EESC info

Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, said at the EESC's May plenary session that "the Commission has been pushing for digital taxation because we need a global solution: it's unacceptable that some companies pay taxes and others don't". However, the Commissioner explained that the EU has to find a European solution first.

Luca Jahier, president of the EESC, introduced Margrethe Vestager as the European advocate for competition, a crucial issue for economic democracy: "If we allow the few to control data, they will control the economy and democracy, and then our future will be challenged". Commissioner Vestager agreed, stating that "huge amounts of information can give big businesses an edge that smaller rivals can’t match, so they can find it hard to compete, even with a better product, if they don’t have a critical mass of data or users". To remedy this market distortion, Vestager said that "one thing [the European Commission] may need to do to open up competition is to require companies to give rivals access to their data in order to give competitors a fair chance".

The Commissioner stressed that competition should also build citizens' trust in a digital world: "Some platforms collect data from millions or even billions of users, and know more about us than our loved ones, so we need to make sure that we tame the dark sides of this digital world". To this end, she said that the European Commission will protect "multi-homing" (which allows consumers to use more than one digital platform), and be "vigilant against online platforms that are so strong that they can act as market referee by fixing the rules for companies that want to be part of it". (dgf)

The EESC invited Raya Kalnova (European Jewish Congress), Michael Bilewicz (Centre for Research on Prejudice, University of Warsaw) and Joel Kotek (Free University of Brussels – ULB) to discuss anti-Semitism in Europe at its plenary session in May.

The EESC president, Luca Jahier started by saying: "Recent events are showing us that we must not let our guard down and think that the sixty years of peace in Europe are to be taken for granted. And although our fundamental rights are enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union, we need to defend them every single day."

Since fear has become a constant part of Jewish people's lives and an alarming 38% are considering emigrating, Ms Kalnova said that the Jewish World Congress felt an increasing sense of emergency. "To combat anti-Semitism, it is important to know what it actually is." The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of anti-Semitism has become a reference for governance and civil society. It has already been endorsed by eleven EU Member States, as well as the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Civil society organisations also need to endorse and apply this definition and provide leadership in addressing the problem.

Mr Bilewicz referred to the results of a survey conducted in 2017 revealing that one in four people believe Jews themselves are to blame for the growing anti-Semitism. Many Europeans (50% in Poland, 37% in Austria, 32% in Germany) also believe that Jews exploit the Holocaust.

"Against all expectations, the conspiracy theory that Jews have too much power is again back in our society, in the media and sometimes even in our parliaments," added Mr Kotek. Hatred against Jews is more perceptible than ever.

EESC members expressed their support for the Jewish community and their commitment to fighting discrimination against minorities.

"It is our duty to fight any act of anti-Semitism in Europe," said Employers' Group president Jacek Krawczyk. "It is anti-Semitism that led to the Holocaust. Eighty years after the Second World War started, it would be a serious mistake to forget this. We should all think of this when choosing who to vote for in the European elections."

Arno Metzler, president of the Diversity Europe Group, stressed: "We must all protest and speak up frankly and freely in our personal circles when we hear unpleasant jokes about Jewish people and the past. It is a public and also a personal obligation to defend our European values."

From the Workers' Group, José Antonio Moreno Díaz, president of the EESC Group on Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law, said: "Tough times are those when the evident needs to be explained. People who do not remember their history are condemned to repeat it. We must leave no room for discrimination. Tolerating intolerance will destroy democracy. Political forces must unite in isolating fascists and expelling them from their ranks." (sma)

Read President Jahier's speech here

"The challenge ahead involves both fighting climate change and providing nutrition for a planet that will soon be home to 10 billion people. The bioeconomy, which encompasses the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into food, feed and bio-based products, can play a major role in achieving both," said Mindaugas Maciulevičius and Udo Hemmerling, rapporteurs of the EESC opinion Updating of the Bioeconomy Strategy, adopted on 15 May. 

Sustainability principles are essential for a 'new' bioeconomy and natural resources have to be preserved in order to remain productive.

