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 — Opinjoni tal-KESE: 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 — Opinjoni tal-KESE: 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 — Opinjoni tal-KESE: 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.
The EESC considers the intention to create ETIAS as a currently inevitable step corresponding to the threats caused by external and internal circumstances. ETIAS should be based on the right balance between risks and safety, at the same time avoiding increased administrative burdens and barriers for people travelling to the EU. The Committee stresses that ETIAS should fully respect the fundamental rights of applicants and avoid any discrimination. All data gathered by the system must be protected and access to it should be strictly limited. All applicants should be allowed to use the services of intermediaries to obtain the travel authorisation, if needed. However, the costs charged by these intermediaries for their services should be monitored and evaluated by EU delegations in the third countries.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Establishing a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)
The EESC welcomes the "clean energy" package, which aims to accelerate, transform and consolidate the EU economy's clean energy transition, while pursuing the important goals of economic growth and job creation. The proposed package includes important proposals in the areas of renewable energies and electricity market design and regulation, energy efficiency and energy performance of buildings, energy innovations, transport, and governance – and the Committee views many of the initiatives favourably. However, the opinion – drawing on nine other opinions concerned with the individual proposals of the clean energy package – also identifies a number of challenges that civil society and co-legislators need to be aware of.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Clean Energy For All Europeans package
The EESC proposes an EU Platform For Change ("Platform"), to address gender equality in transport, initially prioritising increasing women's employability in the sector. This initial objective could later be supplemented by including "women as users". Membership could include, but not exclusively, EU- and national-level representative bodies of policy makers, the transport industries, their trade unions, media, passenger organisations and NGOs willing to commit to concrete actions to address gender inequality in transport.
Banking and insurance are evolving. Insurance companies and banks are at the forefront of the development of the digital economy. The very nature of their activities lends itself to the intensive use of the new technologies. In a highly competitive framework marked by a keener pursuit of competitiveness, insurance companies and banks have become part of an ongoing drive for innovation.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Digitalisation and innovative business models in the European financial sector, impact on employment and customers (own-initiative opinion)
The EESC very much welcomes the Commission’s package of proposals and hopes that it will contribute effectively to complementing the work done after the crisis to reform the financial sector. The Committee welcomes the underlying holistic and integrated approach and believes that the proposed measures will undoubtedly help strengthen Europe’s prudential and resolution framework for banks. The Committee also these proposals will enable progress to be made not only in further advancing the Banking Union, but also in implementing its third pillar, the European Deposit Insurance Scheme and that certain specific adjustments in the proposals should facilitate the pursuit of a Capital Markets Union.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Amendment to the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) to incorporate modifications to the BASEL framework and findings from various reviews required under CRR. (working title)
The EESC welcomes the communication of the European Commission on a "Space Strategy for Europe" and endorses the proposed guidelines. The EESC encourages the Commission to continue on this path and to set its sights on even more ambitious horizons. The Committee emphasizes that space activities are nowadays part of everyday life of European citizens. It focuses on the crucial role of SMEs as well as on the education and public awareness raising as far as space activities are concerned.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Space Strategy for Europe (Communication)
Impact assessments of any legislative proposals must be integrated and accorded due importance to the economic, social and environmental dimensions, including for SMEs. The Committee has called for the Parliament, the Council and the European Commission to agree on a common methodology on impact assessments and evaluations, which could also serve as a prompt for the Committee. It is extremely concerned by the findings on the shortcomings of social and environmental impact assessments and the follow-up to consultations. It calls on the Commission to be more transparent and to give fully documented reasons why a particular measure or proposal is or is not to be submitted for impact assessment and/or an ex-post analysis.
Download — Opinjoni tal-KESE: Nautical and maritime tourism diversification strategies
In the context of the revision of the founding regulations of the three agencies EUROFOUND, CEDEFOP and EU-OSHA, the Committee expresses its views on general principles governing these bodies and puts forward specific comments for each agency. The EESC warmly welcomes the fact that the balanced, tripartite structure of the management board is to be maintained. The Committee considers that tripartism is the expression of an inclusive approach, which respects the importance of the role of the social partners in seeking joint solutions. The EESC believes that the overall objectives of the three agencies should be uniformly and more comprehensively defined as to "support the needs of all EU institutions and bodies, Member States and Social Partners".
The EESC believes that the current framework for international ocean governance is unable to ensure the sustainable management of oceans and their resources, and urgent action is imperative. However, the Commission and the High Representative still need to prioritise the threats currently faced by our oceans in order to adequately reflect the urgent need for action. One of the causes of ineffective international ocean governance is the existence of gaps in the current international ocean governance framework. The EESC recommends that the Commission and High Representative address these gaps and inconsistencies, but also that they increase compliance with existing rules, for example by improving the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The EU should refrain from proposing any new legislation when better or more coordinated implementation of existing rules and regulations would be more efficient.
