The biggest challenge now facing Europe's economy is how to sustain the recovery that is now underway. This is the main message of the 2014 Annual Growth Survey (AGS). Its adoption kicks off the fourth European Semester of economic policy coordination in an environment where growth is beginning to return and Member States are making progress on correcting the imbalances that developed before the crisis.
Traineeships have become an important gateway through which young people enter the labour market. However, although traineeships have become standard in European labour markets, their spread has been accompanied by growing concerns as to learning content and working conditions. To facilitate access to employment, traineeships should offer good quality learning content and adequate working conditions.
Download — EESC opinion: Quality framework for traineeships
In several Eastern and Southern EU countries there is a steady flow of young people leaving their hometowns to find work in distant cities. This is a worrisome trend. An ever-increasing global food demand will require in the near future that all agricultural surfaces be cultivated.
To abandon large production areasis a luxury that the EU cannot afford. In order to attach young workers to their rural territories, or to bring them back if they are already gone, the availability of good job opportunities is a necessary condition but not a sufficient one. Education and health services, ICT links, even cultural activities have to reach a minimum level that makes living in these places not only acceptable but indeed attractive.
Download — EESC opinion: Towards a more balanced territorial development
The Commission launched the initiative "Opening up Education" to improve the use of Open Educational Resources and Massive Open Online Courses and the ICT infrastructure and connectivity in schools.
The EESC agrees that the digital approach in education improves its quality and creativity. Required will be the involvement of teachers and the mobilisation of all stakeholders. The initiative must be supported by EU and national funding and coordinated by the Commission. Students' social inclusion must be ensured.
The opinion familiarizes the public with the phenomenon of collaborative consumption (CC). The document presents the conceptual approach and describes briefly best practices in CC. The EESC proposes also a general strategy for the sound development of CC in the EU. Given that CC covers mostly bottom-up initiatives, studies are needed before the appropriate regulations, rights and responsibilities of all the stakeholders involved can be established.
The European Commission aims to ensure European graduates gain the international skills they need to work anywhere in the world and that Europe remains the most attractive destination for international students.
This own initiative opinion looks to examine the agreement already under negotiation between EU and Japan (being the third non-European EU trade partner) and in particular its economic, social and environmental consequences. This agreement is not only dealing with trade, but will have on societies expected consequences to be enlightened and taken in account by negotiators. The automobile sector, public procurement, services, agricultural and pharmaceutical products sectors are, among others, concerned.
Download — The Role of Civil Society in the negotiation and implementation of an EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement
The ILO Governing Body in March 2013 has decided to include a discussion on the adoption of a Protocol to complement the Convention on Forced Labour and labour trafficking at the International Labour Conference in June 2014. For the EESC, taking into account the existence of forced labour and trafficking in many European and third countries, an own initiative opinion would be a strong political signal to the EU institutions and to the Member States.
Discours de M. Zufiaur à la conférence de l'organisation internationale du travail à Genève
The EESC welcomes the special attention devoted to drawing up a European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in order to support cohesion and competitiveness in the light of challenges that cannot be satisfactorily resolved by single regions or countries through the usual means. The EESC believes that EUSAIR must adopt a comprehensive programme with an action-oriented list of projects and schemes, and strongly recommends that better use be made of the private sector's potential to attract investment (both local and international) and to create business opportunities. Simultaneously, the strategy should include a stronger social dimension, in order to better support inclusive growth in the Adriatic and Ionian region.
Download — EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)
The EESC supports the European Commission's proposal for a regulation and the specific measures to accelerate the establishment of a single market for electronic communications as a basis for the dynamic and sustainable growth of all sectors of the economy and the creation of new jobs. It will also assure the high level of consumer protection.
Download — New measures on the EU single market for telecoms
