while fully supporting the Green Deal and its objectives, points out the need to assess it in order to gauge its response to exogenic shocks, the geopolitical situation, and technological, social and economic developments, as well as to measure progress achieved thus far;
calls on the European Commission to initiate the mapping of measures adopted under the Green Deal to address overlaps, conflicts and the cumulative administrative burden and to provide a publicly available online dashboard recording each Member State's progress in this domain;
points out that the EESC itself should be empowered and endowed with the necessary resources to play the role of independent monitor of Green Deal implementation, since it is in a position to create a fact-based picture of the progress achieved within the different pillars of the Green Deal.
recommends that measures to address deforestation must cover all the main commodities posing risk for forests, and must involve action on both supply and demand sides;
believes that a balanced agreement between Mercosur and the EU would create a stable framework to foster trade while securing the environmental and labour aspects, including the fight against deforestation;
Supports the EU climate diplomacy and work together with partner countries towards increasing their climate ambitions while supporting the most vulnerable;
serving as a bridge between the European institutions and organised civil society, can play a facilitating role by developing meaningful dialogue with counterparts in Latin American countries and by building trust that the transition to sustainable use of resources can be a move towards greater prosperity.
as the first EU body to have involved representatives from candidate countries in its daily work, calls upon the other EU institutions to make the best use of the new accession methodology by involving representatives of the candidate and potential candidate countries in their work;
asks the input from the social partners and civil society organisations to be sought in a timely manner for the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility Plan for the Western Balkans;
emphasises the need to address the social dimension of the green transition to an inclusive and just economy and society and calls for EU programmes and regional structures to be bolstered, with the aim of reaching more young people in the Western Balkan;
stresses the importance of systematic, meaningful and timely inclusion of the social partners and civil society organisations in the EU accession negotiations, pointing out to the important role of civil society joint consultative committees (JCCs);
urges the Commission to address evident attempts to suppress the civic space, and to reflect these issues more prominently in the enlargement strategy and country reports;
highlights the importance of the digital economy for the EU economy and the benefits of interconnectivity for homes, public transport, health and personal relationships;
considers that the lack of digital skills and price constitutes a barrier to internet access, creating a problem of digital exclusion that drives social and economic inequalities;
stresses that only renewable hydrogen, as defined by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1184, must be eligible for public funding. However especially in the transitional phase, other forms of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen will need to be used.
the Commission to put the topic of informal carers high on the political agenda and to establish a Platform for the exchange of best practices among Member States;
Member States to adopt policies that i) encourage the provision and uptake of high-quality, community-based long-term care services, and ii) ensure that informal carers have access to respite services and preventive medicine to tackle the high risk of burnout and physical and mental overload to which they are exposed;
Member States to take appropriate measures to ensure that the decision to take on informal care is voluntary, that gender inequalities are tackled and that informal carers can keep their jobs and levels of pay thanks to more flexible working conditions and can easily re-enter the job market if they are forced to leave it.
supports the proposal’s objective to ensure that all forms of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, including those enabled or facilitated by technological developments, are criminalised;
emphasises a focus on the particularly vulnerable group of children with disabilities, who can become easy victims of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation and cybercrimes;
calls for the international exchange of data relating to child sexual abuse and exploitation to be specifically regulated and for the possibilities for data retention to be expanded in all Member States with the development of an EU Research Centre.
welcomes the proposed Regulation as a step in the right direction, enhancing the screening mechanisms for foreign direct investments (FDI) in the EU;
stresses the importance of promoting greater harmonisation of national norms regulating FDI and screening mechanisms, including setting consistent thresholds for FDI control; establishing coherent definitions of risks to security and public order; and bolstering Member States’ capacities for effective implementation of FDI control tasks;
calls for the establishment of exceptional cases where the EU institutions may prohibit, mitigate, or apply conditions to FDI that jeopardize programmes or projects of interest to the Union, ensuring a unified approach to protecting public security and order across Member States;
calls for subjecting investments from tax havens to special surveillance, requiring full knowledge of the real owners of the investing companies and examining the legality of the funds deployed.
Highlights that this unique enlargement, shaped by current geopolitical circumstances, should not undermine candidate countries' preparedness, necessary legislative reforms, or adherence to core EU values. Ensuring these aspects is crucial despite the distinct challenges posed by the present situation.
Believes that this enlargement offers opportunities to enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy but acknowledges the mixed results of past expansions. It urges the European Commission and candidate Member States to manage the impacts on potential losers, particularly family farms and agri-food SMEs in both the EU and candidate countries.
Stresses that candidate countries must align with CAP objectives and values. Necessary CAP reforms and a related financial framework should be agreed upon before enlargement, with an increased CAP budget to compensate EU farmers for any negative effects, considering social costs. Current net contributors must be prepared to pay a higher GDP proportion to the EU, given the net benefits for EU industrial goods and services exporters.
