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  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 14/02/2018 - Bureau decision date: 17/10/2017
    Reference
    SC/50-EESC-2017-01-01-05429-00-00-ac-tra
    Employers - GR I
    Greece

    This opinion is on the Annual Growth Survey 2018 (AGS), which establishes the main economic priorities and provides policy guidance for the following year. The European Commission published the 2018 AGS on 22 November 2017 as part of the European Semester Autumn Package. The 2018 AGS is focused on fostering job creation and growth and establishes three main priorities: boosting investment to support the recovery and to increase long-term growth; structural reforms for inclusive growth, upward convergence and competitiveness; responsible fiscal policies to support sustainability and convergence.

    EESC opinion: Annual Growth Survey 2018 (communication)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 14/02/2018
    Reference
    ECO/401-EESC-2017-02368-00-01-ac-tra
    Civil Society Organisations - GR III
    Portugal
    Plenary session number
    532
    -

    The Committee recommends that future crises in the European Union should be managed by striving for a better balance between fiscal and social objectives and urges the Commission to design "supplementary economic and social recovery" programmes, to be applied at the same time as or at the end of an adjustment programme. The EESC recommends that in any future crises situation, the EU Institutions should be solely responsible for developing and implementing the adjustment programmes and stresses that social partners and representatives of civil society must be included in the programme's monitoring and assessment panel, on an equal footing with representatives of the EU, the ECB and other bodies.

     

    EESC opinion: Lessons learned for avoiding the severity of austerity policies in the EU
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 18/01/2018 - Bureau decision date: 17/10/2017
    Reference
    ECO/444-EESC-2017-01-01-05444-00-00-ac-tra
    Workers - GR II
    Spain

    The EESC notes that although economic recovery in the euro area has gathered pace since last year, it remains incomplete and atypical. It disagrees with the European Commission's proposal for an overall broadly neutral fiscal stance and instead proposes a positive fiscal stance of around 0.5% of GDP. It welcomes structural reforms that will not only increase productivity and growth potential, but also support the creation of quality jobs and reduce inequality. It supports the necessary steps for deepening the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), as well as the measures against tax fraud and tax avoidance.

    EESC opinion: Euro area economic policy (2018)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 06/12/2017 - Bureau decision date: 22/09/2016
    Reference
    ECO/410-EESC-2016-01-01-05712-00-00-AC-TRA
    Workers - GR II
    Bulgaria

    The EESC believes that income and wealth inequalities in the EU have become economic and social challenges that should be addressed with appropriate measures at national level and with the support of EU-level action.

    A well-functioning system of social transfers and social assistance is thus needed. Fiscal redistribution should to a large extent complement the gaps in the market system. Public assets (social infrastructure, facilities for services in the public interest, etc.) should be developed as a means of addressing inequalities. And fiscal income should be shifted from labour-based taxation towards a more wealth-based one, with taxation on inheritance and capital income. Overall, Intensive economic growth is key to reducing poverty and wealth inequalities.

    EESC opinion: Wealth inequality in Europe: the profit-labour split between Member States (Own-initiative Opinion)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 19/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 30/05/2017
    Reference
    ECO/440-EESC-2017-01-01-03297-00-00-ac-tra
    Workers - GR II
    Malta

    The EESC is in favour of creating a Pan-European personal pension product – PEPP but is unclear as to whether the investment arising from this initiative will remain within the EU and on the impact on labour mobility across the EU. Every effort, by way of tax relief, should be provided to encourage as many workers as possible to take up personal pension products. The EESC emphasises the need for consumer protection and risk mitigation for savers during the course of their working lives and on retirement. The EESC also underlines the importance of the role of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) in monitoring the market and national supervisory regimes with a view to achieving convergence and consistency across the EU especially regarding the governance structure for PEPPs within any provider.

