European Economic and Social Committee

Missed our March #EESCPlenary?    Here's a quick recap of what we discussed with EU Commissioners Michael McGrath, Christophe Hansen, and Valdis Dombrovski:  💠 we committed to shaping the Civil Society Platform and vowed to keep championing civic space;    💠we welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen the bargaining position of farmers in food chains, while advocating for a more ambitious Common Agricultural Policy in our debate;    💠 we reaffirmed our commitment to building a resilient, future-ready EU, following the presentation of the European Commission's Work Programme for the next five years;    💠 we adopted opinions on various topics, including the EU's growth plan for Moldova and the European Oceans Pact.    Find out more about this plenary's opinions → europa.eu/!PFMMk6 

Ignoring EU civil society is simply not an option. 🙅♂️    What better day than the anniversary of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) coming into force to emphasise the crucial need of consulting civil society.    This was the message we conveyed to the European Commission two years ago when it proposed reforms to the EU’s economic governance framework without involving European civil society.     We raised our concerns and provided key recommendations to ensure the final legislative package mandated civil society consultation on essential economic reforms.    Our advocacy then played a pivotal role in influencing the positions of both the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.    Read the full story here → europa.eu/!whXXvB     #EESCstories #ECI

Innovation drives growth, creates jobs, and fuels competitiveness.     The EU must act now to boost research, development and innovation, by achieving its goal of investing 3% of GDP in the sector to stay in the global race.     We can achieve this by:   🔹 prioritising research, development and innovation in the next Multiannual Financial Framework;  🔹 supporting SMEs to gain access to research facilities, technology infrastructures and expertise;  🔹 exchanging know-how through collaboration between academia, organisations and industry.    Find out more in our publication: europa.eu/!hXNFv3    #Innovation #EUCompetitiveness

That’s a wrap for YEYS 2025! 🎉     Thank you to all the participants, teachers, speakers, and facilitators who made this an unforgettable experience. Your energy, ideas, and passion truly shaped this event.     Five recommendations have emerged and call for:  🔹 greater involvement of young people in anti-corruption efforts;  🔹 promoting civic education that empowers youth to engage in democratic value;  🔹 addressing inequalities through concrete actions to ensure equal pay, representation, reproductive rights, and non-gendered education;  🔹 advocating for greater representation of young people in decision-making processes;  🔹 the EU to take a leading role in global climate action.     Find out more about the recommendations: europa.eu/!qRJkqM    #YEYS2025 #EUCivilSociety 

Meet the Civil Society Prize's winners! 🏆    We are thrilled to share their outstanding initiatives combating harmful polarisation in European society:  🥇 Slovenská debatná asociácia launched the programme "The Critical Thinking Olympiad" which empowers Slovak youth to build resilience to misinformation. 🇸🇰  🥈 Reporters d'Espoirs / Reporters of Hope promotes solutions-based journalism among young Europeans in the French language. 🇫🇷  🥉 Formation Education Culture created an immersive “Far-Right Escape Game” to foster inclusion and collective reflection. 🇧🇪    Congratulations to all our winners for their incredible work in strengthening civil society across the EU!    Find out more: europa.eu/!n4ryb9    #EUCivilSociety #CivilSocietyPrize #CivSocWeek 

A home is a right, not a privilege!    Yet, for too many Europeans, affordable housing is slipping away. At the conference organised by the European Parliament and the European Commission, we called for bold investment in social and affordable housing.     Our key recommendations include:  🏠 a call for a stronger role for civil society in shaping housing policies;  🏠 establishing a fundamental right to housing, providing sufficient funding, and implementing the ‘Housing First’ approach for homeless people;  🏠 recognising social housing as an essential tool of active housing policies;  🏠 improving access to affordable housing for young people.    Our recommendations: europa.eu/!CQfRKK    #EUHousing

Our March #EESCPlenary is live!    🔴 Tune in → europa.eu/!qQ64Yc    Follow the votes on key opinions and our debates on:  🇪🇺 competitiveness, economic security and Cohesion Fund;  🌍 EU-India Strategic Partnership and Moldova Growth Plan;  🗣️ key takeaways from Civil Society Week 2025;  🗣 a new vision on agriculture and food, among others.    Among our guests are Commissioners Michael McGrath, Christophe Hansen and Valdis Dombrovskis, Kristýna Bulvasová, #YEYS2025 youth representative, and more.    #EUCivilSociety #CivSocWeek 

1 area, 29 countries, 30 years: celebrating three decades of Schengen! ✨ On this day in 1995, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands took a historic step by officially implementing the Schengen Agreement and removing internal border controls. On 1 January 2025, Bulgaria and Romania became the latest countries to join the Schengen Area, expanding the zone of free movement to 25 EU countries, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. As part of Schengen, people can travel work, and do business across borders without passport checks, boosting competitiveness and economic growth. What has been the impact of non-Schengen status on Bulgaria and Romania? Find out here: europa.eu/!kXGN4x #Schengen #SingleMarket

1 month left to apply for the 4th edition of the EU Organic Awards! 🌱🏆      Are you a pioneer in organic excellence? Submit your application before 27 April! ✍️      We proudly recognise outstanding actors in the organic sector with:    🏅 Best Organic Food Processing SME – for SMEs processing organic products;    🏅 Best Organic Food Retailer – for SMEs specialising in organic products;    🏅 Best Organic Restaurant/Food Service – for SMEs offering certified organic options.     Need help with your application? Check out our tutorial video and apply here: europa.eu/!P73WqQ    #EUOrganic IFOAM Organics Europe COPA COGECA European Committee of the Regions European Commission 

We need a stronger EU industry: green, competitive and resilient. ⚙️    We are calling for a bold EU industrial strategy that enhances competitiveness, creates quality jobs, and aligns with the Green Deal, supported by:  🔹 a solid regulatory framework to address high energy costs;  🔹 a strong EU trade policy to reduce our dependence on external suppliers;  🔹 a more integrated single market, particularly in the energy sector.    Our recommendations: europa.eu/!YXD7Pp    #EUIndustry #EUCompetitiveness #EUGreenDeal