The objective of this evaluation report is to assess the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) atmid-term. The RRF is the EU’s main instrument to mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the EESC will examine, from the point of view of the organised civil society, the effectiveness and relevance of this instrument, as well as aim to determine the added value of civil society involvement in achieving the RRF Regulation’s objectives. The evaluation will also cover later developments, such as the REPowerEU initiative. The results of the EESC's evaluation will feed into the Commission's evaluation, the completion of which is scheduled for Q1 2024.
Download — Mid-term evaluation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility
The Union customs code is facing situations for which it was not conceived, notably e-commerce. The revision of the Union customs legislation will aim at improving the controls of e-commerce to the benefit of tax payers and citizens products.
Download — Parere del CESE: Customs reform package
Download — Parere del CESE: Conservation and control measures applicable in the area covered by the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the North-East Atlantic fisheries
The Green Deal Industrial Plan aims to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and support the fast transition to climate neutrality.
Download — Parere del CESE: Green Deal Industrial Plan
The exploratory opinion at the request of the Spanish Presidency will look into advertising through influencers and its impact on consumers. Influencers as content creators with large numbers of followers on social networks have a crucial impact on consumer behaviour and, inter alia, on consumer decisions.
Download — Parere del CESE: Advertising through influencers and its impact on consumers
All industries rely on water. Anticipating future risks related to water scarcity as well as quality and increasing pricing of water is vital for industries, particularly for water-intensive sectors. Many industries are increasingly facing the pressure to progressively adopt more water-efficient production processes and reduce their environmental impact.
Download — Parere del CESE: Water-intensive industries and water-efficient technologies
In this opinion, the EESC: encourages reforming EU health systems for mental health by focusing on prevention, early detection, and community-based care; recommends that the EU Comprehensive Plan on Mental Health is swiftly transposed in an EU Mental Health Strategy which has a timeframe, funding defined responsibilities and progress indicators. The EESC highlights the importance of considering the influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on mental health within the European Semester process and emphasizes the need for increased investments in the health sector as part of National Recovery and Resilience Plans; supports the development of person-centered mental health systems that empower individuals and promote their active involvement in their own recovery, aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Download — Parere del CESE: Measures to improve mental health
Download — Parere del CESE: Sustainable water management and climate emergency: circular and other solutions for the EU agri-food system in a future "Blue Deal"
This exploratory opinion will be an opportunity to follow up on the EESC work on sustainable food systems, address the causes of obesity as the social determinant of health and provide recommendations for promoting healthier and sustainable diets, healthy lifestyle habits and protection of vulnerable children to feed into the work of the Spanish presidency.
Download — Parere del CESE: Measures to reduce child obesity
The EESC opinion, that covers the Commission proposal and the request from the Spanish Presidency of the Council, endorses the reform. However, it notes the need to strike a balance between flexibility and predictability in its implementation, as well as a balanced and proportional public interest assessment to avoid damaging the interest of smaller and local entities.
Download — Parere del CESE: Review of the Bank crisis management and deposit insurance framework
The revision of Regulation (EC) 648/2004 will follow-up on the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability. It will adapt the regulatory requirements for detergents to recent developments and socio-economic needs. The revision will also address the weaknesses identified by the evaluation, such as the incoherence of concepts and definitions established in the Regulation with the meaning they gained over time and in practice.
Download — Parere del CESE: Making available and placing on the market of detergents
In a geopolitical context of increasing power competition and intensification of threats to the EU and its Member States, EU leaders have identified space as a strategic domain in the Strategic Compass and have called for an EU Space Strategy for security and defence. The European Commission presented on 10 March such strategy aiming to enhancing the resilience and protection of space systems and services in the EU, responding to space threats, enhancing the use of space for security and defence and partnering for responsible behaviours in outer space.
The preparatory meeting between the rapporteur, the corapporteur and the president of the study group is scheduled for 31 March. The first study group meeting and an expert hearing are scheduled for 3 May and the second study group meeting on 31 May. The document will go to CCMI meeting on 22 June and to EESC plenary on 12-13 July.
Download — Parere del CESE: EU space strategy for security and defence
The European Commission presented its Critical Raw Materials Act in the beginning of March. The package of legislative and non-legislative measures is aimed at diversifying the supply of the materials needed to achieve the green and digital transition.
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In the opinion, the EESC: calls for a paradigm shift in the treatment of older people, moving from a care-based approach to empowering them and eliminating ageist attitudes; urges the EU to adopt a comprehensive European strategy for older persons, safeguarding their rights and promoting their full participation in society and the economy (the strategy should be accompanied by a guarantee for older persons and encompass various areas such as equality, non-discrimination, gender, rights, participation, employment, education, income and social inclusion, with Member States developing national plans to this end); encourages the drafting and signing of a European declaration on older persons to demonstrate the commitment towards developing the European strategy for older persons.
Download — Parere del CESE: European Strategy for Older persons
