Digital agenda in general is one of the tools to address the current crisis. E-procurement specifically brings modernisation, innovation and less market fragmentation. The EESC opinion gives in-depth analysis of the current state in the MS, puts forward concrete solutions and gives an objective judgement of the EC strategy for e-procurement.
The opinion is interesting to national and local public administrations and to the private sector as well.
The EESC reflects in the opinion its view on a package of three Commission proposals. The EESC welcomes the debate initiated by the Commission whose purpose is an extensive modernisation of the procurement system, notes however that considerable doubt persists regarding the need for a EU directive on the award of concession contracts.
Download — EESC opinion: Public procurement and concession contracts
With this debate, the ECO section is providing ex-ante input to the European Commission, in preparation for the upcoming 2023 strategic foresight cycle that wants to shed light on the strategic decisions needed to ensure a socially and economically sustainable Europe with a stronger role in the world in the coming decades.
Activities of organised crime organisations like money laundering and the tapping of public funds have consequences for the economy, business and society. A crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic may be an opportunity for organised crime to spread their activity, gain power and even innovate to find new ways to pursue their objectives.
On 20 February 2024 in Brussels, the EESC organised a conference on the Housing Crisis in Europe. This publication sets out the participants' assessment of the current state of affairs and their recommendations on how to tackle the current housing crisis.
Recent economic shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have brought energy poverty to the forefront of social and political debate. While EU policies increasingly address energy poverty, gender considerations remain overlooked. This study addresses this gap and aims to increase the understanding of the gender-energy poverty nexus, analysing existing literature and EU and national policies.
