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.
This Own-Initiative Opinion is proposed by the Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law (FRRL).
Violence against women is the ultimate expression of discrimination against women. It represents a control mechanism that stems from inequality between women and men while at the same time reinforcing and perpetuating this inequality. Not only does this undermine equal coexistence between men and women, it also constitutes an attack on the values and principles enshrined in Article 2 of the TEU. In the 2023 State of the Union address, Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen stressed that "there can be no true equality without freedom from violence".
The European Commission has requested from the EESC an exploratory opinion on industrial and technological approaches and best practices supporting a water resilient society. Building on EESC's previous work on the EU Blue Deal, this exploratory opinion aims to make concrete recommendations on how to boost the development and uptake of new water technologies and best practices in the EU and support notably industries in the transformation towards a water-resilient society, taking into account sectoral constraints.
EESC section opinion: Industrial and technological approaches and best practices supporting a water resilient society
EDIS is a joint communication of the Commission and the High Representative that sets a vision for the European defence industrial policy until 2035.
The EESC welcomes this Commission initiative and the CCMI study group members will examine how the European Defence Industrial Strategy can strengthen the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) and achieve defence industrial readiness. Furthermore, this opinion will assess the necessary steps for the successful implementation of this strategy.
EESC section opinion: European defence industrial strategy
The European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP) regulation will serve as the anchor for future joint development and procurement projects of high common interest to the security of the Member States and the Union.
EESC section opinion: European defence industry programme
This own-initiative opinion using the drone manufacturing industry as a case study will seek to examine the different policies in place to enhance European strategic autonomy and develop synergies between defence and civilian sector, in areas of great social interest such as civil protection, assessment of disasters and quick response of local authorities, traffic monitoring and others. It is important for civil society and stakeholders to mobilise resources and create new added values in the defense sector in such a manner that will maximise security outcome, by motivating industry to cover its own demand, produce appropriate and modern tools of deterrence and transform these at periods of lower turbulence towards civil protection activities.
EESC section opinion: Drone manufacturing industry: a case study to assess the outcome in a strategic sector of the different policies in place to enhance European strategic autonomy