The main objective of ESC is to provide an opportunity for different representatives of organised civil society to freely express their views, while achieving a unified voice on issues of common interest. ESC is designed to facilitate access and participation of civil society structures in making decisions of public importance for the governance of our country in the field of economic and social policy.

The Council works to promote dialogue and consultation between the structures of organised civil society and the President of the Republic, Parliament and Government on the country’s economic and social policies. It is the permanent institutional and statutory form of civil dialogue, ensuring concerted action and close cooperation between partners.

Four main principles define the work of ESC – independence, consensus, equality, interaction with other state and civil society structures.
First and foremost is the principle of the independence of the council from executive, legislative or any other authority. There are no representatives of Parliament, the government or any other state institution.

The principle of consensus is the key to the success of ESC in our country. The ESC Act stipulates that acts of the Board shall be adopted by a majority of not less than 75% of the members present, and that decisions of the Board of Presidents shall be adopted by unanimous vote. This fact once again confirms the enormous responsibility of ESC to express the will and interests of civil society by achieving a common, consensual position of all civil society structures represented in it.

The third principle of its work is equality between the three groups – employers, trade unions, third sector. This is realised both through their equal quota participation in the composition of ESC, and also through the requirement to reach a consensus that ensures that no group can be ignored.

The fourth principle binds the activity of ESC in cooperation and interaction with the institutions of state power and with the other civil structures not represented in the Council.
These principles, goals and main tasks ESC implements by developing and adopting opinions, resolutions and analyses and organizing public consultations on significant public issues – economic, social, educational, demographic, health and other national strategies, programs and plans related to the economic and social development of Bulgaria,