    EESC opinion: pan-European personal pension product
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 19/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 30/05/2017
    Reference
    ECO/439-EESC-2017-01-01-03447-00-00-ac-tra
    Workers - GR II
    Italy
    (Czech Republic

    This opinion is part of a wider package of four EESC opinions on the future of the European economy (Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and Euro area economic policy, Capital Markets Union and The future of EU finances). The package of opinions underscores the need for a common sense of purpose in the Union governance, which goes far beyond technical approaches and measures, and is first and foremost a matter of political will and a common perspective. Europeans need more (and better) Europe, not less Europe, in order to overcome the political crisis in the EU. The basic principle of the EU budget must be to deliver European added value, achieving better outcomes than would be possible for uncoordinated national budgets acting individually. The EESC considers that it is not credible for the EU budget to continue to be less than 1% of EU-GNI.

    EESC opinion: The future of EU finances up to 2025 (White Paper – reflection paper)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 19/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 30/05/2017
    Reference
    ECO/438-EESC-2017-01-01-02879-00-00-ac-tra
    (Ireland

    This opinion is part of a wider package of four EESC opinions on the future of the European economy (Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and Euro area economic policy, Capital Markets Union and The future of EU finances). The package of opinions underscores the need for a common sense of purpose in the Union governance, which goes far beyond technical approaches and measures, and is first and foremost a matter of political will and a common perspective. Against this background the Committee advocates the exploration of tools to improve economic governance in the EMU, for instance by creating a permanent Euro Finance Minister, while ensuring full democratic accountability. Bundling competences would enhance coherence of EMU policies.

    EESC opinion: Deepening EMU by 2025 (White Paper)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 19/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 30/05/2017
    Reference
    ECO/437-EESC-2017-01-01-03251-00-00-ac-tra
    (Belgium

    This opinion is part of a wider package of four EESC opinions on the future of the European economy (Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and Euro area economic policy, Capital Markets Union and The future of EU finances). The package of opinions underscores the need for a common sense of purpose in the Union governance, which goes far beyond technical approaches and measures, and is first and foremost a matter of political will and a common perspective. The EESC is strongly in favour of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) and finds it absolutely necessary that the CMU becomes a reality in all EU Member States and calls for the political will at European level and in the Member States to make all necessary efforts and to establish all of the relevant conditions required.

    EESC opinion: Capital Markets Union: mid-term review (Communication)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 19/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 27/04/2017
    Reference
    ECO/435-EESC-2017-01-01-02837-00-00-ac-tra
    (Czech Republic
    Workers - GR II
    Spain

    This opinion is part of a wider package of four EESC opinions on the future of the European economy (Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union and Euro area economic policy, Capital Markets Union and The future of EU finances). The package of opinions underscores the need for a common sense of purpose in the Union governance, which goes far beyond technical approaches and measures, and is first and foremost a matter of political will and a common perspective. For this reason, the EESC considers it essential to have a balanced mix of euro area economic policies, with their monetary, fiscal and structural components properly interlinked. The Committee notes the improving economic situation in the euro area and recommends that, in order to maintain and bolster this, crucial steps be taken to stimulate investment and carry out reforms, while also strengthening the social and democratic dimensions of euro area governance.

    EESC opinion: Euro area economic policy (additional opinion)
  • Tuairimí a glacadh on 18/10/2017 - Bureau decision date: 26/01/2017
    Reference
    ECO/433-EESC-2017-01106-00-00-ac-tra
    Employers - GR I
    Greece

    A number of topical industrial developments and trends are currently at the focus of attention. At the same time it should be recognised that people must live everywhere in Europe, including in many regions that these innovative trends are not likely to reach even in the next 50 years. Without undermining their importance and while supporting the political efforts promoting these trends, it is necessary to recall that these businesses are the key element in the creation of new activity and value in resource-constrained areas and are crucial to enhancing economic prosperity and cohesion across Europe. Against this background, the main objective of the opinion is to identify and analyse the particular challenges these businesses face and find solutions and possibilities to support them.