29-30 April 2025
European Commission – Charlemagne building (Alcide De Gasperi room)
Web stream click here
AGENDA
Debates
- Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 15:00
Mid-term review of cohesion policy
with Raffaele Fitto, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, linked to the opinion ECO/676 – Cohesion policy mid-term review (2025)
- Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 16:00
EU foreign policy in a new geopolitical reality
with Iratxe Garcia Perez and Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Members of the European Parliament; Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre; and Pierre Haroche, Associate Researcher of Defence at the Institute Jacques Delors and Senior Lecturer at the Catholic University of Lille.
- Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 17:15
Democracy and Digitalisation
with Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament, Co-rapporteur on the Artificial Intelligence Act; Iverna McGowan, Advisor on Technology and Human Rights at the Office of the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights; Udbhav Tiwari, Vice-President for Strategy and Global Affairs at Signal Foundation; Marthe Nagels, Head of Participatory Strategies at Make.org; and Alina Radu, Director of the investigative newspaper ‘Ziarul de Gardă’ in the Republic of Moldova.
- Wednesday 30 April 2025 at 9:30
The road to the next Multiannual Financial Framework
with Carla Tavares, Member of the European Parliament, linked to the opinion ECO/662 – The road to the next Multiannual Financial Framework
Opinions in the spotlight
COHESION POLICY
Cohesion policy mid-term review (2025) (ECO/676, rapporteur: David Sventek (CZ-I))
In response to the European Commission’s proposals for revising cohesion policy regulations, the EESC is supporting a pragmatic mid-term review of the EU’s cohesion policy for 2021–2027. The Committee acknowledges that changing geopolitical, economic and environmental conditions call for a more flexible and strategically targeted approach, while cautioning against losing sight of cohesion policy’s fundamental purpose: reducing regional disparities. More
EUROPEAN SEMESTER
The point of view of organised civil society in the EU Member States on national reform and investment proposals and their implementation (2024-2025 European Semester cycle) (ECO/651, rapporteurs: Konstantinos Diamantouros (EL-I), Javier Doz Orrit (ES-II), Luca Jahier (IT-III))
In this information report, the EESC summarises the views of organised civil society across EU Member States on national reform and investment proposals for the 2024–2025 European Semester cycle. The report draws on 27 national contributions and offers ground-level insights into the implementation of country-specific recommendations (CSRs), Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs), and medium-term fiscal-structural plans (MTFSPs). It underlines the need for structured consultation and meaningful dialogue between governments, the European Commission, and civil society stakeholders. More
The EESC’s recommendations on the reform and investment proposals formulated as part of the 2024-2025 European Semester cycle (ECO/652, rapporteurs: Konstantinos Diamantouros (EL-I), Javier Doz Orrit (ES-II), Luca Jahier (IT-III))
In this own-initiative opinion, the EESC calls for a more people-focused and participatory EU economic governance. It urges decisions at national and EU levels to reflect real needs through inclusive dialogue with civil society, trade unions and employers. Building on its role in the European Semester, and informed by a parallel report with national input, the EESC offers policy recommendations to strengthen reform plans, democratic legitimacy and EU crisis response. It focuses on the 2024 Country-Specific Recommendations, new medium-term fiscal-structural plans, and the ongoing Recovery and Resilience Plans. More
COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS
Measures for a resilient, cohesive and inclusive European economy (ECO/661, rapporteur: Elena-Alexandra Calistru (RO-III))
The Committee is setting out a broad strategy to tackle the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and reinforce the EU’s long-term economic and social resilience. More specifically, the EESC argues that the challenges and uncertainties the EU faces demand not incremental adjustments but a fundamental rethinking of the EU’s economic model. Focusing on the economic dimension, this opinion marks the starting point of a coordinated series of recommendations on addressing the cost-of-living crisis from across the Committee’s sections, to be rolled out in the coming months. More
Price hikes in transport, energy and housing: the role of quality public services in tackling the high cost of living (TEN/846, rapporteur: Thomas Kattnig (AT-II))
In this own-initiative opinion, which is part of the package of EESC opinions to address the cost-of-living crisis, the Committee says that it is key to focus on investment in infrastructure, competitiveness and essential public services in order to deal with the alarming cost-of-living crisis in Europe. The EU must target quality jobs and clean, affordable energy production in Europe, ensuring that no one is left behind, especially regarding mobility and energy poverty. More
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while ensuring European competitiveness, mitigating the cost-of-living crisis, and promoting a just transition (NAT/946, rapporteur: Corina Andrea Murafa Benga (RO-III))
In this own-initiative opinion, which is included in the package of EESC opinions on the cost-of-living crisis, the EESC emphasises the need for a coordinated, socially responsible, and globally aligned approach to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies (FFSs). The EU should continue to advocate for a global phase-out of FFSs and strengthen partnerships with countries making progress in this area. More
How single market dysfunctionalities contribute to the rising cost of living (INT/1078, rapporteur: Emilie Prouzet (FR-I))
In this opinion, which forms part of a wider EESC initiative to address the cost-of-living crisis, the EESC warns that a fragmented Single Market costs the EU economy up to EUR 500 billion annually. It calls on the EU to urgently tackle persistent barriers that decrease competition and affect the cost of living, such as territorial supply constraints. More
BUDGET
The road to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (ECO/662, rapporteurs: Konstantinos Diamantouros (EL-I), Stefano Palmieri (IT-II), Elena-Alexandra Calistru (RO-III))
The EESC is outlining strategic recommendations for the EU’s next multiannual financial framework (MFF) beyond 2027. The opinion comes at a pivotal moment, as the EU prepares to align its long-term budget with rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and urgent climate and social challenges. The EESC calls for a fundamental rethink of how the EU budget is structured, financed and deployed to ensure it can deliver genuine European public goods and support long-term resilience, competitiveness and cohesion. More
COMPETITIVENESS
Investments and reforms for competitiveness and a Capital Markets Union (ECO/665, rapporteurs: Dominika Biegon (DE-II), Antonio García Del Riego (ES-I), Giuseppe Guerini (IT-III))
In this exploratory opinion, the EESC calls for bold investments and financial reforms to close the EU’s competitiveness gap and make the Capital Markets Union (CMU) a reality. In the context of mounting geopolitical tensions and pressing investment needs for the green and digital transitions, the EESC highlights the urgency of bridging Europe’s funding shortfall. This opinion contributes to the ongoing debate on EU economic governance, in particular the design of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and future fiscal rules. More
For more information, please contact:
EESC Press Unit
E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu
Tel: + 32 2 546 9793
@EESC_PRESS