The EESC notes that the increasing damage caused by the climate emergency and the uncertainties and crises arising from the new geopolitical and energy market situations require the European Union to radically speed up the clean energy transition and increase Europe's energy independence from unreliable suppliers and volatile fossil fuels. It therefore welcomes the European Commission's plans to this end (for example REPowerEU and its additional funding through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)).
In order to correct or mitigate the negative effects of the energy transition in the current context of fresh emergencies, the EESC proposes that Member States consider appropriate ways to have labour market policies better integrated into regulatory frameworks and environment and energy policies as well as into social welfare policies.
Download — EESC opinion: Energy Policy and the labour market: consequences for employment in regions undergoing energy transitions
The objective of this initiative is to foster pan-European market initiatives based on instant payments, which would ensure that anyone holding a payment account in the EU could be able to receive and send an instant credit transfer from and to any other payment account in the EU, as a first step in euro and eventually in any EU currency. There should be attractive payment solutions allowing initiation and acceptance of instant payments domestically and crossborder (and in the longer-term also globally), in various circumstances, including at physical point of sale, online and between individuals.
The general objective of the information report will be to feed into the political dialogue between the EU and UK and promote a joint reflection on their future relationship. More specifically, the information report will be transmitted to the relevant services in the European Commission, EEAS, European Parliament, and Council, as the EESC's contribution to addressing issues arising from the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement and Northern Ireland Protocol.
Download — Information report: The implementation of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland
The EESC proposes to launch a European Care Guarantee, which would ensure life-long access to affordable quality healthcare and care services for everyone living in the EU. It also underlines the importance of supporting families in their fundamental role as caregivers and asks for adopting specific measures to tackle Gender equality, namely addressing gender stereotypes, attracting more men in the sector and ensure better distribution of care within households.
In addition, the Committee highlights the need for a life cycle approach promoting healthy and active ageing and calls for the development of a European Strategy for Older Persons.
Download — EESC opinion: The European Care strategy
The Covid-19 pandemic is strongly affecting the Euro-Mediterranean region, creating new challenges and exacerbating pre-existing ones. The pandemic has highlighted fundamental weaknesses in institutions, economies and health systems. Civil society plays a key role in the reconstruction and resilience of the whole region.
Download — EESC opinion: COVID-19: The role of civil society in the reconstruction and resilience of the Euro-Mediterranean region
This opinion underlines that by creating a fertile ground for women entrepreneurship and the adequate financial and legislative instruments, such as gender budgeting, we can create an inclusive financial ecosystem in the EU and Member States and advance faster towards gender equality. It suggests that diversity of teams with a specific focus on women should be a criterion for receiving public funding. This Opinion also calls for an ambitious vision from the European Commission and the European institutions on gender budgeting and gender lens investing. It suggests that the EC publishes a gender impact assessment of the annual EU budget and creates a task force to include gender mainstreaming EU objectives in the next MFF and in the mid-term review of the current MFF.
Download — EESC opinion: Gender lens investing as a way to improve gender equality in the European Union
