In accordance with the request from the Danish Presidency, the EESC has assessed the instruments and measures needed to shift to sustainable modes of production and consumption. Welcoming the awareness and efforts of the European institutions in this area, and with a view to working towards these objectives and ensuring a just transition, the EESC calls for the development of a renewed, joint vision of the economic model, including consultations within a specialised forum with all sectors of organised civil society, in order to set objectives and targets and update the monitoring procedure.
Download — EESC Opinion: Promotion of sustainable production and consumption in the EU
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
The opinion deals with European Venture Capital sector, which is closely linked to Europe's global competitiveness. The growth of this sector is an objective of the overall Europe 2020 Strategy and also one of the key priorities of the SME action plan. The EESC welcomes the regulation but draws attention to several limitations, which may weaken the anticipated impact.
Download — EESC opinion: European Venture Capital Funds
The EESC is fully supportive of the revised directive and it finds much in the regulation which it can support. The EESC has a major concern about the applicability of the regulation to SMEs and it recommends that the more radical proposals be revised.
Download — EESC opinion: Annual accounts and consolidated accounts - Audit - public interest entities
The European Economic and Social Committee greets the Commission's legislative proposals with interest, and notes that some – although far from all – recommendations made in its past opinions have been taken into account. Most importantly, the Committee has repeatedly stated that the future CAP must be driven by a determination to defend the European agricultural model, which is based on the principles of food sovereignty, sustainability and responsiveness to the real needs of farmers and consumers.
The EESC repeats that the European agricultural model cannot operate at world market prices and conditions and does not come free of charge. Any policy that promotes this agricultural model thus requires sufficient financial resources. However, in the current proposals concerning the Union budget for the 2014-2020 period, the resources earmarked for the CAP would be clearly reduced in constant price terms.
A substantial change in behaviour is needed to move to the low-carbon economy provided for in the Commission's 2050 Roadmap. It is imperative to involve civil society in order to achieve the EU's objectives, in particular its target of at least a 20% reduction in energy consumption by 2020. NGOs' first-hand expertise in developing energy education models and tools is extremely important.The EESC believes it is necessary to develop innovative education, teaching and training methods.
