Strengthening SMEs' competitiveness in the EU, especially vis-à-vis companies from outside Europe, is not possible without reducing excessive regulatory burdens, including the reduction of reporting obligations. The problem of overregulation of EU law, especially in comparison with other parts of the world, has been repeatedly pointed out by organisations representing European entrepreneurs. The opinion aims at identifying the reasons for introducing excessive regulatory burdens in EU law and the areas that restrain SMEs' competitiveness the most. The opinion analyses the impact of the new sustainability reporting obligations (both those already introduced and those planned) on the SMEs' competitiveness, by indicating the actual benefits of this process.
Download — Stellungnahme des Ausschusses: The competitiveness of the EU’s small and medium-sized enterprises in light of new administrative burdens/obligations
The future Polish Presidency has asked the EESC to develop an exploratory opinion, as deepening the integration of the services sector in the EU is one of the planned priorities of this Presidency; therefore the opinion could be useful in the context of the discussions foreseen at the COMPET Council on 6 March 2025. As the single market for services is still incomplete - even after the 30th anniversary of the single market itself - the opinion aims at providing a diagnosis of this issue and an analysis of the significant untapped potential of this sector.
In view of Europe's current security challenges, in particular with the armed conflict caused by Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, defence funding places a significant burden on the budgets of many EU Member States, worsening their fiscal position.
At the same time, the resources that Member States are currently able to allocate to the development of defence capabilities still seem to be insufficient.
As Europe needs to develop defence capabilities in a more integrated way, there is a need to significantly increase investment in European defence infrastructure and technological innovation to improve preparedness to respond to threats.
A comprehensive approach is needed to revive EU competitiveness, requiring a reconsideration of the regulatory framework. Competition policy, particularly market definition, is sometimes criticized for hindering European companies' growth.
Securitisation is the process of transforming a batch of debts into a marketable security, that is backed by the original debts. This process can increase the availability of credit, increasing investment and supporting economic growth in a way that increases competitiveness and improves labour market.
This own-initiative opinion will present a thorough description of the challenges and opportunities that come with securitisation, and provide concrete policy proposals for a possible future revision of the securitisation regulation.
The aim of the opinion is to draw attention to the impact of the non-Schengen status of Bulgaria and Romania and neighbouring EU-countries on the Single Market, to assess the impact of non-Schengen membership on the competitiveness of these countries and the potential costs/benefits of Schengen for them, and to propose recommendations for policy-makers on how to address the negative effects of non-Schengen on the Single Market.
This subject of this own-initiative opinion is multidimensional, requiring from the opinion to address a wide spectrum of subtopics, while having a clear and logical thread.
Member States should facilitate inclusive engagement, openness and transparency with civil society in all areas of RWM. Available funding should be used to increase the capacity of civil society groups, particularly local communities close to nuclear installations, to participate independently in projects and studies to assess participation and transparency practices in RWM. Member States shall assume all their responsibilities so as not to leave future generations with the burden of processing nuclear waste, whatever its nature, lifespan and hazard level. The development of shared solutions, including but not limited to multinational radioactive waste repositories, could be of interest to some EU Member States, particularly countries with small or medium-sized inventories.
