EESC info

As water scarcity and pollution continue to pose global challenges, the current EU policy framework seems insufficient. To address this, top-level water experts gathered at the EESC on 27 February to identify possible solutions. The hearing marks the beginning of the EESC's works on water. 

The EESC is preparing a set of own-initiative opinions and, in the autumn, will share civil society's recommendations for the future of water in the EU.

Summer 2022 saw the most severe droughts in Europe in 500 years. While the EU Green Deal has proposals tackling water-issues, these objectives are not well integrated across EU policies. A change of scale is needed to avoid the mistakes previously made with the energy policy. 

EESC President Christa Schweng said: "the EU has the opportunity to position itself as a frontrunner in the area of water."

The European Parliament also recently called for an EU water strategy. Pernille Weiss, chair of the MEP Water Group, said: "My hope is that Europe will become a role model for how to take care of water resources."

The EESC will push for a comprehensive EU strategy on water with a series of own-initiative opinions, including proposals on the safeguarding of clean water resources; anticipating and mitigating effects of international conflicts caused by water-related issues; and sustainable water management.

Pietro Francesco De Lotto, President of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI), highlighted the industrial dimension of water: "Water-efficient technologies are an important part of the solution we need, not just for industry, but for all of society."

Salla Saastamoinen, Deputy Director-General for the Joint Research Centre (JRC), said: "the JRC shares the EESC's ambition towards a holistic approach to water management."

Oliver Röpke, President of the EESC Workers' Group, stressed the importance of water as a human right: "Solidarity and sustainability must be at the heart of our solutions." (gb)

At the EESC's February plenary session Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, called on the EU institutions to support the Belarusian people in their fight against authoritarianism. Belarus deserves to be part of the European family, she said, and this can only be possible with the active support of all EU-institutions. 

The human rights situation is worsening in Belarus, with some 1,500 citizens detained for political reasons and an average of 17 people put in jail daily. 

EESC President Christa Schweng said: "All politicians with authoritarian tendencies are afraid of their people. They are afraid of civil society and its role of channelling new creative forces so that they can emerge and make things happen."

Ms Tsikhanouskaya underlined the direct connection between the liberation of Belarus and Ukraine: "The future of Europe is being decided on the battlefields of Ukraine, in the Belarusian underground resistance, and of course in the European capitals". She called on the EU institutions to support the people who are fighting on the ground and in exile and suggested to revive the Eastern Partnership, from which the Belarusian government had withdrawn in 2021, in cooperation with the Belarusian opposition. 

"We call on authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the arrested people and trade unionists" said the president of the EESC Workers' Group Oliver Röpke.

"As the representatives of civil society, we are available to bring your voice to all EU institutions and to push forward your ideas about how to help improve the situation in Belarus" stressed Stefano Mallia, President of the EESC Employers' Group.

The vice-president of the Civil Society Organisations' Group Simo Tiainen said: "You are a strong and courageous woman, Ms Tsikhanouskaya. You fearlessly work for a better future for your country. We are on your side. Instead of dictatorship, democracy belongs to Belarus." (mt)
 

Just one day before the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EESC adopted a resolution calling for Ukraine's swift accession to the EU with due regard for enlargement principles. The EESC supported the establishment of a special international tribunal on crimes of aggression against Ukraine, and stressed that civil society must carry on supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary.

The EESC adopted its third resolution on Ukraine, entitled Ukraine: One year after the Russian invasion – the European civil society perspective, at its February plenary session. The resolution was adopted during a debate with Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of Ukraine's Centre for Civic Liberties and winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, and Lora Pappa, president of the Greek NGO METAdrasi – Action for Migration Development, on the impact of the war on people in Ukraine and in the EU.

In its resolution, the EESC advocated for Ukraine's accession to the European Union. "We call for a swift accession process for Ukraine to the EU with due regard for enlargement principles. Ukrainian civil society and Ukrainian people remain the highest priority for the EESC," said EESC president Christa Schweng.

The resolution called for the establishment of a special international tribunal on crimes of aggression against Ukraine. In an emotional speech, Ms Matviichuk reported the unprecedented number of war crimes committed by Russian troops: "It is time to turn words into decisions and to empower legal procedures, because lasting peace is impossible without justice."

