considers that the programme in question pursues the right strategy by devising measures and support aimed at increasing and improving cooperation between the Commission and Member States, and among the Member States, in matters pertaining to the single market, Customs Union, taxation and efforts to combat fraud;
urges the European Commission to encourage Member States to boost human resources in customs authorities and in services collecting customs duties and taxes, especially in those Member States that receive the most imports from Asia, and with regard to parcels sent via digital platforms that are located there;
calls for the simplification of EU regulations to be accompanied by similar changes in each Member State’s legislation, so that national laws do not make it difficult for individuals and businesses to apply the rules;
recommends that digitalisation of the procedures to be followed by individuals and businesses should not result in greater complexity or in an increase in their reporting or other obligations;
considers it important to support consumer associations, given the key role they play in consumer dispute resolution arrangements, in monitoring the compliance of products circulating on the single market, and in efforts to boost financial literacy.
EESC called for swift, concrete action to accelerate AI deployment across the EU, especially for SMEs and scale-ups. In a global AI race driven by speed and scale, Europe must position reliability and trustworthiness as its defining strengths.
considers the indicative budget of EUR 175 002 000 000 proposed for the period 2028-2034 to be encouraging and that it sends a strong signal of support for scientific excellence and the aim of investing in research and innovation and disruptive technologies. However, the EESC recommends that it be used only as a baseline figure for discussions between the Council and the European Parliament;
deems it imperative to improve the monitoring of the use of funds and to identify obstacles to their use and the factors behind underspending in certain countries;
recommends maintaining and correctly aligning Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund, particularly the fund’s four policy components and the corresponding activities under the ‘Competitiveness’ pillar of Horizon Europe (Pillar II);
recommends that, in order to support the entire innovation cycle from fundamental research to placing on the market, project assessment and selection procedures must not only be based on scientific excellence, but also on additional assessment criteria designed to better understand commercial relevance, industrial impact and the contribution to European strategic autonomy and the competitiveness of European industry;
recommends maintaining a four-year term of office, renewable once for the president of the European Research Council (ERC), instead of reducing it to two years.
