On 19 July, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a high-level conference in Kraków on the relief and reconstruction of Ukraine, at which it pledged its full support on all fronts for the war-ravaged country.

With war fatigue kicking in and solidarity seeming to wane as Europe braces itself for the harshest winter in decades, European civil society remains committed to helping Ukraine on its path to recovery and to "building back better", in line with Europe's core values.

At its conference, the EESC stressed that it would continue advocating for ongoing EU solidarity with Ukraine. It pledged to work closely with Ukrainian civil society, the social partners and authorities to assist the country through the lengthy and demanding accession process, with the final goal of it one day becoming a full EU member.

The conference was opened by EESC president Christa Schweng and the deputy mayor of Krakow, Andrzej Kulig.

Ms Schweng commended the "concrete support for Ukraine" shown since the beginning of the war by civil society across the Member States, and above all in Poland. The EESC chose to hold the conference in Kraków "to pay tribute to this heartening solidarity, as well as to express our closeness to those who are working on the ground every day."

The conference brought together high-level EU, Polish and Ukrainian officials, alongside representatives of civil society organisations, including trade unions and employers' organisations, from both the EU and Ukraine.

The aim was to discuss the efforts undertaken so far by the grassroots level to directly aid those in need on the ground, including refugees, internally displaced people and those who have still not left, despite Russia's brutal attack on their country.

The conference also looked at ways of directly helping the Ukrainian economy cope with the devastating effects of the war, amid gloomy projections of its GDP dwindling by some 45% in 2022. This calls for nothing short of a new Marshall Plan to help rebuild the country from scratch, in a green and sustainable way that is also in line with European labour and social rights.

The speakers in the high-level introductory panel warned against the war fatigue and against losing momentum for helping Ukraine. They highlighted the crucial role of the EU's and Member States' support for Ukraine to remain on the European agenda.

Vitaly Portnikov, Ukrainian journalist, political commentator and opinion maker, stressed the need to have objective and independent journalism in Ukraine: "This is as important as having the Ukrainian government and armed forces. To have this, we need the EU's support and international programmes. Without freedom of speech and high-quality information, without resources, we will have a risky situation."

The conference featured three panels, which discussed various aspects of aid for Ukraine. The first debate gave an overview of the work done so far by civil society organisations providing immediate support for refugees on their arrival and helping with their integration.

The second panel focused on displaced people and the role of Ukrainian civil society in ensuring that their country continues to function in the face of the crisis. The final panel explored how EU civil society can help and support Ukraine's recovery in accordance with EU values and norms, such as the rule of law, democracy and transparency, in particular from the perspective of an EU candidate state.

More information about the conference is available on our dedicated webpage. (ll)

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is proud to announce the finalists, by category, of the first ever EU Organic Awards, co-organised with the European Commission and other partners to reward excellence in the European organic value chain. The winners of each category will be announced on 23 September, EU Organic Day, at a special ceremony with the EU commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski.

Inspiring initiatives on the ground show that the organic transition is already taking hold across Europe. The first step of the evaluation process has now been completed, and after a thorough assessment of all applications, the finalists in the following three categories are:

• For best organic SME processing food products:

Gino Girolomoni Cooperativa Agricola – Isola del Piano, Province of Pesaro and Urbino, Italy
Goodvenience.bio GmbH – Magdala, Thuringia, Germany
Labonca Biohof GmbH – Burgau, Styria, Austria

• For best organic food retailer:

Ecoveritas SA – Barcelona, Spain
La ferme à l’arbre de Liège – Lantin, Liège, Belgium
BIO MERCATO, seiVital GmbH – Kempten, Bavaria, Germany

• For best organic restaurant:

Trattino – Lyon, France
Lilla Bjers HB – Visby, Gotland Island, Sweden
Luftburg – Kolarik im Prater – Vienna, Austria

Further information about the candidates, the selection criteria and the awards in general can be found on the EU Organic Awards website and on the EESC website.  

"Europe as a Task: Rethink, Rebuild, Repower". This is the official motto of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which started on 1 July 2022 and will focus on managing the consequences of the war in Ukraine, reducing Europe's energy dependence and increasing its future strategic autonomy.

Addressing EESC president Christa Schweng and the other EESC members at the plenary session debate on 13 July 2022, the Czech Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský, presented the priorities of his country's EU presidency.

"The delicate economic and geopolitical context has partially shifted the priorities and the war in Ukraine, and its impact on Europe will guide the Czech Presidency throughout its mandate," he said. "We are at a time when there is a war going on just outside the borders of the European Union and our main task in the period ahead will be to find a united and strong consensus on measures that will mitigate the negative impact of the developments on our citizens as much as possible."

