The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was asked by the upcoming Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU to produce an exploratory opinion on paving the way to EU accession for the Western Balkans, underlining the benefits of the future enlargement to the region from a holistic point of view.
This opinion presents recommendations on ways to help persons with disabilities enter the open labour market and better implement the aims highlighted in the Disability Employment Package. It focuses on two topics: the social integration, complex rehabilitation and occupational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and changed working capacity; and a EU-level reflection around the need for reasonable accommodation.
Download — EESK atzinums: Promoting the social integration of persons with disabilities and persons with changed working capacity
Download — EESK atzinums: Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest – impact on climate change and the global environment; consequences for companies, workers and population
The EESC underlines that youth participation mechanisms need to be transparent and that the interests and concerns of young people need to be considered at each stage of the policy-making cycle. It proposes that guidelines are set up to support the monitoring and dissemination of the EUYD (EU Youth Dialogue) outcomes and impact and that an online repository be set up where collected documents would be made available. It calls on the Commission and the Member States to support long-term, sustainable and well-functioning management of the EUYD, including the establishment of institutional memory and capacity building processes.
Consumers are increasingly mindful of environmental and social issues when buying products, emphasizing the importance of information on product origin and distribution in their decision-making process.
EESC with this Resolution, calls on the Member States of the European Union and its leaders, the European institutions and the EU citizens, to safeguard and protect the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the EU according to Article 174 of the TFEU.
The fundamental principle of cohesion policy, according to which ‘no one should be left behind’, remains sound and valid. Civil society partners are ready to continue working towards it by means of a solid EU investment policy.
