European Economic and Social Committee

On this day, 35 years ago, the Berlin Wall fell.    After 28 years divided by this barrier, East and West Germany saw their border reopen, marking the first step towards the reunification of one of the leading EU countries.    The fall of the Wall has gone down in history as a 'peaceful revolution', and today we remember the courage of those who fought for freedom, justice and unity.    We embrace these values and recall that EU civil society plays an essential role in protecting them and safeguarding our democracies.    📷 © Associated Press, 1989    #BerlinWall #MauerFall35 

We have a clear stance on artificial intelligence in public services: innovation must safeguard citizens' fundamental rights.    Our recommendations:  ✅ a human-centric point of view promoting a dialogue with relevant civil society stakeholders;  ✅ a climate of trust must be fostered around the use of this new form of technology;  ✅ the creation of comprehensive training and upskilling plans;  ✅ implementing reinforced levels of security in data acquisition, processing and storing.    Learn more: europa.eu/!DDrd6D    #AIAct #PublicService #AI

#COP16Colombia ended with some successes and failures. The lack of consensus on how to close the biodiversity financial gap underscores a major challenge for #COP29Azerbaijan next week: agreeing on global financial solutions to drive real change. Our participation to COP16 and COP29 is essential to amplify the voice of EU civil society and give visibility to its concerns about climate change. Key priorities that we will continue to champion at COP29. 🌍 We need greater synergies between COPs to successfully align biodiversity action with climate action. Read more about our participation to COP29: europa.eu/!MjP8tK COP16 Colombia

We advocate for Industry 5.0 to establish an inclusive, human-centred industrial ecosystem in the European Union.    In contrast to Industry 4.0, which focused primarily on digitalization and automation, Industry 5.0 promotes a future where people, not just technology, lead innovation and progress. We aim a human-focused industrial model based on:  🤝 democratic values;  🤝 social equity;  🤝 inclusive competitiveness.    More information: europa.eu/!cKBmhW     #EUIndustry

Healthcare in the EU stands at a crucial turning point. To ensure the resilience of our health systems, our flagship initiative for health advocates for: ⚕️ a cross-cutting EU health architecture; ⚕️ setting multiannual health goals at EU level; ⚕️ the One Health approach, integrating human, animal, plant and environment policies. We also urge the European Commission to publish an Action Plan on Rare Diseases with clearly achievable targets and to place health among the key strategic political priorities. Read more: europa.eu/!cVGRFk #HealthUnion

Climate change has colours.    And a very high cost if we do nothing.    While it poses significant challenges, it also presents unique opportunities for the EU. But decisive action must be taken now, such as:  ✅ investments in renewable energy to stimulate growth while reducing emissions;  ✅ training to prepare the workforce for the new green jobs;  ✅ climate-friendly tax instruments to foment public acceptance of climate measures;  ✅ coordinated international efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU economy.    More about our recommendations → europa.eu/!8TTCJy      #ClimateChange #ClimateAction 

Young people are an integral part of civil society.    We believe their participation in policy and decision-making processes must be a structured process, not just an add-on.     Our recent study on the matter highlights effective practices for youth participation at local, national, EU and international levels, providing recommendations for the EU institutions to put into action.    Read more: europa.eu/!fmpRHx    #EUCivilSociety #Youth 

Did you know that our logo symbolises our role in fostering consensus across the different sectors of the EU organised civil society?   As an EU advisory body, we give recommendations on behalf of the EU civil society to other EU institutions, ensuring their policies are effective through:  🇪🇺 more than 160 opinions every year in many areas of interest;  🇪🇺 329 elected members from each EU country, specialised in different topics, with diversified backgrounds;  🇪🇺 several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation.      Learn more about us → eesc.europa.eu/en/about    #EUCivilSociety

Back to the 8️⃣0️⃣ 's! 💬 The 1980s were marked by the emergence of social dialogue at EU level. 🧑🤝🧑 On 1 July 1987, the Single European Act entered into force, expanding the Treaties of Rome in the areas of social policy and economic and social cohesion, and ultimately fostering our consultative role. 👷 On 9 December 1989, the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers was adopted echoing our own-initiative opinion. Our contributions to the Charter were key to the establishment of fundamental rights in the EU and emphasised our leadership in building a social Europe. Discover more: europa.eu/!GgGmjt  📷 Archive footage © European Union #EUCivilSociety #EUHistory

In October we hosted a variety of engaging partnerships with civil society organisations:   🤝 The European Environment Agency held stakeholder engagement sessions aimed at including their insights into the development of the European environment report 2025.   🤝  The final conference of SOLIDAR & SOLIDAR Foundation's AKA Active Citizens Project disclosed a collection of methodologies to foster democratic participation and to involve youth from vulnerable backgrounds in 8 different countries.   🤝 FINNOVA FOUNDATION's event gathered stakeholders to foster synergies between representatives from digital skills, ethical adoption of AI, and Industry 4.0 technologies in Europe.   🤝 Fondazione Giuseppe Di Vittorio held a lively discussion during REJEnerAXion about the social and employment impacts of Europe's energy transition and its effects on job quality, skill requirements, and regional inequalities across various European regions.   Read our related opinions here: shorturl.at/BKxjY #EESCPartnership #TeacherTraining #JustTransition