welcomes the European Commission’s efforts to simplify legislation and reduce specific administrative burdens but, at the same time, it also expresses concerns regarding the consultation process, the limited debate on the proposed changes and the lack of impact assessments;
invites the Commission to comprehensively map the EU business landscape by company size and according to specific Member States’ characteristics with the aim to ensuring more appropriate thresholds and scope of the Small Mid-Caps (SMC) category;
encourages the Commission to present further targeted GDPR simplification measures, having many companies still facing disproportionate compliance requirements such as extensive record-keeping.
underlines that AI should remain a complementary tool rather than a substitute, with ultimate decision-making in sensitive areas such as health, law, or taxation staying under human control to safeguard professional autonomy and accountability;
stresses that technology can ease administrative burdens and routine tasks, enabling professionals to focus on higher-value, human-centric services, which improves efficiency and the quality of services delivered to citizens and enterprises;
insists that ethical and professional standards must apply to the use of AI, ensuring transparency in AI-driven decisions, avoiding bias and discrimination, and respecting privacy, data protection, and intellectual property rights.
At its September 2025 plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted a pioneering opinion on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data in rare disease diagnosis and treatment. It sets out a comprehensive vision for harnessing digital innovation to improve the lives of rare disease patients.
At its September plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted a resolution Defending the EU’s values and strengthening its future in the new geopolitical order, calling for a secure, resilient and strategically autonomous EU. The text highlights the critical momentum for Europe’s strategic response to the current geopolitical challenges, underlining that civil society must keep its central role.
reiterates that the strengthening of the EU’s defensive capacities must be implemented in accordance with its fundamental values, with a focus on the well-being of citizens;
believes that the EU should adopt a common defence policy as part of a shared foreign and security policy, and build a strong European defence pillar, going beyond national models;
stresses the urgent need to promote a common European industrial policy that enhances industrial competitiveness while respecting the principles of transparency, efficiency and sustainability. It also calls for specific common funding instruments to be adopted.
