a substantial increase in the size of the next MFF in real terms to meet the EU’s growing challenges. It also recommends revising the inflation adjustment mechanism to preserve the MFF's real value and reshaping the budget into a strategic investment tool that can deliver European public goods and long-term priorities.
a simplification of current funding rules and a streamlining of overlapping programmes to reduce bureaucracy. It advocates for a shift towards performance- and impact-based funding, better monitoring, and improved access to EU funds for local-level actors, civil society, and businesses.
reinforcing investment in areas of clear European interest—such as defence, innovation, infrastructure, and social cohesion—through tools like joint borrowing and co-financing mechanisms. It also calls for the creation of a ‘Democracy Shield’ to protect democratic values and support civil society, independent media, and the rule of law across the EU and in candidate countries.
highlights that respecting and enforcing fundamental rights and the rule of law are crucial for mutual trust between Member States. For investment and trade within the internal market to function properly, all economic operators must follow the law and trust that public authorities will do the same. This respect for the rule of law is essential for economic activity and makes a location more appealing to businesses. Protectionist measures that favour domestic companies over those from other EU countries violate the principle of equal treatment;
calls for the addition of a fifth pillar to the European Commission’s Rule of Law Report to better reflect the economic aspects of the rule of law;
recommends improving existing tools for addressing internal market infringements and using more EU pilot procedures. It stresses that a strong and independent judiciary, well-resourced public services, and bodies for monitoring and reporting legal breaches are essential for ensuring effective legal protection and upholding the rule of law.
finds it regrettable that the cost of living in Europe is being fuelled by persisting dysfunctionalities in the European Single Market, and believes that more decisive action by the European Commission is needed to protect it;
calls on the European Union to urgently tackle persistent barriers that decrease competition and affect the cost of living, such as territorial supply constraints;
encourages Member States to avoid unnecessary regulatory complexities, that could weaken essential social and labour protections;
urges the Commission to ensure that Member States respect their notification obligations (e.g. under TRIS), speed up proceedings against national rules which infringe EU law and consider temporary measures against clear violations of EU rules to prevent harm while checking if national rules comply with EU law.
The rising cost of living has impacted competitiveness and social costs. Services of general interest (SGIs) can ensure access to essential services for a decent life and can mitigate the impact of inflation and crises due to their non-profit-driven spirit.
The EESC advocates greater scope for long-term investment in social infrastructure and emphasizes the importance of public investment in accessible and affordable housing.
Reducing fossil fuel subsidies can provide short-term support for vulnerable households and more durable solutions for decarbonised electricity and heating systems, renovations and access to affordable SGIs.
urges the European Commission to accelerate negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement, ensuring a Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter with a structural role for civil society;
proposes to deepen security and defence ties, including joint Research & Development, space and dual-use projects, with a focus on SMEs;
recommends strengthening maritime security cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean;
suggests boosting cultural and academic exchanges, particularly university and student programmes;
advocates for enhanced collaboration in infrastructure, deep-water ports, airports, and energy connectivity;
encourages advancing cooperation within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), with the EESC preparing a dedicated opinion on its prospects.
believes that trade policy must be closely coordinated with industrial policy and European economic security policy. This requires a common European foreign policy and security strategy;
believes that, in view of the current evolving circumstances, strong leadership is required and use of existing trade-defence tools if tariffs are imposed illegally, including retaliatory tariffs, economic diplomacy action, and WTO challenges;
proposes the establishment of an EU Investment Fund for Economic Resilience and Sustainable Competitiveness to boost financial capacity, alongside strengthening the European Investment Bank and completing the Banking and Capital Markets Unions;
stresses the importance of civil society's participation in trade negotiations through structured consultations to address critical concerns before agreements are finalized.
believes it is crucial to include persons with disabilities throughout the process of designing, developing, assessing and implementing new technologies and AI-based applications. This involvement is key to mitigating potential discriminatory risks;
invites the Member States and the EU to audit and evaluate to what extent AI applications are inclusive in critical fields;
believes further follow-up is required to protect persons with disabilities from the harmful application of supposedly limited risk systems, particularly in the field of employment and recruitment;
underlines the importance of ensuring the general accessibility of services and goods that apply new technologies and AI based solutions
recommends two conceptual adjustments to this impressive financial support package: a) increasing the share of grants from the current proportion of 16% to 35% and b) increasing the minimum share of the total loan amount to be allocated to investments from 25% to 35%;
suggests that the Plan should allocate enough investment in research and development (R&D) in order to support the transition to the new model of economic growth based on higher value added and productivity;
draws attention to the importance of calibrating the Plan to Moldova's local and regional development needs as an indispensable condition for balanced and sustainable development across the country;
considers that proper funding should be provided for creating and ensuring the proper functioning of the economic and social committee in the Republic of Moldova, in line with the formal request from the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova, the Confederation of Employers and Civil Society Organisations.
FIrmly believes that relations between organised civil society in the EU and Kazakhstan can develop in a structured way on the basis of an Action Plan, with several priorities and in line with the objectives of the New EU Strategy for Central Asia;
Supports the development of civic and social dialogue in Central Asia and advocates for it to be formalised, along the lines of the good practices in relations with organised civil society of other regions, like the Western Balkans.