SMEs play a major role in the bioeconomy. In order to increase their contribution, they need better advice and access to finance. It is essential to set up individual and flexible advisory services to help agri-food SMEs launch long-term, innovative projects. In addition, public-private cooperation could play a major role in enhancing efficiency and triggering the exchange of knowledge, expertise and best practices.

Linkages between different areas – urban-rural, rural-rural, land-sea – could contribute to sustainable bioeconomy value chains and clusters, and would particularly help central and eastern European countries increase their output and thus boost growth and jobs, especially in rural areas. This region is rich in biomass due to extensive activities in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fishery, with high, but under-utilised, biomass capacity. (sma)

The EESC believes that aging with dignity should become a fundamental right. Europeans are living longer, and this is good news.  But with aging, new social, economic and health-related challenges are emerging that affect both the elderly and their families and societies. For too long this topic has been neglected and the growing needs of older people not anticipated, says the EESC. In an opinion adopted on 15 May, the EESC highlights the enormous potential older people represent for new jobs and technological progress.

Home-helpers, personal carers, care assistants and nurses are among the occupations that will create the most jobs in the future. Their knowledge and education are inextricably linked to the well-being of older people.

"We propose to establish a European minimum training/education programme for nurses in gerontology, caregivers and care assistants, not only on a technical level but also on a social and human level, in order to enable and strengthen both the mobility of workers and services for older people", says Marian Krzaklewski, rapporteur of this EESC opinion.  Training should be facilitated through ICT tools. The EESC also recommends establishing a common EU framework that includes the best of existing training programmes.

Older people want to live as long as possible in their own environment. For the EESC, it is essential that their preferences be respected, in dialogue with their families and relatives. "However, the choice can no longer only be between live-in care and residential care homes", opinion co-rapporteur Jean-Pierre Haber underlined. "Alternative facilities already exist, and those yet to be built need to be geared towards facilitating independent living. Thus their design should be based on people's profiles and any particular medical conditions they may have."

The EESC also calls for better use of digital technology innovations: telemedicine, sensors, a digital clinical card and digital medical records, as well as home automation technologies, which would not only enhance older people's independence, but also make care more efficient and secure.  (sma)

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has urged the European Union and its Member States to put gender equality at the top of their political agenda amid concerns that recent attacks on women's rights in Europe might seriously compromise progress towards equality between men and women.

"This decade is witnessing a visible and organised backlash in gender equality and human rights. In many areas, including pay, pensions and employment opportunities, progress towards equality has either stalled or gone into reverse", said Indre Vareikytė, rapporteur for the EESC Opinion on Gender equality issues.

"At the current rate, it will take over 100 years for women to become equal to men in Europe, and daughters of future generations will have fewer rights than the women of today," she added.

The EESC has called on the EU to step up its efforts and make equality a standalone goal in its future financial frameworks, with an ambitious, binding five-year strategy for effectively tackling all aspects of gender equality.

It has called on all Member States that have not yet ratified the Istanbul Convention to reconsider their position and asked the Commission to add on-line harassment and mobbing of women to the definition of illegal hate speech.

To ensure equal representation within its own ranks, the EESC has called on the Council to review its guidelines for the appointment of EESC members and recommended that the Member States select them on a gender parity basis. At present, 30% of EESC members are women. (ll)

The European Economic and Social Committee has called on the EU Member States to establish an enabling environment for philanthropy in line with EU freedoms and fundamental rights, and recommends that they recognise and promote philanthropy as a recognised and socially responsible form of contributing to the public good or the welfare of others.

