Comité Económico y Social Europeo
526th Plenary Session including:
The EESC, in cooperation with the Federation of Traders, Producers and Entrepreneurs of Central-East Macedonia and Thrace and the Thessaloniki’s Traders Association, will be organising a hearing as part of its preparatory work in order to issue a rigorous, qualitative own-initiative opinion on "The potential of family and traditional businesses to boost the development and economic growth in the regions".
With this hearing, the EESC wants to strengthen the role of climate justice, not only in the global dimension but also in domestic climate policies.
Tax competition between EU Member States may be harmful when it results in permanent losses of government tax revenues, may also distort competition between companies in the EU's single market and can have negative impacts on other EU policy areas. The EESC is currently drawing up an own-initiative opinion that aims to formulate solutions that can help to mitigate the negative effects of tax competition and to contribute to building a fairer and more transparent European fiscal system. In order to gain further insights the EESC organised a public hearing on Wednesday, 24 May 2017, starting from 10 a.m.
On 22-23 May, the Various Interests' Group held a conference on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Indeed, embarking on a "collective journey…to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty…(delivering a) new universal Agenda …(which will) realise the human rights of all" are very ambitious objectives. However, moving from declarations to concrete action is even more ambitious and hence, the effective governance of the 2030 Agenda is of paramount importance. Without doubt, it will only become a reality if citizens actively support the necessary transitions and if civil society is directly involved throughout the process.
The CSP complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare their recommendations to the relevant authorities both in the Republic of Moldova as well as in the European Union.
The EESC has set up a permanent study group on Roma inclusion which will be monitoring the implementation the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies from the point on view of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Anti-gypsyism and discrimination are important barriers to Roma enjoying full rights and this hearing plans to map possible avenues for redress for Roma, including equality bodies. The hearing will allow for the exchange of best practices on how Roma can address violations of their rights.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the European Economic and Social Committee and the EU project Responsible-Industry organized a conference “Responsible Research and Innovation in the Health Industry” held at the EESC premises, in Brussels, on 18 and 19 May 2017.
The conference discussed how Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) can help to boost innovation in biomedicine and health with a special focus on Information and Communication Technologies. It was asked how social values and needs can be “integrated from scratch” and which drivers and obstacles RRI encounters when implemented in companies.
The 4th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform took place on 18 May 2017 in Brussels. During the meeting, a debate was held assessing the state of play in the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and two reports, prepared by both sides, were discussed and adopted.
The event focused on the response of European civil society to the insecure situation of migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe. The focus was on two issues: preventing the criminalisation of humanitarian assistance and introducing humanitarian admission programmes. As regards the first, panellists presented cases and testimonies of people and organisations punished for offering help to irregular migrants in need. The second panel looked at current practice and initiatives to promote access to Europe on humanitarian grounds or via resettlement. Participants shared their views on the European legislation in place at present and suggested how both public and private actors can give migrants and refugees in need a helping hand.
