THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a non-political body that gives representatives of Europe's socio-occupational interest groups, and others, a formal platform to express their points of views on EU issues. Its opinions are forwarded to the larger institutions - the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament. It thus has a key role to play in the Union's decision-making process.

The ESC was set up by the 1957 Rome Treaties in order to involve economic and social interest groups in the establishment of the common market and to provide institutional machinery for briefing the European Commission and the Council of Ministers on European Union issues. The Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1992), the Amsterdam Treaty (1997) and the Treaty of Nice (2000) have reinforced the EESC's role The 317 members of the EESC are drawn from economic and social interest groups in Europe. Members are nominated by national governments and appointed by the Council of the European Union for a renewable 4-year term of office. They belong to one of three groups: Employers, Employees, and Various Interests. Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom have 24 members each, Spain and Poland have 21, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Czech Republic and Hungary 12, Denmark, Ireland, Finland Lithuania and Slovakia 9, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia 7,Luxemburg and Cyprus 6, Malta 5. The task of members is to issue opinions on matters of European interest to the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament. Consultation of the EESC by the Commission or the Council is mandatory in certain cases; in others it is optional. The EESC may, however, also adopt opinions on its own initiative. The Single European Act (17.2.86) and the Maastricht Treaty (7.2.92) extended the range of issues which must be referred to the Committee, in particular the new policies (regional and environment policy). The Amsterdam Treaty further broadens the areas for referral to the Committee, and allows it to be consulted by the European Parliament. On average the EESC delivers 170 advisory documents and opinions a year (of which about 15% are issued on its own-initiative). All opinions are forwarded to the Community's decision-making bodies and then published in the EU's Official Journal. Over the last few years the EESC has stepped up its role in the European Union and has transcended the straightforward duties flowing from the Treaties. It acts as a forum for the single market and has hosted, with the support of other EU bodies, a series of events aimed at bringing the EU closer to the people.Actul Unic European (1986), Tratatul de la Maastricht (1992, Tratatul de la Amsterdam (1997) si Tratatul de la Nisa (2000) au intarit rolul Comitetului Economic si Social. Web-site:http://www.esc.eu.int/ Source: http://www.infoeuropa.ro/