Europski gospodarski i socijalni odbor
The 18th edition of the European Consumer Day will be held in Brussels on 10 March 2016.
The objective of the conference is to analyze whether and how the Commission's intention to "better regulate" will affect consumer policy. What should be taken into account by the Commission and other institutions in implementing this new strategy? How to make sure that the consumers will not lose?
Following the event in Strasbourg, the EESC has launched the Social Enterprise Project to identify policy ideas and specific measures that can be taken.
Throughout a substantial number of opinions, the Strasbourg event, and the Social Entrepreneurship project, the EESC is actively involved in the Social Entrepreneurship field. As a result of this project currently undertaken by the EESC, policy directions and concrete actions will be forwarded to the new Commission and Parliament at the fall of 2014.
The pilot study on "The workings of the Services Directive in the construction sector" carried out by the Single Market Observatory (SMO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was presented at the EESC Plenary on 30 April 2014.
The report in all languages, a short video presentation by Mr Siecker, president of the Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT), the preliminary evaluation of the replies to the questionnaire and the staff working paper are available on our website:
The 16 th edition of the European Consumer Day will be held in Thessaloniki on 14 March 2014.
Even in times of crisis consumers have their rights. Those rights are legally binding and even a long-lasting crisis cannot be used as an excuse for the lack of enforcement. What challenges lie ahead of policy makers in the field of consumer protection? Are enforcement bodies efficient enough or are consumer rights just a mirage in those difficult times? How to fight overindebtedness and financial exclusion?
Entrepreneurial policy must stimulate the creation of all forms of enterprise. The emergence of freelance and craft businesses, the professions, family businesses and cooperatives or social enterprises should also be encouraged.
Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, rapporteur on "Reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe"
Tourism therefore plays a crucial role in achieving the Union’s most important goals, such as sustainable development, economic growth, employment and economic and social cohesion.
Completion of the Single Market is one element necessary for the European venture to succeed. The EESC has a key role to play here, for the good of both consumers and business. To this end, the EESC set up a Single Market Observatory (SMO) in 1994, with the support of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. The SMO is made up of 33 members representing European civil society organisations. Its aim is to monitor how the Single Market operates in practice, identify where the problems are and help legislators remedy existing shortcomings.
The expansion of trade both within the EU and with commercial partners located in other parts of the world has increased the variety products available to European citizens. Protecting health and safety of consumers, who buy and use products in all Member States, is a top priority for the EU.
"We believe that the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology must become the internal market’s ‘fifth freedom’ in addition to people, goods, capital and services." Daniela Rondinelli, rapporteur,EESC opinion on a partnership for excellence and growth in the European Research Area