Inspired by Czech statesman Václav Havel's vision in a speech 26 years ago, the motto provides a strong message to sum up the five pillars of the Czech EU Presidency:

1. managing the refugee crisis and the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine,
2. increasing the EU's energy security,
3. increasing European defence capabilities and cyberspace security,
4. strengthening the strategic resilience of the European economy,
5. protecting the EU's democratic institutions and its values.

Saying that the Czech EU Presidency's priorities were also the priorities of the EESC and Europe as a whole, Ms Schweng added: "The Czech Republic is taking over the rotating Council presidency at a time when the European Union is still struggling to recover from the consequences of the pandemic, while facing the consequences of the war in Ukraine. We will do our utmost to ensure that our Committee makes a powerful contribution to the activities of the Czech Presidency." (mp)

At the July plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), its president, Christa Schweng, and the newly elected president of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Vasco Alves Cordeiro, discussed new prospects for joint action and cooperation between the two committees.

Opening the debate, EESC president Christa Schweng noted that the two committees had always defended the European project and provided valuable input into it. "At this critical time, when Europe is being pushed from all sides, it is more important than ever to join forces and bring Europe closer to its citizens," she said.

Mr Cordeiro agreed on the political importance of the joint work of the EESC and CoR, especially in these difficult times for the EU. "From building the recovery after the pandemic to strengthening European democracy, from facing the war against Ukraine and its social and economic consequences to defending cohesion policy: our two committees have a joint interest and responsibility to speak with a clear voice and move the European Union forward," he said.

A stronger and fairer Europe for all and a stronger Cohesion Policy into the future are the two main objectives of the newly elected CoR president, which the EESC shares and supports. A stronger Europe from the democratic point of view is a Union with strong values and foundational principles, such as freedom, respect for human dignity, the rule of law and democracy, and a fairer Europe fighting for gender equality and an inclusive society. The second priority, Cohesion Policy, plays a key role in strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union. Mr Cordeiro stated that the CoR would firmly defend cohesion policy ahead of the future battle for the post-2027 EU budget.

Ms Schweng stressed the importance of citizen participation in the EU process, which "is an issue on which we should work closer together" and when following up on the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) we can put this closer cooperation into practice. "The Conference represents a great opportunity but also a tremendous responsibility towards the citizens". said Ms Schweng. "We need to be clear about empowering citizen participation," Mr Cordeiro added.

During the ensuing debate, the president of the EESC's Civil Society Organisations' Group Séamus Boland, said: "We in the EESC share with our colleagues in the Committee of the Regions a common goal, which is to ensure that the people we represent have access to public services when they need them. Working in union, we can be a powerful voice in articulating the needs of people who are often left behind because of poverty or exclusion."

The president of the EESC's Employers' Group, Stefano Mallia underlined the role of cohesion policy to boost growth and prosperity and the need to create an economic environment in which innovative businesses of all sizes can thrive. According to Mr Mallia, a stronger Europe means strong economies, a resilient Single Market and better conditions to face new challenges.

The president of the Workers' Group, Oliver Röpke welcomed the firm commitment of the newly elected CoR president to a stronger and fairer Europe and stronger democracy. He also stressed the complementary role of both committees. He pointed to the cooperation with the CoR on implementing the CoFoE and said that both committees would strive for citizen participation.

Both Committees' presidents stressed their commitment to work together for a fairer and stronger Europe and to make the voice of those who act on the ground heard. (ab)

To secure a more prosperous future for their citizens, Western Balkan (WB) governments need to address the problems encountered by young people, who hold the key to such a future. Sufficient and transparent budget allocations for youth policy development and the inclusion of young people in the EU accession process are prerequisites for facilitating positive changes and improving the situation of young people in the region.

Ionuţ Sibian, EESC member and rapporteur for the opinion "Youth Policy in the Western Balkans", as part of the Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans stressed the role of the EU institutions: "The EU institutions have to further support the WBs in improving youth participation. The Youth Guarantee in the WBs should be implemented in partnership between Youth Guarantee providers and relevant stakeholders".

Andrej Zorko, EESC member and co-rapporteur, is calling on all six WB partners to align with key EU youth policy documents and to further invest in evidence-based youth policies addressing youth development challenges.

Turn the region into a place with future prospects

The high level of youth migration from the WBs, which has been a long-standing problem, stems in particular from young people's inability to access quality education, and the limited career opportunities.

Current educational systems and curricula are in desperate need of reform. The entrepreneurial capacities of young people should be encouraged and promoted, while the social infrastructure of the region needs to be further strengthened.