Seamus Boland, president of the Civil Society Organisations' Group, said that "We support the call to establish a special international tribunal on crimes of aggression against Ukraine".

One year into the invasion, civil society organisations have given their support to 8 million refugees and 6 million internally displaced people. However, "fatigue is starting to become apparent," lamented Ms Pappa.

Oliver Röpke, president of the Workers' Group, said that "Ukrainian civil society shouldn't be guests here, they should be at home," while Stefano Mallia, president of the Employers' Group, added that "Civil society is ready to do whatever it takes and for however long it takes to support Ukraine on the way to recovery". (mt)

At its plenary session on 22 February, the EESC held a debate that warned about companies' growing struggle to get a skilled workforce and pointed to the pressing need for an all-encompassing skills strategy at all levels. 

The debate was held in the context of the European Year of Skills and in connection with the adoption of the EESC opinion "Supporting market developments". It saw the participation of the OECD Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Stefano Scarpetta, Vice President of SMEunited Marianna Panebarco and President of Social Economy Europe, Juan Antonio Pedreño.

Opening the debate, EESC President Christa Schweng said: "In the aftermath of the pandemic, the accelerated digitalisation, greening, and changing work organisation have shown how important upskilling and reskilling of workers are in maintaining people's employability and productivity, especially in our ageing society."

Speakers expressed the hope that the European Year of Skills would not remain a dead letter but would rather prove to be an instrument for promoting lifelong learning, training and retraining.

They highlighted many issues with trainings, such as limited participation of workers due to, among other things, lack of time or finances or trainings that do not match the needs of companies. 

Emphasis was placed on the vital role social partners can play in pushing for the recognition of skills to help people remain employable. The role of social dialogue as a key instrument for identifying needs and developing skills in workplaces was also underlined.

Both in the EESC opinion and in the debate there was a special focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they are already struggling to find qualified workers or offer tailor-made training programmes. 

"The transformation of the European labour market requires a good understanding of what type of skills are needed for future labour market transformations, including in SMEs, " said Mariya Mincheva, rapporteur of the EESC opinion. 

In the opinion, the EESC argued in favour of making lifelong learning an integral part of broader economic growth strategies and recovery and resilience plans. It also suggested that SMEs should be encouraged to work in networks and pool their capacities to respond to the challenges of the twin transition.

Estimates show that 128 million Europeans will have to upskill and reskill to stay active in the labour market. Workers with low skills, whose jobs are most at risk being highly automatable, have the lowest participation in training, with only 4% taking part in EU27 over an observed period of time. 

The participation of adults overall is also low, with only 11% taking part in a given period. Workers aged 25-34 are most likely to attend trainings, with their attendance rate at 22%, compared to only 8% in all age groups. (ll)
 

In a report adopted in February, the EESC stresses that national and local authorities should be urged to carry out impact assessments to see how short-term accommodation rental through online platforms are affecting the lives of local residents and businesses such as hotels and other hospitality facilities.

The report sets out the EESC's position on the European Commission's regulation on short-term rentals (STR). The EESC would like to see the Commission recommend that national and local authorities periodically assess how STR activities are impacting local tourism potential, the lives of local residents, accommodation available for long-term rental, the local housing market, the cost of living in the area, employment, pollution, respect for local traditions and businesses, either directly or indirectly.

The recent boom in short-term rentals through online platforms, which now amounts to about a quarter of all tourist accommodation in the EU, has put strain on several communities. While some lesser-known regions and cities have gained from the development of local tourism through more affordable STRs, more popular tourist destinations are reaching breaking point. In Venice and Florence or Barcelona, to name a few, competition has set hotels and other conventional establishments on a collision course with Airbnb and other online platforms and brought local life close to congestion.

"What we found interesting are the potential spill-over effects of the regulation", said Marinel Dănuț Mureșan, rapporteur for the opinion. "Although the regulation itself is only about collecting and sharing data on short-term accommodation at EU level, indirectly, if national authorities can get this data from the platforms, we can obtain some more substantial results. The impact assessments would be a key tool for policymakers."