In its first opinion entirely dedicated to philanthropy, the EESC also recommends that facilitating cross-border philanthropic activities should be a priority for both the EU and the Member States. However, the Committee has pointed out that philanthropy cannot be a substitute for a welfare state and strong social protection systems based on tax justice and effective employment policies. Instead, these should be strengthened and further developed, which would also improve the capability of philanthropic organisations to "fill in the gaps" and complement funding in niche areas where public support is lacking. "We fully acknowledge the complementarity and innovative added value that philanthropy can bring to social cohesion by boosting common values and making our society more resilient," the rapporteur of the opinion, Mr Petru Sorin Dandea said. Philanthropic action should remain transparent, he stressed. Figures show that philanthropy has rapidly grown in Europe over the last three decades, with philanthropic contributions in Europe amounting to at least EUR 87.5 billion annually, and this is only a conservative estimate. (ll)

The single market has brought many real benefits to European citizens, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) argues in its response to the European Commission's assessment of the state of play of the single market. Affordable air travel, the end of roaming charges, enhanced job opportunities in a continent-wide labour market, consumer rights that offer a high level of protection across borders. This success story can be an antidote against populism, nationalism and protectionism, says the EESC.

The EESC's plenary on 15 May adopted an opinion on the Commission's communication The Single Market in a changing world: A unique asset in need of renewed political commitment, which reviews 25 years of the single market and outlines the challenges ahead.

The single market has been a tremendous accomplishment, the EESC says in its opinion, and the EU must ensure citizens are aware that many of the very real benefits they have enjoyed in the past 25 years as consumers, business owners or workers are the result of the single market - benefits which are estimated to amount to 8.5% of EU GDP:

For European companies, the single market has meant opportunities to scale up and expand their activities across the EU. Globally, it has given Europe the leverage of a 512-million-strong market, as recently shown by international efforts to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation.

This success story can help rally the support needed to make the single market fit for the digital era, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) argues.

The single market must also be perceived as an opportunity to reassert European values and rights: "The values of freedom, economic growth, democracy, peace, science and innovation, political stability, consumer and social rights must always be present in citizens' minds. They are enablers of progress and prosperity for all Member States and citizens," says opinion rapporteur Gonçalo Lobo Xavier.

"The single market affects everyone, and that's what makes it so powerful", says opinion co-rapporteur Juan Mendoza Castro, "We need to combat populist and nationalist threats, which are on the rise in Europe, and the single market is one of the best tools we have to counter these messages".

The EESC also focuses on the EU's competition policy. Its rules limiting state aid and fighting against abuse of dominant positions have been a source of dynamism for the European market and benefits for consumers and businesses. However, in the face of harsh global competition from (sometimes state-owned) oligopolies or monopolies, the EU should demand reciprocity from its trade partners to help European companies vie for markets. (dm)

The development of artificial intelligence in Europe should be as broadly inclusive as possible, the EESC says in its assessment of the European Commission's Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence. Policy should ensure that civil society reaps the numerous benefits of AI while minimising risks such as the manipulation of democratic processes.

In its opinion on the European Commission's proposed Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence, the EESC stresses that AI-related policies must engage all social players, including businesses, workers and consumers. This means ensuring the accessibility of data and infrastructure, the availability of user-friendly products and access to knowledge and skills.

Special measures should be taken to increase women's skills in AI and encourage them to take up AI jobs and tasks, she urges, in view of reports that women are lagging behind men in ICT professions in all EU countries (1.5 million women out of a total of 8.9 million in 2018, according to Eurostat figures).

Education systems in Member States must be overhauled to prepare Europe's young people for a world with pervasive AI. Curricula from primary schools to universities need to be reformed to guarantee a strong base in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as in critical thinking. This will help cover the skills demand in Europe, where, according to the Commission, there were 600 000 unfilled vacancies for digital experts in 2018.

At the same time, present-day workers who risk losing their jobs will need lifelong and ongoing learning to upgrade their skills or retrain in new tasks, as AI will likely change the nature of jobs rather than killing them altogether.

The EESC believes that investment in education and training should be a central part of national AI strategies, and also calls for increased EU funds to support reforms.

To make sure society as a whole reaps the numerous benefits of AI, the EESC suggests that the EU adopt the three-pronged framework of sustainable development as a guiding approach: "If AI benefits society – in the spirit of sustainable development – by generating economic prosperity, social well-being and health, as well as environmental gains, it can be acknowledged as 'doing good'", thus overcoming widespread fears about it, says opinion rapporteur Kylä-Harakka-Ruonala. (dm)