The EU Innovation Agenda for the WBs includes youth and, consequently, encourages WB governments to build up their youth policy framework and proceed with the necessary reforms to turn the place into a region with future prospects for young people. (at)

At its July plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) debated the Commission's draft directive on tackling gender-based violence and gender equality with Cristina Fabre of the European Institute for Gender Equality.

In recent years, the European Union has stepped up its efforts to promote and mainstream gender equality and women's empowerment. Despite these efforts, violence against women remains the most common human rights violation across Europe, with one third of all women being victims of violence.

Opening the debate, EESC President Christa Schweng stated that "As the voice of civil society, the EESC is committed to a more gender-equal society and to achieving a Union free of violence against women and girls."

Cristina Fabre, of the European Institute for Gender Equality, mentioned the economic impact of inequalities: "Promoting gender equality improves our economy. GDP per capita has the potential to rise from 6.9% to 9.6% if we ensure equal rights for women and girls."

José Antonio Moreno Diaz, rapporteur for the opinion on the recent proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, discussed how the EU can combat this epidemic of violence against women: "Violence against women is a violation of human rights, therefore we call for its inclusion in the list of EU crimes under Article 83(1) of the TFEU". The Committee argues that social problems are not solved purely through the court system and that punishment should not be the sole means of action. "We need to ensure victims' access to healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health services", explained the co-rapporteur Ody Neisingh, " Fix the system, not the women."

At the request of the Czech Presidency, a separate opinion on gender equality was also adopted during this plenary. The EESC rapporteur, Milena Angelova, stated that that gender equality requires recognition, ownership, and constant commitment by all stakeholders in society. "We must build a life-long gender equality culture, encompassing all stages and areas of life", said Ms Angelova. (gb)

At its July plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called on the European Commission to strengthen the social aspects of key proposals to align EU rules on sustainable products, ecodesign and sustainable textiles.

The EESC adopted opinions on the Commission’s sustainable products roadmap On making sustainable products the norm, on a new regulation on ecodesign and on a strategy for sustainable textiles.

The proposals are part of the new EU circular economy plan and will increase efforts to make Europe less resource-dependent in the face of current crises, which include the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's war on Ukraine and climate change.

In the opinion on the sustainable products roadmap and the ecodesign regulation, the EESC believes that the EU’s circular economy strategy will only succeed if producers, consumers and workers, as well as the authorities, are properly involved and informed.

Its successful implementation will require clear, sound and consistent rules. These are needed to ensure that sustainable products are competitive and to make the transition to a circular economy more inclusive.

Wider scope for a new ecodesign regulation

New requirements on product durability, repairability, recycling, environmental impact and CO2 emissions, for example, and improved rules on the information provided on digital product passports and labels are needed for the transition to the circular economy.

However, the proposed regulation overlooks the social dimension. A reference to the Commission's proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence seems insufficient.

A stronger focus on workers' rights and child labour is needed

In a separate EESC opinion on sustainable textiles, EESC stressed that greater emphasis is needed on social aspects in the textile sector, notably on workers' rights and collective bargaining. The EESC calls for strict measures that prohibit economic relations with businesses that use child labour or which fail to ensure decent working conditions.

Furthermore, the EESC suggests that people should buy and wear clothes with a sense of responsibility.
In line with this call, investments and programmes are needed to improve the capacity of inspection bodies and the operational capacity of the social partners to monitor global agreements and workers' rights.

Finally, to ensure equilibrium between businesses and others in textile supply chains, the EESC recommends launching global best practices for sustainability. (ks)

In a new opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) fully supports the objectives of the European Roadmap on Critical Technologies for Security and Defence, which is particularly timely in view of the war in Ukraine.  

At its July plenary session, the EESC adopted an opinion on the European Roadmap on Critical Technologies for Security and Defence. Hailing the Commission's proposals as a generally good initiative, that is able to act and respond to various crises and geopolitical challenges, the EESC nonetheless stressed that the Commission should invest further in horizontal and vertical synergies between Member States.

First and foremost, the EESC believes that a comprehensive approach that spans the civil-military dividing line and combines the European and national levels should be adopted as quickly as possible. The invasion of Ukraine is a wake-up call, showing us that we need to act much faster than usual.

Moreover, regarding the technical aspects, the opinion suggests that the findings of the Observatory of Critical Technologies (OCT) must be incorporated into roadmaps. The transition between the different phases of the technology and the industrial cycle can only be managed successfully if the ownership of an initiative and the responsibilities are clear.

At the same time, the EESC calls on the Member States to ensure that their immediate responses to Russia's aggression against Ukraine are in line with the content and objectives of the roadmap, which is a long-term endeavour. Short-term national defence investments must be coordinated at European level to avoid increased fragmentation and duplication.

