EESC Information Newsletter - March 2022

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Dear Madam, dear Sir,

In  these difficult times of an unjustified Russian aggression against innocent women, men and children, Europe needs to stand with Ukraine and its civil society. This war shows the urgency to further strengthen the European project and its fundamental values like peace, freedom and democracy.

Therefore, on Thursday 24 March at 11.15 a.m., during the 568th Plenary Session of the European Economic and Social Committee, we will hold a debate on the resolution "War in Ukraine and its economic and social impact", with Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Anatoliy Kinakh, President of the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council, Ukraine, Alexander Shubin, Chair of the Ukrainian Civil Society Platform and Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On Wednesday 23 March, at 3 p.m., our Members will discuss the New European Bauhaus initiative, with Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

Later that day, at 3.45 p.m., I invite you to follow a presentation of the European Citizens' Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment'', with Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, PhD, representative of the ECI, Biochemist, GLOBAL 2000 – Friends of the Earth Austria.

I will be glad to welcome you at our plenary session. To that end, I invite you to use webstreaming, which will allow you to follow all the votes and discussions remotely.

Best regards,

Christa Schweng
EESC President

The EESC plenary session on social media: to take part in the online discussions, follow @EU_EESC or the hashtag #EESCplenary. You can also post on our Facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanEconomicAndSocialCommittee/ where the plenary session is announced. Don't forget that the plenary session is also streamed. Are your networks and organisations interested in our discussions? Let them know!

 

News from the ESCs/EESC

  • EESC: Save-the-date: 2022 ICE Day edition "10 ans d'initiative citoyenne europĂ©enne: parĂ©s pour l'avenir?" (hybrid format) – Brussels, 2 June 2022
  • EESC/European Commission: Launch of the first EU organic awards; opening of applications for best organic SME, best organic food retailer and best organic restaurant on 25 March. Read more.

 

Main opinions to be discussed during the upcoming session (23-24 March 2022)

  • Strategic Foresight (INT/958), Ms Parthie (DE – I)
  • Banking Package 2021 (ECO/571), Mr Preda (RO – I)
  • Fight the use of shell entities (ECO/572), Mr Rizzo (GRIII – MT)
  • Minimum effective taxation of companies (ECO/573), Mr Andersson (SE – I)
  • European single access point (ESAP) (ECO/574), Mr Marin (RO – II) 
  • Review of the European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) (ECO/575), Mr Bollon (FR – I)
  • Review of the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR) (consolidated tape) (ECO/576), Mr Frank Von FĂĽrstenwerth (DE – I)
  • EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (SOC/704), Mr Topolánszky (HU – III)
  • Sanctions against employers of illegally staying third-country nationals (SOC/705), Mr Trindade (PT – II)
  • Migrant smuggling (SOC/707), Mr Moreno DĂ­az (ES – II)
  • Working conditions package – platform work (SOC/709), Ms Del Rio (IT – II)
  • What conditions are needed for the energy and low-carbon transition to be socially acceptable? (Exploratory opinion requested by the French Presidency of the Council of the EU) (TEN/760), Mr Schwartz (FR – III)
  • Revision of the energy performance of buildings directive (TEN/763), Mr Salamon (DK – III)
  • Revision of the TEN-T and Rail Freight Corridor Regulation (TEN/764), Mr Back (SE – I)
  • A new framework for free trade agreements, economic partnership agreements and investment agreements that guarantees the real involvement of civil society organisations and the social partners and ensures public awareness (own-initiative opinion) (REX/536), Mr Palmieri (IT – II)
  • Improving the EU's ability to respond to extreme events outside its territory (Exploratory opinion requested by the French Presidency of the Council of the EU) (REX/542), Mr Quarez (FR – II)
  • Improving environmental protection through criminal law (NAT/853), Mr Schwartz (FR – III)

 

Main opinions adopted during the previous session (23-24 February 2022)

  • Summary of adopted opinions
  • Tourism and transport / Follow-up (INT/949), Mr Gkofas (EL – III)
  • Business Taxation for the 21st Century (ECO/558), Mr Andersson (SE – I)
  • Solvency II – review (ECO/566), Mr Frank Von FĂĽrstenwerth (DE – I)
  • Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2022 (ECO/569), Ms Vorbach (AT – II)
  • The impact of COVID-19 on fundamental rights and the rule of law across the EU and the future of democracy (own-initiative opinion – FRRL) (SOC/691), Mr Moreno DĂ­az (ES – II)
  • Challenges for sustainable maritime and inland waterway transport (own-initiative opinion) (TEN/745), Mr Coulon (FR – II)
  • New European Bauhaus (TEN/757), Mr Coulon (FR – II)
  • Energy prices (TEN/761), Ms Mastantuono (CZ – I), Mr Kattnig (AT – II) & Mr Ribbe (DE – III)
  • 'Fit for 55': delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality (NAT/843), Mr Mallia (MT – I) & Mr Lohan (IE – III)

 

Upcoming events

 

Ongoing events

 

Past events

Work organisation

Relations with the national Economic and Social Councils of the European Union

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