The EESC says that the European Union needs a sustainable, secure and affordable energy supply and that it must be seen as a public good for EU prosperity, economic and social development and competitiveness.
The EESC says that the European Union needs a sustainable, secure and affordable energy supply and that it must be seen as a public good for EU prosperity, economic and social development and competitiveness.
In the opinion adopted at the March plenary session and drafted by Thomas Kattnig, the EESC stresses the economic importance of the energy system, as mentioned in the Draghi report. Energy prices play a pivotal role in overall inflation; therefore, it is essential to lower network costs to avoid further increases in grid tariffs.
‘Europe needs strong, smart and secure electricity grids,’ said Mr Kattnig during the plenary session. ‘They must be organised as a public good that guarantees security of supply, sustainability and affordability.’
In the opinion, the EESC underlines that grid development should be well coordinated with the current requirements arising from renewable energy integration as well as with the targeted energy mix and the structure of electricity generation.
The EESC also adds that it is essential to prioritise the efficient use of existing grids, placing optimisation before expansion, supported by flexibility solutions.
More specifically, the EESC supports expanding decentralised energy generation, which can lower the pressure on the grid – and so reduce the need for grid expansion – and increase public acceptance of the energy transition.
At the same time, the EU needs better coordination on electricity grids. This is why the EESC calls for stronger EU coordination in grid governance while maintaining Member States’ responsibility for planning and oversight as the costs of grid expansion, congestion management and stability are primarily borne by the Member States.
The Committee also underlines the importance of accelerating the digitalisation of electricity networks and ensuring that network development plans align with national energy and climate plans (NECPs). (mp)
The EESC urges the European Commission to maintain a clear and credible long-term signal in favour of zero-emission vehicles. At the same time, when used primarily in an electric mode, low-emissions vehicles can act as a short and mid-term enabler of alternative fuel infrastructure and support industrial adaptation.
The EESC urges the European Commission to maintain a clear and credible long-term signal in favour of zero-emission vehicles. At the same time, when used primarily in an electric mode, low-emissions vehicles can act as a short and mid-term enabler of alternative fuel infrastructure and support industrial adaptation.
In the opinion adopted at the March plenary session and drawn up by Corina Murafa Benga, the Committee assesses the European Commission’s proposal on Clean Corporate Vehicles.
In the EESC’s view, the proposed Regulation should prioritise zero-emission vehicles but also recognise the transitional role which low-emission vehicles can play by supporting industrial adaptation in the short and medium term, preserving quality jobs and maintaining the European automotive sector’s competitiveness.
This approach provides companies and workers with the time needed to invest, innovate and reskill, facilitating an orderly transition towards full electrification while safeguarding Europe’s industrial and social fabric.
The EESC takes note of the proposed EU-wide, demand-side approach to clean corporate vehicles. However, it underlines that national targets should not be lower than what the market is already delivering, must not turn into company-based targets when the Regulation is introduced, and must be accompanied by an effective roll-out of supporting charging infrastructure and adequate capacity of the electricity grids, to safeguard business competitiveness.
The Committee also calls on Member States to consider tax incentives for decarbonising corporate fleets, including by removing direct and indirect advantages for fossil-fuel company cars.
National tax frameworks for corporate vehicles remain one of the most powerful demand-side levers. Aligning company car taxation, benefit-in-kind rules and depreciation schemes with the Regulation’s objectives can speed up purchasing decisions, influence vehicle use patterns and support timely fleet renewal. (mp)
‘Housing is a fundamental right,’ said Mr Kattnig during the plenary session. ‘Europe must curb speculation, protect people from energy poverty and invest in affordable, sustainable homes for families and future generations.’
In the exploratory opinion, requested by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the EESC welcomes the European Affordable Housing Plan presented by the European Commission in December 2025. However, it is of the view that the Commission must act swiftly to present the announced initiatives and even stronger measures, including:
better framework conditions;
a right to adequate and affordable housing in EU primary law;
a fundamental reform of the energy market design;
sufficient funding; and
a stronger focus on young people, families and sustainability.
The Committee criticises the lack of clear land-use and spatial planning guidance, the risks of urban sprawl and of climate backsliding and the insufficient role given to cities, regions and local authorities.
In addition, it calls for an effective rural development strategy and proven tools, with a mandatory percentage of subsidised, affordable housing. (mp)
The EESC is placing a very heavy stone at the heart of the EU’s military mobility debate, noting that the European institutions must join forces with all relevant stakeholders to make the European Union safe and ready to act, both in times of crisis and in times of peace.
The EESC is placing a very heavy stone at the heart of the EU’s military mobility debate, noting that the European institutions must join forces with all relevant stakeholders to make the European Union safe and ready to act, both in times of crisis and in times of peace.
The EU is currently facing a paradox: it has built the world’s most sophisticated single market, where goods cross borders quickly and seamlessly. However, when it comes to moving the tools and assets of its own security, there are still obstacles, both literal and bureaucratic.
