In this Opinion on the Defence of Democracy package, the EESC fully supports the transparency objectives of the proposed Directive on interest representation of third countries, but it also strongly disagrees with the proposed means. It therefore calls for a comprehensive EU-level approach that does not stigmatise interest representation service providers, does not shrink civic spaces in the EU, and does not undermine the credibility of the EU as an international actor. Concerning the Recommendation on elections, the EESC calls for harmonising the electoral process in all Member States to make it more inclusive and resilient, and fully accessible for all EU citizens with disabilities. Concerning the Recommendation on participation, the EESC calls for strengthening participative democracy, reforming the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), and setting up an EU-level framework for effective participation.
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In this opinion, the EESC underlines that is highly important for the EU Talent Pool to be a practical, reliable, easy to use tool that is attractive for workersandemployers and supports fair and ethical legal labour migration into the EU. It insists that skills and competences of workers from third countries should be assessed and swiftly validated to ensure that their skills are certified and they can obtain their qualifications when necessary.
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The proposal for a Directive to amend the Package Travel Directive aims to make the protection of travellers more effective, including in crisis situations.
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At the request of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the EESC is drawing up this opinion to suggest recommendations on how to tackle inequalities, foster upwards social convergence and strengthen social security systems and ensure its long-term affordability, in an EU economic governance framework/European Semester defined around debt sustainability, productive investments and reforms. This opinion is also focusing on the implications of such a framework for the European Semester, and the further strengthening of the social pillar herein. Finally, the opinion also looks at ways of continuing to further develop fiscal instruments that have a stabilising role at the European level, based e.g. on the experience of SURE.
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Microplastics are persistent, very mobile, and hard to remove from nature. Microplastics are widespread in the world and in the human body, and a cause of growing concerns. Plastic pellets are found in water and soil, including agricultural lands, and harm ecosystems and biodiversity. Plastic pellets are the one of the largest sources of unintentional microplastic pollution.
For the first time, the European Commission proposes measures to prevent microplastic pollution from the unintentional release of plastic pellets.
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The EESC calls for a strategy for civil dialogue, resulting in an action plan, and potentially an interinstitutional agreement for improved civil dialogue. It advocates for making Article 11 TEU effective by strengthening actors in the different EU institutions dealing with civil dialogue and create an annual civil dialogue scoreboard tracing the EU's engagement with civil society, and an accreditation mechanism for CSOs. It reiterates that the EESC should be at the centre of civil society consultation and civil dialogue and calls for a stronger role for the Committee in participatory democracy, including being a potential hub for citizen panels.
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