Opinions

The EU Competitiveness Fund, part of the Multiannual Financial Framework, will streamline support for innovation and industrial development by merging existing programmes, simplifying access – particularly for SMEs – and guiding investments across key sectors with unified rules and a shared financial toolbox.

The report presents the main legislative initiatives and policy developments in 2024, as well as a selection of important enforcement actions.

In this opinion, the EESC fully supports the priorities identified by the Commission and reiterates the need for a cohesive European response. The EESC also stresses that removing barriers is key and that regulatory simplification must take place with full respect for social and workers’ rights. Finally, it calls on the Commission to put forward legislative proposals to address regional supply constraints.

This exploratory opinion will focus on the comprehensive evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives that the Commission has envisaged to carry out; such evaluation will look into whether the current rules are fit for purpose or not. The EESC opinion aims at contributing to this exercise reflecting the perspective of civil society.

The new state aid framework aims to draw from the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, a crisis measure to help countries support industry in the fallout from the pandemic and the Ukraine war. The new framework seeks to accompany the Clean Industrial Deal by setting out how Member States can design State aid measures to support its objectives, and will be in force until end 2030.