The EESC also proposes setting up an online one-stop-shop for small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, an online "EU SME corner", where businesses can enter predefined data and in return receive tailor-made information about which European programme(s) could best support them. (ks)

At its July plenary, the EESC argued that the new Trade and Technology Council (TTC) can become an innovative tool for both the EU and USA to work together towards a safer and more prosperous world, based on the principles of sustainable development and democratic values. The Council is designed to be a participatory process and, as such, it needs to demonstrate its transparency and strong engagement with civil society and stakeholders.

In its own-initiative opinion on The new EU-US Trade and Technology Council in action: priorities for business, workers and consumers and necessary safeguards, the EESC highlights the priorities of the TTC.

Christa Schweng, EESC President, said "The Trade and Technology Council is a new form of cooperation. Its key objective must be to explore how trade and technology can work better for our societies. Organised civil society on both sides of the Atlantic needs to play an important role in the TTC".

Timo Vuori, EESC member and rapporteur for the opinion, stated "The EU-US TTC must, in the short and long term, deliver solutions to improve the bilateral and international trade environment. Otherwise, the TTC may lose its momentum".

The EU and the USA still have the most integrated, bilateral economic relationship in the world, equal to half of world GDP and one third of global trade flows.

The economist and writer Fredrik Erixon, who was invited to speak at the plenary, explained that this initiative was a new opportunity for both partners to command influence in the world's economy, by being united and seeking partnerships with like-minded countries that share their basic economic and political values (mt).

In an exploratory opinion, the EESC insists on the importance of coordinated European legislation establishing tax rates for digital service companies. This will ensure a growth-friendly business environment and benefit the internal market, while avoiding the gaps that separate national initiatives would create. The Committee's opinion, drafted at the request of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, states that any new rules must avoid double taxation and minimise compliance costs for businesses.

While the EU can play a leading role in defining rules for taxing the digital economy, it should respect the international agreement reached by the OECD/G20. On that, rapporteur Benjamin Rizzo stated: "Both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of the OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting must be implemented within the EU as soon as it is feasible. It will help achieve a high degree of consistency with the international agreement that will be negotiated by the OECD/G20". Co-rapporteur Petru Dandea added: "The EESC stresses that properly devised international tax laws on digital businesses are instrumental in preventing tax evasion and tax avoidance practices, as well as in designing a fair, stable and progressive taxation system". (tk)

How should wages and company profits be taxed in a way that meets the needs of today's work environment? In an opinion adopted at its July plenary session, the EESC takes up this challenge, while welcoming and encouraging the rise of teleworking. An updated and easy-to-follow set of rules should ensure that employees and employers in Europe do not face multiple taxation or unintended non-taxation because they are working from abroad.

"We are in a new world, where people want to work differently. The EESC fully supports more flexible work and cross-border teleworking situations," says rapporteur Krister Andersson. "But this new paradigm also poses serious challenges for international taxation systems and an efficient European single market". Among other measures, the EESC proposes to create a one-stop-shop, such as exists for VAT, at a European level. An employer would report the number of days teleworkers worked in their country of residence and in the country where the employer is located. With this information, tax authorities would be able to assess in which country income would be taxable, or what part of the income would be taxable in each country. Mr Andersson points out that "This system would allow employees and employers to reduce tax disputes between Member States, and at the same time help ensure that taxes are levied correctly without requiring the individual to file in multiple countries". (tk)

Many Europeans are not yet digitally literate and most national administrations have not yet implemented digital solutions. Making people's access to some services of general interest conditional on having a digital identity could result in a lose-lose situation: a significant number of Europeans could see their right to access these services being denied.

The EESC opinion adopted at the July plenary session and drafted by Dumitru Fornea sounds the alarm. New governance tools introduced with the digital and industrial revolution must not be oppressive and make people's daily lives contingent on having to sign up to digital technology systems that are controlled in an undemocratic way.

"The advantages of digital technology solutions are obvious," said Mr Fornea. "However, their rapid implementation, especially for services of general interest such as digital identity, could lead to the exclusion of a significant number of Europeans. We must ensure that humans remain in command, with democratic control and with the involvement of civil society organisations."

According to the EESC, digital technology solutions such as digital identity, digital means of payment and incorporation into virtual and augmented reality platforms should remain complementary tools and should not completely and unfairly replace other practices that have been developed and perfected by humans over thousands of years. 

The EESC was the first European institution to call for the "human in command" approach when dealing with AI systems and reiterates that it is paramount for humans to have the last say and be in full control of decision-making processes when it comes to machine developments. (mp)