The EESC also suggested a system of insurance policies to be taken up by hosts. These could replace burdensome authorisation procedures, which the regulation says local authorities should avoid imposing on STR businesses but does not say how. These insurance policies would cover the bulk of risks arising from STR activities, leaving it to insurers to verify host compliance with the rules.

Other EESC proposals to improve the regulation include a simplified registration process with a uniform, pan-EU format and a standardised approach to the level of information required for all STR activities. (dm)

At its plenary session on 24 February, the EESC adopted an opinion on the Commission's Communication outlining its proposals for a reform of the economic governance framework. A swift agreement is needed, but the plan is lacking in detail, stresses the EESC.

Since the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the EU's economic governance framework has helped to create conditions conducive to economic stability, growth and higher employment in Europe. However, while it has evolved over time, the framework has also grown increasingly complex and not all of its instruments and procedures have stood the test of time. 

While the EESC agrees on the need for a swift agreement ahead of the Member States' budgetary processes for 2024, it also stresses that many details are yet to be finalised. The proposed "fiscal-structural plans" must ensure that debt-to-GDP ratios are put on a downward path or stay at prudent levels. At the same time, the rules must leave enough fiscal space for green and digital transition investments. Most importantly, for a reformed framework to be successful, enhanced ownership of the rules is key. 

"It is urgent to reform the fiscal framework. Many Member States have not consolidated their public finances enough during good times," said EESC rapporteur Krister Andersson. "The lack of prudent policies hurts the most vulnerable in society. Reduced debt levels and debt sustainability are key. We agree on the need for a swift agreement ahead of the Member State's budgetary processes for 2024." (tk)

In an opinion adopted on 23 February, the EESC commented on the European Commission's Communication on the 2023 Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS), urging the Commission to invest in communicating the challenges the EU is facing, and suggesting what needs to be done to overcome them. 

The 2023 ASGS, which outlines the economic and employment policy priorities for the EU for the coming 12 to 18 months, aims to mitigate the negative impact of energy shocks in the short term, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth and increasing the EU's economic and social resilience in the medium term. 

In its opinion, the Committee welcomed the priorities set regarding competitive sustainability, as well as the attention paid to strengthening social dialogue in the EU. Furthermore, the EESC stressed the importance of good communication and called on the Commission to invest in it. To improve the functioning of the single market, the EESC called for fair working conditions, effective competition and better consideration of civil society concerns. The Committee also encouraged Member States to adopt a realistic, moderate and balanced approach when addressing inflation. 

"A strong, reliable, joint narrative on our challenges and how the EU has mobilised to overcome them is fundamental for citizens, and it will avoid misunderstandings about the European project and would boost the idea of 'a Europe for all'", EESC rapporteur Gonçalo Lobo Xavier commented. (tk)

The EESC's Civil Society Days 2023, held from 1 to 3 March, delivered a set of proposals to not only protect but also expand the EU's civic space and ensure younger generations a solid foundation on which they can build a vibrant civil society.

The three-day event was held from 1 to 3 March under the title "Civil Society Organisations: a pillar of democracy and a key player to overcome current challenges". It opened with a call to shore up civil space in the EU against internal and external threats and wound up with the presentation of a set of conclusions drawn by eight interactive workshops. The proposals cover key issues for the future of civil society ranging from the 2024 EU elections to the future of citizen panels in EU policymaking, the European Semester, civil society funding and more.

At the opening, EESC President Christa Schweng stressed that the EESC had repeatedly drawn attention to the threats besetting civil society. "That's why we were crystal clear in our feedback on the Commission's European Democracy Action Plan. We have called on the Commission to establish a dedicated pillar for civil society and have relayed the demand for a European Civil Society Strategy coming from European civil society organisations and networks."

Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, conceded that “we cannot take democracy for granted. We cannot take our civil society for granted.” She stressed the Commission's action in response to the Conference on the Future of Europe, with 80% of legislative initiatives this year being a direct result of citizens' proposals at the Conference. "We took your commitment seriously. We took the proposals of the Conference seriously.”

Some 500 participants took part in this event, which took place fully in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The full conclusions will feed into a resolution to be discussed at the EESC March plenary and later presented to the EU law-makers.

Civil Society Days are organised by the EESC in cooperation with its Liaison Group, which brings together pan-European civil society organisations and networks. (dm)