Press Summaries

  • The EESC:

    • believes that the EU must adopt a competitiveness agenda which, in line with the principles of the single market and the social market economy, is forward-looking, well-defined and coordinated, and promotes the prosperity of businesses, quality jobs, raising living standards for EU citizens, and inclusiveness, while improving the ability of the EU system to innovate, invest and trade and compete in the global marketplace for the common good and drive our transition to climate neutrality;
    • believes that to revitalise the EU's competitiveness it is necessary to activate an integrated European industrial strategy, which, by promoting an integrated European industrial system, has as its key players: the company and its workers;
  • The EESC:

    • affirms the need for intermodality in all freight transport, while always bearing in mind the obligation to coordinate and optimise each mode of transport at European level;
    • is convinced that establishing an intermodal transport system requires the public to be informed of the advantageous prospects it offers: an intermodal transport system is designed to serve the public, it must influence decisions on transport projects and policies;
    • stresses that the success of this policy calls for full compliance with social rules as well as a specific and systematic training policy for company staff and managers;
    • calls for the application of this new measure to respect the rest and break periods of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. Economic profitability must not adversely affect road safety or the working conditions of drivers in the EU.
  • Reference number
    INT/1046

    The EESC:

    • welcomes the Commission's proposal to introduce a legal form of an ECBA in Member States' national legal systems;
    • proposes that all organisations that meet ECBA criteria and have their registered office in the European Union be able to acquire ECBA status, including organisations with executive body members that reside in non-EU countries;
    • recommends that the Commission and the Member States remove the legal and administrative obstacles that non-profit associations and entities face in accessing the internal market.
  • Reference number
    INT/1045

    The EESC recommends that the current and next European Commissions should introduce a European Innovation Stress Test to screen each new piece of legislation and policy initiative. The proposed test should include ten questions:

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  • In the opinion, the EESC:

    • believes that the Commission, with its proposal, is attempting to tackle the issue of long payments instead of late payments. It introduces excessively restrictive measures, instead of improving the current enforcement framework with more effective rules;
    • underlines the importance of flexible negotiations when setting payment terms and highlights strong concerns over the Commission proposal, believing that, in effect, the proposed 30-day cap eliminates contractual freedom between companies;
    • underlines that introducing national enforcement bodies may have potential benefits but stresses that such authorities will have to operate objectively and guarantee maximum confidentiality when processing the commercially sensitive information of both companies and public authorities, without imposing further reporting obligations.
  • In the opinion, the EESC:

    • emphasises that efforts to fight corruption should be better aligned with efforts to safeguard and develop democracy in the EU, noting that corrupt practices can offer political players illegal gains, which they use as resources to campaign and maintain their clientelism-based support system;
    • calls for the European public procurement market to be more advanced in digitisation, and for the Commission to continue to provide national authorities with technical support throughout this difficult process;
    • encourages the Commission and other EU and national institutions to consider worker representation, collective bargaining and social dialogue as key instruments to make anti-corruption effective at all levels.
  • The EESC:

    • suggests that the European Commission should push forward with the Social Economy Action Plan and evaluate its outcomes in 2025 to draw lessons for a new action plan. The social economy and social innovation policy should also be part of the next Commission's work programme;
    • advocates a strong local approach involving regions and cities in policies for the social economy. Public authorities can act as drivers of local development and promote relocalisation of production and the creation of decent jobs that cannot be relocated;
    • calls on the Commission to include the social economy and social innovation in initiatives stemming from its foresight report. Although meant primarily for women, these initiatives could help get other vulnerable population groups, including people with disabilities, young people and others, into the labour market.
  • Reference number
    INT/1043

    The EESC suggests:

    • focusing the future strategy on key aspects, first and foremost, adopting a truly European industrial policy;
    • assessing how the liberalisation of Services of General Economic Interest has impacted the EU's economic, social and territorial cohesion;
    • developing a legal framework for the social economy and social services of general interest;
    • avoiding an excessive regulatory burden and excessive notification requirements for businesses.

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  • In the opinion, the EESC's REX section

    • supports the European Commission's intention to take account of the climate and security nexus, but notes nonetheless that its geographical, political and military parameters must be better defined;
    • stresses the urgent need to invest in setting up resilient responses, including by preparing European decision-making processes for these types of future stresses;
    • recommends that the European institutions consider factoring the rapidly changing biophysical realities (on which people's lives and well-being depend) and political cohesion (both of Member States and of the EU's neighbours and partners) into EU policy-making;
    • suggests further integrating the climate and security nexus by creating proactive interfaces between the institutions responsible for external relations, for internal EU cohesion, and for the Member States' security and defence services;
  • In the opinion, the EESC:

    • advocates for a post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) focused on stable, long-term sustainability, ensuring EU autonomy, protecting farming diversity, addressing societal and ecological needs, and promoting rural development.
       
    • insists on proportional funding to align with sustainability goals, while the CAP's share of the EU budget steadily decreased to under 25% in 2021. It advocates transitioning from surface-based income support to financial incentives for environmental and social services, allowing a reasonable period, possibly beyond a single multiannual financial framework .. more