The survey initiated by the EESC on the automotive industry and its value chain was inspired by the GEAR 2030 initiative and the changes taking place in this sector. It is expected that the new challenges of electrification, digitisation, connectivity and mobility will define the structural transformation of traditional automobile manufacturing. During the next decade, innovation and transformation will take place much more quickly than they have done over the course of the last century.The survey initiated by the EESC on the automotive industry and its value chain was inspired by the GEAR 2030 initiative and the changes taking place in this sector. It is expected that the new challenges of electrification, digitisation, connectivity and mobility will define the structural transformation of traditional automobile manufacturing. During the next decade, innovation and transformation will take place much more quickly than they have done over the course of the last century.
Download — The automotive industry on the brink of a new paradigm? (Information report)
The EESC welcomes the Commission proposal for a Council Directive to improve double taxation dispute resolution mechanisms in the EU. Double taxation is one of the biggest tax obstacles to the Single Market. There is an urgent need for mechanisms ensuring that cases of double taxation are resolved more quickly and more decisively when they arise between Member States. Therefore it is urgent to implement this proposal.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Initiative on Improving double taxation dispute resolution mechanisms
Following a request from the Commission, the information report seeks to provide input for the Commission's interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 and, in addition, of its Science with and for Society (SwafS) sub-programme.
The EESC's recommendations are based on the views of civil society organisations gathered by EESC Members through an online questionnaire and a number of fact-finding missions.
Download — Information report: Interim evaluation of Horizon 2020
The EESC encourages the Commission to pursue its efforts to develop policy proposals aimed at promoting the creation of innovative and high growth firms. These policy proposals should strengthen the single market, reinforce the clusters and ecosystems in which innovative start-ups are created, develop the equity component of the European capital markets, encourage an academic agenda focusing on jobs for the future and minimise the cost and red tape involved in starting a new entrepreneurial venture.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Promoting innovative and high growth firms (own-initiative opinion)
The opinion welcomes the revision of the Blue Card, since it makes the card more attractive as a way of entering the EU.
However, the Committee considers that Commission's proposal to replace parallel national schemes with a single EU-wide scheme goes too far, and prefers that Member States maintain their own routes for admitting highly qualified workers alongside the EU Blue Card.
The opinion agrees with the measures to facilitate granting of the card, but expresses scepticism about the application of lower salary thresholds.
Finally the opinion recalls that equal opportunities and non-discrimination must be guaranteed in the employing of third-county nationals and that close involvement of national and European social partners is needed in this field.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Towards a coherent EU labour immigration policy with regard to the EU Blue Card
The EESC still considers that Turkey remains a very important partner and that the political will exists to increase levels of cooperation, but only provided that compliance with the fundamental European values and the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights is ensured. The EESC believes that ongoing developments have rendered the current Customs Union (CU) agreement obsolete and that the parties to the agreement will have to start serious negotiations on strengthening their economic ties by establishing a new type of trade agreement that reflects current needs. The recent adjustments and best practices implemented in various trade agreements have transformed models for sustainability, transparency and the involvement of the social partners and civil society in international trade agreements.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Enhancement of the EU-Turkey bilateral trade relations and the modernisation of the Customs Union
Europe has always played a key role in the innovation and development of personal care, body hygiene and beauty products. However its leading position has progressively been eroded in the process of global competition. While the innovative capacity of Europe’s specialised enterprises is very impressive, the production and commercialisation of European inventions have shifted to other parts of the world with serious economic and social consequences for Europe in terms of benefits, labour opportunities and incentives for research and development. To strengthen this particular branch of industry by appropriate strategies will lead to a major contribution to industrial reshoring and industrial development.
Download — EESC opinion: Strengthening European personal care, hygiene and cosmetic products industries
The EESC takes the view that the general development of distributed prosumer energy should form an important and sustainable part of the European Union’s energy policy. Such an approach would be beneficial and might even be necessary from the point of view of energy security and in light of environmental and social concerns. In particular, the Committee points to the prosumers’ advantages of, among others, lower energy transmission costs, better use of local energy sources, and the economic and social involvement of local communities.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: Prosumer Energy and Prosumer Power Cooperatives: opportunities and challenges in the EU countries (own-initiative opinion)
This report follows the conclusion of the 2015 Euro-Mediterranean Summit of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions on cooperation with third countries in promoting regular migration to the EU and will be presented at the 2016 Euromed Summit. Cooperation with countries of origin and international bodies to increase transit possibilities for regular migrants to the EU is the most effective way of combating the illicit trafficking of people and meeting the need for workers in EU countries. The aim of the information report is to define the pillars that can facilitate cooperation on regular migration and ascertain what experience has been gained from labour migration agreements with countries of origin and from the ways in which the Member States manage recruitment abroad.
Download — Information report: Cooperation with third countries in promoting regular migration into the EU (Information report)
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) warns against granting China market economy status (MES) and calls on the European institutions to promote fair international competition and actively defend European jobs and European values with efficient trade defence instruments (TDIs). In its opinion, adopted at its 514th plenary session on 14th July, the EESC points to the disastrous impact a possible granting of MES to China would have on Europe's industry and consequently on Europe's labour market. The EESC insists on China's fulfilment of the five EU criteria for achieving the MES.
Download — Tuairim ó CESE: The impact on key industrial sectors (and on jobs and growth) of the possible granting of market economy treatment to China (for the purpose of trade defence instruments) (own-initiative opinion)
