This year the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be joining forces once again with the other European institutions to mark the anniversary on 9th May of the Schuman Declaration, where the EU all began, in spite of recent tragic events writes Cillian Lohan. The war in Ukraine has literally transformed the European agenda,…
Taxation is a major tool for financing the recovery, as well as the digital and green transition. But the old national and international rules are no longer fit for some of the new business models used today. In an opinion adopted during its March plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the European…
The growth of hatred, expressed both online and offline across Europe, confirms the need to address hate speech and hate crime at EU level, an EESC hearing was told. On 30 March, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a public hearing to discuss the European Commission’s proposal to broaden the list of EU crimes…
The EU needs to reassess the priorities of its industrial policy in light of the pandemic and the conflict on Europe’s eastern border: this is what emerged from a conference hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The Conference, titled “A sustainable future for European industry”, was organized in cooperation with the European…
Civil society organisations are indispensable bridge builders between the EU and Africa On the eve of the African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) Summit (17-18 February 2022), and awaiting the conclusions of the Summit, Christa Schweng, EESC President, declared:“I deeply regret that the two consultative bodies of the European Union and the African Union, the European…
The EESC is urging the creation of a European network of special ombudsmen to help SMEs cope with the financial and funding issues they are experiencing, particularly as a result of the COVID crisis. The Committee also stresses that for SMEs to take up AI there needs to be the political will to support them…
The social economy can only attract suitable investments if there are dedicated financial instruments that balance social impact with acceptable returns for investors and fair risks to social enterprises, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) says in an opinion adopted at its January plenary session. Requested by the French presidency, which will make the social…
Disbursement of EU funds, including the Recovery Fund, must be tied to respect for the rule of law in all Member States. Systematic deficiencies in the rule of law always undermine the implementation of EU-funded programmes, and the absence of a rapid and comprehensive EU response to this will jeopardise the EU’s credibility, warns the…
With China and Russia on the offensive, a renewed and reliable transatlantic partnership is the key to maintaining international and legal order and peace. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) supports the idea of an Alliance of Democracies, ensuring that civil society has significant say in the joint defence of universal values and rights….
More coordinated rules for digital platforms are called for in an opinion adopted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) at its December plenary session. In the global process of transforming industry, digitisation has taken on a fundamental strategic role. The phenomenon is rapidly expanding beyond the borders of the European Union itself. Given the scale…
