In this opinion, the EESC presents its view on the Commission's proposal establishing the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority. (HERA), whose mission is to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to transnational health emergencies. The EESC welcomes this initiative but is concerned by the very limited role given by HERA to the European Parliament, regional authorities, health insurance bodies and civil society organisations and recommends their stronger involvement by adapting HERA structure and ensuring greater transparency with regard to the funds allocated and spent by and through HERA.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA)
This "Chapeau Communication" gives an overview of the different proposals of the 'Fit for 55' package as well as their linkages and explains the toolbox of policy measures chosen in order to attain an overall balance between fairness, emission reductions and competitiveness.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: 'Fit for 55': delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality
Waste transport can involve hazardous materials that are harmful to human health and the environment. The EU therefore has rules in place on waste shipments (Regulation 1013/2006) and the Commission intends to review the EU rules on waste shipments.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Waste shipments – revision of EU rules
On 16 July 2021 the Commission adopted its proposal for a Council Recommendation on ‘A Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe' to support the implementation of national European Research Area (ERA) policies.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe
The EESC welcomes the Commission initiative for the strategy on business taxation in the 21st century. The EESC strongly supports and appreciates the fact that the Commission is aligning its work with the international discussions and agreements and encourages the Commission to pursue its Action Plan for Fair and Simple Taxation Supporting the Recovery Strategy. The EESC is calling for uniform and globally concerted and coordinated implementation of Pillars 1 and 2 of the OECD agreement.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Business Taxation for the 21st Century
Through this Own-Initiative Opinion proposed by its Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group, the EESC expresses its deep concern regarding the way COVID-19 has impacted the life, safety, welfare and dignity of all of the people living in the EU and worldwide. The EESC recalls that the EU is based on common European values which are non-negotiable under any circumstances. Therefore, special measures to address the COVID-19 crisis should remain exceptional and time-limited and should not go against the rule of law or endanger democracy, the separation of powers and the fundamental rights of European inhabitants. The EESC insists on the importance of checks and balances like parliaments, independent judiciaries, and civil society in ensuring balances responses. It calls for an inclusive recovery process leaving no one behind and fostering participation, democracy and the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: The impact of COVID-19 on fundamental rights and the rule of law across the EU and the future of democracy (own-initiative opinion – FRRL)
This follow-up opinion intends to contribute to a coherent set of long term EESC proposals aimed at the full recovery of EU tourism and transport. The opinion will focus on how to best manage crises in the tourism industrial ecosystem and on the lessons learnt from such crises. After several waves of the COVID pandemic, it is of utmost importance to rethink the tourism ecosystem in more sustainable terms and adopt relevant policy solutions, as well as a comprehensive package of measures.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Tourism and transport / Follow-up
The EU is acting on its space ambitions by addressing two pressing issues: space-based secure connectivity and Space Traffic Management. Space technology is essential to facilitating our daily lives and contributing to a more digital, green and resilient future for our planet.
The EU's Space Programme already provides valuable data and services for a wide array of daily applications, in support of transport, agriculture, crisis response or the fight against climate change, among many others.
However, the EU’s space policy needs to constantly evolve and adapt to new challenges to continue enjoying the benefits space brings to our citizens. These new proposals will help safeguard the efficiency and security of our current assets, while developing cutting-edge space technology to strengthen the European space power.
The upcoming French Presidency of the Council of the European Union asked the EESC to prepare an opinion on how the industrial ecosystems identified by the Commission will contribute to the EU's strategic autonomy and the well-being of its citizens.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: How will given industrial ecosystems contribute to the strategic autonomy of the EU and the wellbeing of Europeans?
The Commission intends to renew its strategic partnership with the outermost regions, adapting it to the EU priorities on green and digital transition for a stronger recovery after the coronavirus pandemic. The new Communication is expected to be published in April 2022. In this context, the forthcoming French EU Presidency, aims to conclude together with the other EU Member States this new strategic approach to the outermost regions for a green, digital and fair recovery. More specifically, the Presidency plans to adopt Council conclusions on outermost regions that are going to be presented in the GAC (General Affairs Council) on June 2022. The French Presidency asks the contribution of civil society organisations on the new priorities for the strategic approach and partnership with these regions.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: The benefits of the outermost regions for the European Union
The proposal builds on 2030 Digital Compass, in which the Commission laid out the vision for a successful digital transformation of Europe's economy and society by the end of the decade. It introduces now a robust governance framework to reach the digital targets in the form of a Path to the Digital Decade.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the 2030 Policy Programme “Path to the Digital Decade”
In 2018, the EESC adopted an Opinion on "The Union's budget and the rule of law" (SOC/598) in which it supported the principle of corrective measures regarding Member States that commit serious violations of the rule of law in Europe. In the present Own-Initiative Opinion, the EESC insists on the actual implementation of Regulation (EU) 2020/2092 "on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget". The EESC demands the imposition of swift and comprehensive sanctions for breaches of the rule of law which put the Union's budget at risk. It also recalls the importance for Member States to integrate measures to strengthen the rule of law in their recovery programmes. The EESC also supports a stronger role for the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and civil society in the area.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Rule of law and the recovery fund (own-initiative opinion - FRRL)
This Own-initiative Opinion analyses the structural causes that have led to the elderly care systems in general and to the nursing homes in particular, to become some of the most contagious and lethal factors of this pandemic. To this end, the different systems that exist in EU Member States are compared to learn useful lessons.
In addition, the opinion calls for the need to address the demographic transition as one of the major challenges of the twenty-first century, alongside environmental and digital transitions.
Download — EGSZB-vélemény: Towards a New Care Model for the Elderly: learning from the Covid-19 pandemic (own-initiative opinion - Gr III)
