European Economic and Social Committee

The Economic and Social Committee is the consultative assembly of European social and economic partners.

It has been established by the Treaty of Rome of 1957 in order to associate the different economic interest group for the establishment of the Common Market. The establishment of this committee gave them an institutional instruments to let their voice heard by the Commission, the Council and the Parliament.

The Treaty of Maastricht has considerably enlarged the domains of interest for the SEC. The members of the Committee give their opinion for what concerns the Common Market, social policy, social and economic cohesion, environment, education, health, customers protection, industry, TEN, indirect taxation , structural funds etc.