EESC opinion NAT/946 Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while ensuring European competitiveness, mitigating the cost-of-living crisis, and promoting a just transition was adopted at the EESC Plenary: 29-30 April 2025.
Download — EESC opinion: Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies while ensuring European competitiveness, mitigating the cost-of-living crisis, and promoting a just transition
In this opinion, the EESC presents its view on the impact of new technologies and AI both in terms of facilitating the inclusion of people with disabilities but also as potential cause of discrimination. Among its recommendations:
Persons with disabilities should be included throughout the process of designing, developing, assessing and implementing new technologies and AI-based applications. This involvement is key to mitigating potential discriminatory risks.
Member States and the EU should carry out an evaluation of existing AI applications to assess their inclusivity in critical fields, including employment and recruitment.
Goods and services that apply new technologies and AI‑based solutions should comply with EU accessibility standards.
Download — EESC opinion: Including persons with disabilities in the development of new technologies and AI – possibilities, challenges, risks and opportunities
Download — EESC opinion: Amendment of the Common Markets Organisation (CMO) Regulation on rules on contracts, producer organisations and cooperation between farmers
In this Opinion, the EESC welcomes the EU's focus on civil preparedness and stresses the need for a culture of resilience across all levels of society. It highlights civil society's specific role in crisis response and stresses that preparedness initiatives must aim to a just and sustainable peace, addressing the root causes of conflict and fostering equality and social progress. The EESC calls for full integration of civil society into preparedness efforts, increased investment in its capacities, clear role definitions, stronger democratic safeguards, and easier cross-border cooperation.
Download — EESC opinion: Ensuring sustainable food production and a fair income for European farmers in the face of market, environmental and climate challenges
This own-initiative opinion stresses that any kind of violence against women is a violation of women’s human rights. The EESC believes Directive 2024/1385/EU on combating violence against women and domestic violence should address all forms of violence against women and calls for sexual violence and rape to be included as a form of violence and criminalised based on the absence of consent. Highlights that any kind of violence against women is a significant public and clinical health concern, while stressing the multiple and intersectional discrimination suffered by women with disabilities.
This new opinion aims to show with concrete examples the potential of combining advanced robotics and virtual worlds of the metaverse in the service of the medical sector and to draw conclusions on the actions to be implemented for Europe to become a leader in these sectors.
