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.
In this opinion, the EESC is calling for additional measures both at EU and national level, to better protect informal carers and recognise their important contribution to society. These measures include setting up a Platform for the exchange of best practices, the provision of high-quality, accessible community-based services to alleviate their charge, respite services and flexible working conditions to avoid that they have to quit their job to attend their family members.
The EESC adopted this opinion after in-depth work carried out during the four meetings of the study group. The opinion also reflects the national debates with civil society organisations carried out in all Member States between 2 September and 2 November 2016. These discussions were coordinated by three members of the EESC ('trios') from the country concerned, often in cooperation with the European Commission (15 debates) or the national economic and social council (7 debates). Participants came from a wide range of employers' and trade union organisations and other civil society organisations, as well as, to a lesser extent, from the academic world. A total of 116 EESC members and nearly 1,800 representatives of civil society organisations participated in the 28 debates. The conclusions/recommendations of the national debates have been grouped in the opinion, while the reports on the national debates will be published separately.
Download — EESC opinion: European Pillar of Social Rights
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls on the EU and Member States to implement more concrete measures to support the health, housing and financial needs of the growing number people taking on long-term caregiving responsibilities of a family member.
Extraordinary meeting of the Diversity Europe Group
Brussels
Belgium
The objective of the conference on 12 November was to launch the discussion on interrelated topics, but with a forward looking and practical approach. To explore how to move from the personal experience to the Institutional, how to change mind-sets and overcome prejudices.
This study investigates the major climate-related risks for households in the EU by quantifying the relationship between a set of selected climate-hazards metrics, households’ income by source, and sector-specific expenditures, capturing both the climate induced cost of impacts and adaptation measures. This analysis is complemented with the assessment of mitigation policy costs for households using a mixed modelling approach.
This study is conducted to better understand youngsters' relationship with the EU. The study examines 14- to 18-year-old youngsters' perceptions, and knowledge of the EU as well as their expectations towards the EU, and openness to the European diversity.
This study is conducted to better understand youngsters' relationship with the EU. The study examines 14- to 18-year-old youngsters' perceptions, and knowledge of the EU as well as their expectations towards the EU, and openness to the European diversity.