The EESC has issued key recommendations for the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027. The Committee calls for a prompt agreement on the MFF revision still this year, to guarantee continued financial backing of Ukraine and financing the EU´s evolving political priorities. However, the EESC criticizes the proposed changes as being too limited and lacking ambition, resembling mere patches. It advocates for long-term strategies centred on fiscal sustainability, efficient resource allocation, and measures to guard against unexpected events. Civil society should be engaged for effective planning and monitoring of MFF programmes.
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In this opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. At the same time, the EESC warns of persisting political instability, high levels of inflation and high interest rates, which reduce citizens' purchasing power and businesses' competitiveness and affect investment decisions. These difficulties could jeopardise the implementation of employment policy guidelines in the Member States, the achievement of the European Pillar of Social Rights and 2030 targets. The Committee believes that it is all the more necessary to strengthen both the role of the social partners and their involvement in designing and implementing employment, social and economic reforms and policies, including by building their capacity.
The focus of current informal discussions in the Council is on how cohesion policy can adjust to the new circumstances following the unforeseen shocks that Europe has faced in the last years without losing its long-term development goals. The Spanish Presidency refers to "Cohesion policy 2.0" in this context, which particularly means that cohesion policy needs to be transformed and become more modern and flexible. Also, it will need to take into account the RRF which will come to an end at some time.
Download — Udvalgets udtalelse: The Recovery and Resilience Facility and cohesion policy: towards cohesion policy 2.0
The EESC welcomes the Integrated Border Management Strategy of the European Union as a management tool that seeks to improve coordination and Member States' shared objectives in relation to external borders. The Committee stresses the importance of having a shared strategy for the better management of external borders, ensuring the internal security of the European Union and the safety of its residents, as well as the protection of fundamental rights and guarantees for the free movement of people within the EU.
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The opinion intends to contribute to the design of the EU regulation on critical raw materials and to its follow-up, and could influence the political and economic decisions to be taken at EU level in the new geopolitical context.
Download — Udvalgets udtalelse: For a resilient, sustainable and responsible European Union supply chain of critical raw materials
The objective of this evaluation report is to assess the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) atmid-term. The RRF is the EU’s main instrument to mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the EESC will examine, from the point of view of the organised civil society, the effectiveness and relevance of this instrument, as well as aim to determine the added value of civil society involvement in achieving the RRF Regulation’s objectives. The evaluation will also cover later developments, such as the REPowerEU initiative. The results of the EESC's evaluation will feed into the Commission's evaluation, the completion of which is scheduled for Q1 2024.
Evaluation on the implementation of the recovery and resilience facility - Technical annex
The Union customs code is facing situations for which it was not conceived, notably e-commerce. The revision of the Union customs legislation will aim at improving the controls of e-commerce to the benefit of tax payers and citizens products.
Download — Udvalgets udtalelse: Conservation and control measures applicable in the area covered by the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the North-East Atlantic fisheries
The Green Deal Industrial Plan aims to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality.
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The exploratory opinion at the request of the Spanish Presidency will look into advertising through influencers and its impact on consumers. Influencers as content creators with large numbers of followers on social networks have a crucial impact on consumer behaviour and, inter alia, on consumer decisions.
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All industries rely on water. Anticipating future risks related to water scarcity as well as quality and increasing pricing of water is vital for industries, particularly for water-intensive sectors. Many industries are increasingly facing the pressure to progressively adopt more water-efficient production processes and reduce their environmental impact.
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In this opinion, the EESC: encourages reforming EU health systems for mental health by focusing on prevention, early detection, and community-based care; recommends that the EU Comprehensive Plan on Mental Health is swiftly transposed in an EU Mental Health Strategy which has a timeframe, funding defined responsibilities and progress indicators. The EESC highlights the importance of considering the influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on mental health within the European Semester process and emphasizes the need for increased investments in the health sector as part of National Recovery and Resilience Plans; supports the development of person-centered mental health systems that empower individuals and promote their active involvement in their own recovery, aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Download — Udvalgets udtalelse: Measures to improve mental health
