News

  • An EESC hearing has revealed that almost a million EU citizens may be deprived of their right to vote in the upcoming European elections as a result of their disability, and many more may face obstacles when casting their ballots.

  • The EESC calls for a budget increase and special promotion under Horizon 2020

    The creative sector in Europe has great potential, but it needs more support to fully develop and become a serious competitive player on the world market.  Other branches, including the textile, tourism, automotive, construction, and health industries would also benefit from an ambitious cultural and creative sector. The EESC therefore calls for an increase in the budget and specific financial support under Horizon 2020.

  • The government, representatives of organised civil society and other interest groups call for fresh impetus for the European Union

  • An effective solution for taxation of businesses in the digitalised economy should be found at the global level, to prevent further unilateral action and to ensure sustainable growth, investment, tax certainty and fairness, international tax experts and civil society representatives stated at a hearing held by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 29 January.

  • In the event of a deal, the UK should stay aligned with EU laws; for chemicals, the REACH regulation is key. As for the aeronautics industry, agreements on reciprocity in the most important areas should be put in place. The planned transition period is too short, however, and should be extended to at least five years.

  • At its January plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the reinforcement of the role of Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) in monitoring the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by the European Union. DAGs are already responsible for supervising the implementation of FTAs in the areas of sustainable development and labour standards, but the EESC wants to extend this monitoring role to include all aspects of the agreements, including the core trade provisions.

  • Building a sense of home was the central theme of the annual conference on Social Innovation for Refugee Inclusion (SI4RI), hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels last week

  • VAT tax reform

    A new VAT system for taxing trade between Member States must tap its full potential and limit any possible negative effects for the single market, says the European Economic and Social Committee in its recently adopted opinion on a proposal presented by the European Commission. Greater collaboration between national authorities and extensive communication by the Commission will be key to its successful implementation. Clarifications are needed on some proposed concepts and criteria and a common system for goods and services must follow as soon as possible.

  • Javier Doz Orrit
    • Economic resilience and labour market resilience must go hand in hand
    • Commitment to deepening EMU through stabilisation and upward convergence is crucial
    • Urging Member States into contractionary fiscal stances may be problematic
  • Philanthropic activities in Europe have gained in importance and could be used to complement funding in many areas where public support is lacking, an EESC hearing reveals.