‘Further action and stronger civil-military cooperation are needed. This is not optional – it is the only way forward, and it must be built on trust and transparency’, said EESC President Séamus Boland during the debate held at the EESC March plenary. ‘Military mobility is not about tanks on highways – it is about trust between soldiers and civilians, between governments and transporters. We either build that trust, or we risk breaking under pressure’.
Mr Boland added: ‘this is not a job for governments alone. It is a job for all of us: the policymakers who write the rules, the military planners, the companies that build the networks, the transport operators who move more cargo in a week than some armies do in a year, the workers who keep everything running, the medics who must be on alert, the drivers who deliver, and above all, the citizens who depend on all of them’.
Along the same lines, Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), confirmed the need to join hands at all levels. She referred to the proposal Military Mobility Package, which was presented by the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in November 2025 to ensure that troops, equipment and military assets can move swiftly across the EU.
By adopting the opinion drafted by Tomas Arvidsson, the EESC provides an essential contribution in order to overcome the barriers to military mobility.
Military mobility is the backbone of European independence. It is not only the concern of generals and defence officials, and it must be made possible through three key angles: infrastructure, social respect and borders. (mp)
The EU should take a bolder approach to long‑term planning, with stress‑tested scenarios and a stronger role for civil society
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has welcomed the European Commission’s 2025 Strategic Foresight Report (SFR) but is urging the EU to take a far more ambitious approach to long-term preparedness.
In its opinion on the SFR, the EESC warns that the report remains too close to existing political trajectories and does not sufficiently consider possible external disruptions, the EU’s innovation gaps, internal institutional challenges and the costs of delaying EU enlargement, which could all potentially reshape Europe’s future.
‘Strategic foresight should primarily support sustainable and inclusive well-being as part of the European social model. At the same time, it should take into account the current fragmentation of European capital markets, which severely constrains the efficient flow of capital to firms of all sizes, limiting innovation for SMEs and microenterprises’, rapporteur Philip von Brockdorff said.
The EESC also calls for a more structured role for organised civil society in the EU’s foresight cycle.
In its opinion, the EESC has called for a much sharper strategic edge and has issued several specific recommendations, such as moving beyond simply projecting current trends and instead exploring a range of alternative futures, including disruptive and pessimistic scenarios, while being more transparent about its methods and assumptions.
It recommends that the European Commission should address areas where the EU is lagging behind global competitors and where regulation may hinder innovation, warning that failure to do so risks weakening Europe’s position. Strengthening the Savings and Investments Union is crucial to improving capital flow, especially for SMEs, alongside the creation of EU-wide resilience metrics to support better policymaking.
It also calls for greater attention to smaller businesses and less-developed regions, a more strategic approach to labour migration given demographic decline, and an examination of the EU’s own governance systems in light of technological change and potential enlargement. Finally, it stresses the importance of incorporating detailed scenarios on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, including the costs of inaction and potential regulatory responses.
The Strategic Foresight Report is the EU’s annual examination of global megatrends and long-term developments likely to influence the EU up to 2040. (ll)
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has welcomed the European Commission’s proposals to simplify the EU’s digital rulebook, stressing that simplification must strengthen competitiveness without weakening fundamental rights, social standards or legal certainty.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has welcomed the European Commission’s proposals to simplify the EU’s digital rulebook, stressing that simplification must strengthen competitiveness without weakening fundamental rights, social standards or legal certainty.
In its opinion on the Digital and AI Omnibus, the EESC underlined that cutting red tape can bring immediate relief to businesses, administrations and citizens, but warned against lowering existing safeguards, particularly those enshrined in the GDPR and the AI Act.
'Companies, workers and consumers need clear, coherent rules that reduce compliance risks and administrative burdens, without lowering standards in substance,' said rapporteur Heiko Willems. He added that fragmentation, duplicative requirements and unclear definitions continue to hamper innovation and growth.
A key priority is to clarify and harmonise core definitions across EU digital legislation, including personal data, data holder and placing on the market, in order to reduce legal uncertainty.
The EESC also called for clearer rules on anonymised and pseudonymised data to support innovation, while ensuring strong protection of personal data and respect for data minimisation principles. It emphasised the importance of ensuring access to personal data for legitimate purposes, such as protecting workers’ rights and health and safety.
On the AI Omnibus, the EESC reaffirmed its support for a risk-based and proportionate approach that enables innovation while safeguarding fundamental and workers’ rights.
Co-rapporteur Angelo Pagliara stressed the importance of involving workers’ representatives whenever AI is introduced in the workplace, ensuring full respect for consultation rights and robust oversight.
The EESC also welcomed plans to reduce administrative burden through a genuinely interoperable EU single entry point for reporting obligations under NIS2, GDPR, DORA, eIDAS and CER. Such a system would allow companies to reuse information, submit reports in English and benefit from streamlined procedures, easing compliance while strengthening cybersecurity and resilience.
Finally, the EESC recognised the need to ensure a simplified regulatory framework for SMEs and small mid-caps, while at the same time stressing that such simplified regimes must apply only to genuinely independent companies, in line with EU definitions, to prevent misuse. (ll)
The European Anti-Poverty Network unveils the 2025 EU Poverty Watch at the EESC, highlighting the role of national and local strategies in the fight against poverty.
