by the European Commission. The Committee calls for bottom-up processes ensuring that the Pact has a direct, positive impact on all people, especially on youth.
The negotiations on the EU 2040 climate target are currently in a deadlock. In today’s plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) decided to back the proposed Climate Law Amendment, urging the EU Council and the Parliament to seal the 90% target before COP30 in Brazil, warning Europe risks losing credibility if it drags its feet.
The European Economic and Social Committee will host its End of Mandate Ceremony on 17 September 2025. This event will gather EU leaders, civil society, youth voices and international partners around the Committee’s achievements of the 2023-25 mandate of EESC President Oliver Röpke.
You will be able to follow the ceremony by web streaming
stresses the urgent need to take a comprehensive, preventive approach based on fundamental human rights to the commercial determinants of health, which are defined as strategies of private actors that negatively influence health and democratic checks and balances;
calls on the EU and its Member States to adopt ambitious policies and strategic funding – including under the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034 – to make health a central pillar of European resilience, particularly with a view to prevention;
encourages the establishment of a balanced regulatory framework that allows businesses to transition towards models that respect public health, by including the precautionary principle, transparency and due diligence clauses in public policies.
advocates implementing the EU customs reform as quickly as possible, in particular the part concerning e-commerce, and urges the EU Member States to immediately give the Commission a mandate to develop the customs data hub;
calls for the abolishment of the EUR 150 customs duty exemption and for the implementation of the ‘deemed importer’ model across the EU, shifting responsibility from consumers to platforms; and
insists that all third-country platforms appoint an EU-based responsible economic operator with full legal liability, as required by the Digital Services Act, and be recognised as central actors in the supply chain.
