ABSTRACT
A purely advisory body, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) must be consulted by the European Commission and the Council of Ministers over a wide range of issues. The members of the ESC represent civil society interest groups from all European Union(EU) countries. The committee provides them with a useful sounding board whenever legislation that concerns them is being prepared. The influence of the ESC is in any event seldom significant on controversial political matters. Where it can, and does, influence the content of Community legislation is on more technical issues, where the expertise of its members is often brought to bear. A similar consultative body, the Committee of the Regions was set up under the Maastricht treaty, and met for the first time in March 1994. It provides sub-national authorities with a voice within the EU institutional context on the many issues which concern them directly. The committee is based in Brussels.
