European Economic and Social Committee
Abbreviation | EESC |
---|---|
Formation | 1958 |
Type | Advisory body to the European Union |
Purpose | Represent employers, employees and various interest groups |
Headquarters | Jacques Delors building, Belliard 99, B-1040 Brussels Belgium |
Coordinates | 50°50′26″N 4°22′38″E / 50.8405°N 4.3772°E |
Membership | 329 |
Secretary General | Isabelle Le Galo Flores France Spain |
President | Oliver Röpke Austria |
Website | eesc |
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The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative
Once known by the acronym "EcoSoc", the body is now referred to as the "EESC", to avoid confusions with the United Nations ECOSOC.
Role
The European Economic and Social Committee was established by the
It is mandatory for the committee to be consulted on those issues stipulated in the Treaties and in all cases where the institutions deem it appropriate. The
In latest years, the committee has taken up the challenge of civil society, opening up its forum to representatives of all sectors, developing two complementary missions:
- Involving civil society organisations more in the European venture, at both national and European level,
- Boosting the role of civil society organisations in non-member countries or country groupings where the committee is furthering structured dialogue with civil society organisations, and promoting the creation of consultative structures based on its experiences, not least in the countries applying for EU membership, the Mediterranean partner countries, African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, India, China, Latin America (Mercosur) and Brazil.
Operation
It is mandatory for the committee to be consulted on those issues stipulated in the Treaties and in all cases where the institutions deem it appropriate. The EESC may also be consulted on an exploratory basis by one of the other institutions, and under Rule 29(2) of its Rules of Procedure may issue opinions on its own initiative.[2] Around 15% of its opinions are own-initiative opinions.
Own-initiative and exploratory opinions often raise the awareness of decision-making bodies, and of the commission in particular, about subjects which have hitherto barely attracted their attention, if at all. Exploratory opinions drawn up at the request of other institutions before the commission has even drafted its proposals enable the various components of organised civil society represented within the EESC to express the expectations, concerns and needs of grassroots stakeholders.
The Committee adopts on average 170 opinions a year on a wide range of subjects concerning European integration. It therefore plays an active role in the processes of shaping Community policies and preparing Community decisions.
Membership
Currently, EESC membership numbers 329 (same as the
Members are appointed by the council (by qualified majority) following nominations made by the government of the respective
State | Members | State | Members | State | Members | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Germany | 24 | Belgium | 12 | Ireland | 9 | ||||
Hungary | 12 | Croatia | 9 | France | 24 | ||||
Portugal | 12 | Lithuania | 9 | Italy | 24 | ||||
Sweden | 12 | Latvia | 7 | Spain | 21 | ||||
Bulgaria | 12 | Slovenia | 7 | Poland | 21 | ||||
Austria | 12 | Estonia | 7 | Romania | 15 | ||||
Slovakia | 9 | Cyprus | 6 | Netherlands | 12 | ||||
Denmark | 9 | Luxembourg | 6 | Greece | 12 | ||||
Finland | 9 | Malta | 5 | Czech Republic | 12 | ||||
Total | 329 |
Opinions
Selected own-initiative opinions include:
- Opinion on the Value and supply chain development in a European and global context (adopted 25 April 2007) which argued that EU and member state agencies should work to improve the environment in which "initial and intermediate companies" operate within supply chains. Initialised as "IICs", a term which was "coined specifically for this opinion", the opinion refers to the relatively less visible, generally smaller or medium sized enterprises, at the lower tiers of supply chains, operating at early stages of the value creation process, often in innovative ways, and playing an important role in employment. The opinion notes that there is "no established definition of IICs" and that attitudes to such companies vary across member states and regions.[6][7]
- Towards an ILO standard against gender-based violence at work (16 September 2015) [8]
Critiques
In a report reviewing 50 years of the EESC,[9] C.S. Dimitrioulas cited Jacques Delors as saying that EESC contributions from 1958 to 2008 on civil and social matters were "remarkable". Dimitrioulas commented: "Thanks to its membership and unique role in the EU’s institutional framework, the Committee will in future have special responsibility for making a reality of participatory democracy and for working towards the development of structured dialogue between organised civil society and Union institutions."
The
In October 2020 reappointment of a Polish business representative Jacek Krawczyk for another five-year term as a member of the EESC became a target of harsh criticism as the EESC faced pressure to better prevent harassment in the organization. Mr. Krawczyk was himself accused of psychological harassment and is prosecuted by Belgian authorities.[10] Besides that, the conduct of Jacek Krawczyk has been investigated by the EU’s anti-fraud office OLAF.[11] MEPs therefore rejected the EESC’s 2018 financial accounts over its failure to deal with the issue of harassment. According to the words of MEP Tomáš Zdechovský, who led the budget discharge procedure, the EESC was not able to answer questions regarding its various mistakes and take measures which would make MEPs believe that this particular institution is able to protect the interests of European citizens.[12]
Overall usefulness of the EESC has also been questioned recently. While the number of administrative staff has decreased from 727 in 2013 to 668 in 2019 and the number of opinions has gone down, the annual EESC's budget has continued to grow.[13] Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský said, that “very few lawmakers are reading the opinions of this committee. The impact is close to zero.” He also described the EESC as “a zombie committee that lost its purpose but still lives on.”[13]
See also
- BUSINESSEUROPE
- European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest
- European Trade Union Confederation
- UEAPME
- United Nations Economic and Social Council
References
- ^ "Secretary-General - European Economic and Social Committee". European Economic and Social Committee. 22 June 2018.
- ^ Consolidated version of the Rules of Procedure of the European Economic and Social Committee — On 14 July 2010 the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the consolidated version of its Rules of Procedure
- ^ Council Decision (EU) 2019/853 of 21 May 2019 determining the composition of the European Economic and Social Committee
- ^ "The President - EESC". Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ^ "Former EESC Presidents". 14 February 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- ^ European Economic and Social Committee, Value and supply chain development, adopted 25 April 2007, accessed 31 January 2021
- ^ Official Journal of the European Union, Value and supply chain development, C168, Volume 50, 20 July 2007, pages 3-11, accessed 14 January 2022
- ^ European Economic and Social Committee, Towards an ILO standard against gender-based violence at work, published 16 September 2015, accessed 31 January 2021
- ^ The European Economic and Social Committee 50 years of participatory democracy, C.S. Dimitrioulas Scientific Direction, European Economic and Social Committee Brussels 2008
- ^ Von der Burchard, Hans (29 October 2020). "'Zombie committee' member accused of harassment to be reappointed". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Von der Burchard, Hans (28 October 2020). "The EU's €140M 'zombie committee' faces pressure to reform". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Von der Burchard, Hans (20 October 2020). "Parliament rejects accounts of troubled EU social committee". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b Von der Burchard, Hans (28 October 2020). "The EU's €140M 'zombie committee' faces pressure to reform". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Website of the EESC President
- Access to documents of the European Economic and Social Committee on EUR-Lex
- List of Members
- Historical archives of the European Economic and Social Committee are at the Historical Archives of the EU in Florence
- MCE European NAvigator, Economic and social committee
- Group I Employers Group of the Economic and social committee
- Group II Employees Group of the Economic and social committee
- Group III Diversity Europe Group of the Economic and social committee