7. Economic and Social Committee

 

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an advisory body representing employers, trade unions, farmers, consumers and the other interest groups that collectively make up ‘organised civil society’. It presents their views and defends their interests in policy discussions with the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. It has an advisory role in the decision making process, it has an information and integrations role. As it is part of the EU’s decision-making process: it must be consulted before decisions are taken on economic and social policy. On its own initiative, or at the request of another EU institution, it may also give its opinion on other matters.

The three groups of the EESC

 

The Employers' Group has members from private and public sectors of industry, small and medium-sized businesses, chambers of commerce, wholesale and retail trade, banking and insurance, transport and agriculture.


The Workers’ Group represents all categories of employees, from manual to executive. Its members come from national trade union organisations.


The third group represents a wide range of interests: NGOs, farmers' organisations, small businesses, crafts and professions, cooperatives and non-profit associations, consumer and environmental organisations, the scientific and academic communities and associations that represent the family, women, persons with disabilities, etc.

Source: http://www.europa.eu.int/abc/eurojargon/index-eu.htm


The EESC has 317 members – the number from each EU country roughly reflecting the size of its population. The numbers per country are as follows:

Member States

Number of the members

Germany , France, Italy and the United Kingdom

24

Spain and Poland

21

Belgium , Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Sweden

12

Denmark , Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland

9

Estonia , Latvia, and Slovenia

7

Cyprus , Luxembourg

6

Malta

5

TOTAL

317

 

 

The members are nominated by the EU governments but they work in complete political independence. They are appointed for four years, and may be re-appointed.

The Committee meets in Plenary Assembly, and its discussions are prepared by six subcommittees known as ‘sections’, each deals with particular policy areas. It elects its President and two Vice-Presidents for a two-year term. Anne-Marie Sigmund, from Austria, became President of the EESC in October 2004.

 

The sections of the EESC

 

  • Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT)
  • Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)
  • Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC)
  • External Relations (REX)
  • The Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)
  • Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)

 

Exercise 10

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