EESC called for swift, concrete action to accelerate AI deployment across the EU, especially for SMEs and scale-ups. In a global AI race driven by speed and scale, Europe must position reliability and trustworthiness as its defining strengths.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted its opinion on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion during its January plenary session, following a debate that underscored that abortion is a fundamental human right that must be protected for every woman.
calls for concrete and rapidly deployable measures to speed up the commercialisation of AI, especially for SMEs and scale-ups, through simpler access to funding, a reduced administrative burden, clearer IP rules and support for cross-border scaling in the single market;
highlights the importance of regional competence clusters, leveraging European Digital Innovation Hubs, and the inclusion of underrepresented sectors such as finance, tourism and e-commerce to ensure a holistic and inclusive AI approach;
strongly recommends investment in AI skills and literacy, including clear definitions for upskilling and cross-skilling, to support the safe and effective integration of AI into key sectors such as healthcare, defence and security, and the public sector;
stresses the need for regulatory clarity and proportionality, strengthened data-sharing and IP frameworks, and inclusive governance with balanced stakeholder representation, ensuring obligations are appropriate for SMEs and innovative start-ups;
calls for long-term funding and strategic public procurement, including predictable support under the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, to reinforce Europe’s AI ecosystem, digital sovereignty and industrial base, while ensuring transparency and fair competition.
The Trump administration has once again floated the idea of exerting control over Greenland, while the people of Greenland have reiterated their commitment to deciding their own future, free from outside pressure or intimidation.
considers the indicative budget of EUR 175 002 000 000 proposed for the period 2028-2034 to be encouraging and that it sends a strong signal of support for scientific excellence and the aim of investing in research and innovation and disruptive technologies. However, the EESC recommends that it be used only as a baseline figure for discussions between the Council and the European Parliament;
deems it imperative to improve the monitoring of the use of funds and to identify obstacles to their use and the factors behind underspending in certain countries;
recommends maintaining and correctly aligning Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund, particularly the fund’s four policy components and the corresponding activities under the ‘Competitiveness’ pillar of Horizon Europe (Pillar II);
recommends that, in order to support the entire innovation cycle from fundamental research to placing on the market, project assessment and selection procedures must not only be based on scientific excellence, but also on additional assessment criteria designed to better understand commercial relevance, industrial impact and the contribution to European strategic autonomy and the competitiveness of European industry;
recommends maintaining a four-year term of office, renewable once for the president of the European Research Council (ERC), instead of reducing it to two years.
