In its evaluation of the implementation of EU directives on legal migration from the perspective of organised civil society in selected Member States, the EESC considers the impact of these directives to be generally positive, albeit partial and fragmented. It also notes the impact of irregular migration on the directives' applicability.
The EESC provides a series of recommendations, covering the design of wider legal channels for labour migration; the role of the social partners and other organisations in this field; a simplified implementation of the directives and the modification of some of them; fact-based discourse to better inform the general public, integration and the fight against discrimination.
Download — Information report: State of implementation of legal migration legislation (Information report – impact assessment)
The definition of delegated acts in Article 290(1) is very similar to that of acts which are subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny (RPS). The acts in question are of general application and seek to amend or supplement certain non-essential elements of the legislative instrument.
Download — EESK atzinums: Adapting RPS acts to Articles 290 and 291 TFEU
In this exploratory opinion, prepared at the request of the European Commission, the EESC provides its contribution to the ongoing reflection on the modernisation and simplification of the CAP post 2020. A reshaped CAP must retain the positive aspects of the current policy and adopt new measures to deal with the new challenges which include societal demands for the delivery of public goods, the EU commitments under the United Nations SDGs, climate change commitments under the COP21, bilateral trade deals and market volatility. A reshaped CAP must also get the correct balance between the needs of the consumer, taxpayers and producers.
Download — EESK atzinums: A possible reshaping of the CAP (exploratory opinion at the request of the European Commission)
Download — EESK atzinums: Fixing the adjustment rate provided for in Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 for direct payments in respect of the calendar year 2017
Download — EESK atzinums: Laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention Area of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
President Juncker stressed in his 2016 State of the Union Speech the need for a Europe that protects, empowers and defends. Taking greater responsibility for their security means that Europeans must invest in the development of key defence capabilities to be able to deter, respond and protect themselves against external threats. The European Union must demonstrate that it can act as a provider of hard as well as soft security, addressing calls for greater solidarity in security and defence. The Bratislava roadmap, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have also recently underlined this priority.
Download — EESK atzinums: European Defence Action Plan (Communication)
Greenhouse gas emissions from aviation activities are increasing significantly. In the absence of further measures, CO2 emissions from international aviation are estimated to almost quadruple by 2050 compared to 2010.
Download — EESK atzinums: Emissions trading scheme on aviation activities
The proposed measures of the services package aim to make it easier for services providers to navigate administrative formalities, helping Member States identify overly burdensome or outdated requirements on professionals operating domestically or across borders. Rather than amending existing EU rules in the services area, the Commission focuses on ensuring better application.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the Second Report on the State of the Energy Union as part of the process of monitoring the implementation and development of the Energy Union strategy. The Committee approaches the report from three different angles in its opinion: first, it comments on the idea of the Energy Union itself; secondly, it analyses the progress made towards achieving the Energy Union's objectives; and lastly, it examines the monitoring and reporting undertaken for the State of the Energy Union.
Download — EESK atzinums: State of the Energy Union
The EESC supports the measures that the European Union has put in place to tackle all forms of tax fraud and takes the view that the reverse charge mechanism for collecting value added tax (VAT) may be a useful tool in countering carousel fraud and VAT evasion. However, the use of the reverse charge mechanism, which is a derogation from the established principles on VAT, must not be allowed to harm the internal market and it must be temporary and properly assessed by the Commission.
The Committee furthermore recommends focusing particular attention on the proportionality principle, as the cost of compliance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) related to introducing a reverse charge mechanism could be considerable.
The EESC welcomes the Commission's proposal for a new market design, a risk preparedness regulation and the new organisation of the energy regulators' cooperation. The Committee highlights that well-functioning electricity markets are a precondition for fulfilling the goals of the Energy Union. For the markets to function well, significant changes in the market design are necessary, particularly due to the increasing use of variable renewable electricity. The EESC appreciates the general approach of the market design package, especially the goals of putting consumers at the heart of the energy market, increasing electricity supply and strengthening regional cooperation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies offer great potential for creating new and innovative solutions to improve peoples lives, grow the economy, and address challenges in health and wellbeing, climate change, safety and security.
Like any disruptive technology, however, AI carries risks and presents complex societal challenges in several areas such as labour, safety, privacy, ethics, skills and so on.
A broad approach towards AI, covering all its effects (good and bad) on society as a whole, is crucial. Especially in a time where developments are accellerating.
Download — EESK atzinums: Artificial Intelligence - The consequences of artificial intelligence on the (digital) single market, production, consumption, employment and society (own-initiative opinion)
The EESC has been asked by the European Commission to contribute to the EC's mid-term evaluation of the Erasmus+ programme. In this context, two questionnaires were widely disseminated by the EESC in the member states and four fact-finding missions have been organised. The EESC also held an expert hearing to collect the views of specialised civil society organisations. An information report has been drafted containing the results of this exercise, accompanied by a detailed technical appendix containing important data on the awareness and perception of the programme. The aim of this evaluation was to provide information to the EC on the experience of civil society organisations with the enlarged and improved programme.
Download — Information report: Erasmus+ Mid-term evaluation
The Commission proposal is technically amending the existing Council Regulation (EU) No 560/2014 establishing the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU).
BBI JU is a body entrusted with the implementation of a public-private partnership whose members are the European Union represented by the Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC).
Due to difficulty of BIC to deliver its financial contribution as foreseen by the current Council Regulation, the European Commission proposes to adjust the initial text of the Council Regulation by introducing the possibility of delivering financial contributions at project level, in addition to the existent mode of delivery at programme level.
The 2030 Agenda, the new global framework for sustainable development agreed by the UN in 2015, needs to be reflected in EU's development policy, the major orientations of which are set out in the 2005 European Consensus on Development ("the Consensus").
To this end, the Commission issued Communication COM(2016) 740, "Proposal for a New European Consensus on Development: Our World, Our Dignity, Our Future" in November 2016. Interinstitutional negotiations are expected to result in its endorsement in the form of a Joint Statement by the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission, in May 2017.
Download — EESK atzinums: Proposal for a new European Consensus on Development: "Our World, our Dignity, our Future” (Communication)
The EESC supports the Commission's proposal to expand the scope of controls and the competency of the authorities in order to conduct checks and confiscate goods, whenever there is a reasonable indication of illicit activities. The EESC recommends to improve cooperation, both between the competent authorities and between Member States and suggests that penalties should be harmonised across Member States and communicated to the Commission in a coherent way. The Committee also proposes that, in addition to gold, other "highly liquid commodities" should be included in the definition of cash from the moment the new regulation is adopted and it draws attention to the threat of further use of pre-paid cards by criminals and terrorists to covertly finance their activities.
